Images of Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha

In Jain ideology there is a great controversy regarding the gender of the Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha (Bhattacharya 1974: 54-5; Shah, 1987: 159-60). According to the Śvetāmbara tradition the nineteenth Jain Mallinātha is a female and she is the princess of king Kumbha and queen Prabhāvatī of Mithila in the Vaṅga country. Her birth took place in the Aśvini nakṣatra.

On the other hand according to the Digambara tradition, Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha is a male and they did not believe that a woman can obtain mokṣa or kevalajñāna. Mallinātha obtains kevalajñāna under an Aśoka tree and mokṣa on Mt. Sammeta. Except the sex, almost all other details about Mallinātha are common in both the Jain traditions. It is very difficult for us to understand which tradition is older and more reliable and what is the actual gender of Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha. In this connection the Jain conical text Nāyādhammakahāo mention that Malli was the most beautiful princess of her age and this text is acknowledged by the Śvetāmbaras (Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita, vol. VI: 6; Uttarapurāṇa Parva 66; Nāyādhammakahāo 8). The several researches show that this text is not earlier than the fourth century CE.

According to Hemachandra, this Jain was called Malli because, when she was in her mother’s womb, the mother had a pregnancy desire for flower garlands (Bhattacharya, 1939: op. cit.,). On the other hand Uttarapurāṇa says thathe was called Malli as he had conquered the wrestler (malla) in the form of infatuation (Uttarapurāṇa Parva 66.1).

The symbol of this Jina is water-jar (kalaśa) and the Yakṣa and Yakṣiṇī of this Tīrthaṅkara is Kubera and Dharaṇapriyā (Dig. Aparājitā).

The debate regarding the gender of Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha still continues and the sculptural representations of this Tīrthaṅkara create confusions. Very few sculptures of Mallinātha have been reported so far from whole India. Among them an interesting sculpture of female Mallinatha is presently preserved in the Lucknow museum (no.J.885) and was discovered from Unao in Uttar Pradesh. Unfortunately the head of the image is missing and the cognizance, water pot in the centre of the seat is much mutilated. The dhyāna mudra and padmāsana posture and the prominent breasts make it quite certain that the image represents Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha according to the Śvetāmbara tradition. On the back of the image the braid of hair is well represented (Shah 1956: 128). All these feature shows that the image is actually a figure of female Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha and this is the only image where Malli is represented as a female. In our study area before the present research only one image of Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha was reported (Chakrabarti 1993:126). However, the present study documented another beautiful image of this Tīrthaṅkara, which is presently display in the Purulia Ramkrishna Mission Museum.

The image from Ramkrishna Mission Museum, is carved out on a rectangular back-slab with projected side frame and it measures 112 x 55 x 14 cm (Pl.XXIX.C). The Jina is standing in kāyotsarga posture on a double-petalled lotus placed on a sapta-ratha pedestal. The pedestal of this image is unique. The central ratha of the pedestal bears the lāñchana of the Jina i.e., kalaśa is neatly carved and placed between Stylized representations of crouching lions. Two ācāryas facing each other are depict in the next rathas of the pedestal. In front of them a sthāpanā (wooden stand), covered with a cloth is present. The right hands are displays in abhya gesture and holding a broom, which is a conspicuous element for ācāryas, in their left hands. The alms-bowls of ācāryas are also depicting just behind them. The presence of ācāryas or monks in the Jain images is not a common features in the present study area is concerned however, this feature is widely popular in Deogarh region of Madhya Pradesh. Klaus Bruhn (1986: 179-187) extremely studied the Jain sculptural remains of this region and he identified and classified the Jain ācāryas or monks properly. The remaining portions (the extreme rathas) of the pedestal are decorated with geometrical motifs interspersed with rosette motifs.

The mūla-nāyaka obviously devoid of any worldly attire has elongated earlobes, and his hair is arranged in schematic curls with prominent uṣṇīṣa. A circular śiraścakra with leafed edges adorns the head of the saviour. Above the śiraścakra is the depiction of the tree associated with the kevalajñāna of the Jina i.e., Aśoka tree. Unfortunately, the trilinear chatra of the image is damaged, which is flanked by two vidyādharas holding long garlands. The Jina is flanked on both sides by stout male caurī-bearers. They wear deeply incised loin cloths and elaborate jewellery and both of them have plain, small oval shaped halos. Obviously, the modulation of surfaces apparent from the drapery and jewellery are restricted to these parikara elements. These caurī-bearers stand on lotus pedestals and their left hands are in kaṭyāvalambita posture and the right hands hold a fly-whisk.

Another interesting feature of this image is the representations of ratna-pātras between the feet of the caurī-bearers and mūla-nāyaka. The Jina figure is flanked by pillar like structural appendages surmounted by triangular fleurons. On the edges of the back-slab, on a projected frame, are miniature figures of eight planets (jyotiṣkadeva) arranged in a vertical row of four on either side of the Jina. Those on the dexter side appear to be Sūrya, Maṅgala, Bṛhaspati and Śani; while those on the sinister side are Soma, Buddha, Śukra and Rāhu. The eight planetary deities are seated in their usual postures (Sūrya is seated in padmasana posture and except Rāhu remaining six planetary deities are seated in ardha-paryaṅkāsana posture) and holding their respective attributes in both the hands.

Undoubtedly, the present image is the work of a master craftsman and the entire composition signifies perfect symmetry and poise. It seems that the iconometric rules prescribed in the Jain canons (those dealing with iconography) have been adhered to by the craftsman. This image may be carved for the central deity of the temple or monastery. Stylistically, the image may be assignable to c. eleventh-twelfth century CE. The exact find spot of this image is not known however, the artistic features of the image indicate that the image most probably collected or brought from Pakbirra or Chharra region of Purulia district.

The Tīrthaṅkara Mallinātha image from Suisa is measures 75 x 37 x 12 cm and the head of the Jina along with the upper part of the back-slab is missing. Due to the the highly weathered is very difficult to study the details iconography of this image. Like the earlier image the Jina is in his usual posture on a double-petalled lotus placed on a pañca-ratha pedestal. The kalaśa lāñchana is neatly carved at the centre of the pedestal along with two devotees in namaskāra-mudrā (folded hands). At both ends of the pedestal a crouching lion is depicted. The back-slab also reveals the male caurī-bearers flanking the Jina at the lower corners. Most probably this is a caubisī type of sculpture and the remaining back-slab contains some miniature figures of the Tīrthaṅkaras.