Four Panca Tirthikas From Bhagalpur

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Four Panca Tirthikas From Bhagalpur" by Ajoy Sinha:

The text discusses four significant bronze Pañca-Tirthika (five-figure) icons discovered at the Svetambara Jaina Temple in Champanagar, a suburb of Bhagalpur. This temple is situated on the ancient ruins of Campapuri, the historical capital city of Anga. The present temple was constructed around 1760 AD by Svetambara Jains from Murshidabad. Historical accounts by Martin Montgomery and Buchanan mention this temple, with Buchanan attributing its construction to Jagat Seth, the banker of the Murshidabad Nawab. The temple is noted for its solid masonry and pillars reminiscent of Greco-Roman architecture, housing approximately fifty stone and bronze images.

The author, Ajoy Sinha, has selected four specific bronze Pañca-Tirthika icons for study due to their significant archaeological and religious importance. The antiquity of such icons is generally estimated to be around 400-500 years old, with most found in Western India and some housed in international museums. Sinha posits that during the Jainas' "golden days" (circa 15th-16th century AD), these Pañca-Tirthika icons may have represented the five-fold path to achieving Samyak Jnana (right knowledge), a crucial component of the Jain Tri-ratna (three jewels). He also links this to the five major vows of Jainism: non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), chastity (brahmacharya), and detachment from material possessions and worldly desires (aparigraha).

Stylistically, the Bhagalpur Pañca-Tirthikas are described as beautiful examples of medieval Indian metal art. They are well-preserved and still in worship. Each icon features a central seated Mula-nayaka (principal deity) in deep meditation, flanked by two standing Tirthankaras. On each end of the composition stands a chauri-bearer (fly-whisk bearer) in a graceful tribhanga (three-bend) posture. Beside the halo of each Mula-nayaka are two more seated Tirthankaras, also in deep meditation, and at each extreme end of this group is a Gandharva (celestial attendant). The base of the Mula-nayaka's seat is supported by a pair of truncated elephants on either side. The attendant Yaksha and Yakshi figures are depicted on the right and left ends of the lion throne, respectively. At the bottom center of the pedestal, a mother goddess is shown seated in the ardha-paryankasana pose, and the entire shrine is crowned with a finial flanked by a pair of fish.

The text provides specific details about the four icons:

1. The earliest dates to Samvat 1523 (AD 1466) and features Bhagavan Sambhavanatha (the third Tirthankara) as the Mula-nayaka. It bears an inscription on its back.
2. The second dates to Samvat 1591 (AD 1524) and has Bhagavan Shantinatha (the sixteenth Tirthankara) as the Mula-nayaka.
3. The third dates to Samvat 1585 (AD 1528) and features Bhagavan Adinatha (the first Tirthankara) as the Mula-nayaka.
4. The last icon dates to Samvat 1603 (AD 1546) and its Mula-nayaka is Bhagavan Sumatinatha (the fifth Tirthankara).

Stylistically, all four icons are attributed to a single school and show similarities with the Western Indian school of Jain metal art. The Bhagalpur Pañca-Tirthikas are compared to similar artifacts found in the Los Angeles County Museum (USA), the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, the Central Archaeological Museum in Gwalior, and one in Sagardighi, Murshidabad. However, the author notes that the Bhagalpur Pañca-Tirthikas are considered artistically superior from an iconographic perspective because they contain a complete set of iconographic details.