Historical Development of Jaina Iconography : A Comprehensive Study

Contents: Section I: 1. An introduction to Jaina Iconography. 2. Symbols and symbolism in Jaina art. 3. Concept of Yaksa in Jainism : a study in art and literature. 4. Iconography of the Jaina Sasanadevata Ambika. 5. Some Brahmanic deities in Jaina art. 6. Jaina canonical literature and the concept of Tirthankara with a brief study of pedestals of Jaina images. Section II: 7. Notes on some Ambika figures in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. 8. Parsvanatha images with episode of Kamatha’s attack and some Tirthankara figures of iconographic interest. 9. Studies on a few Jaina sculptures with special iconographic traits. 10. Iconography of Sarvalha (Sarvahna) Yaksa, Brahmasanti Yaksa, Harinaigamesa (Naigamesa), Kapardi Yaksa, Navagrahas, Ksetrapala, Padmavati Yaksini and Sarasvati, in Jainism. 11. Iconography of the Jaina Dikpalas. 12. Sixteen Jaina Vidyadevis and their iconography. Appendices. Index. Map of Jaina India.

"This book in twelve chapters under two sections the treatise presents the panorama of Jaina icons in their age-long growth, often with reference to comparable and borrowed concepts from the cognate faiths, Brahmanism and Buddhism. Though Jainism subsists in the belief in man\'s elevation and emancipation by himself, and therefore, has very little, the Tirthankaras, yet in the ages that followed, there grew quite a large number of icons with extra-normal features by the touch of the waves of Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Hinduism. The volume has treated this development iconography with references to the relevant back-drop of literature. It has taken into account the dearly forms, the Tirthankara images, studied their pedestals and followed them in their steady growth with the Yaksa-Yaksini-Sushered in Sasanadevatas. Of two very palpable groups of borrowals in Jaina iconography are the Dikpalas, both of which are studied here in full details. A chapter on the sixteen Vidyadevis, a creation of the Jaina genius, concludes the treatise, and thus fills the long panorama of Jaina iconography."