Videshi Sangrahalayo Me Mahattvapurna Jain Pratimaye - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Videshi Sangrahalayo me Mahattvapurna Jain Pratimaye" by Brajendranath Sharma, based on the provided pages:

The article discusses the significant Jain sculptures found in museums in foreign countries, highlighting the rich contribution of Jainism to Indian art.

Introduction to Jainism and its Iconography:

Jainism holds a distinct position among the religions of India, with followers spread across the country.
Jains are primarily divided into two sects: Digambara and Shvetambara.
Digambara idols are worshipped without adornment, while Shvetambara idols are decorated with crowns and ornaments.
The oldest Jain sculptures found in India are nude, reflecting the early dominance of the Digambara tradition. Later, Shvetambara sculptures also emerged.
While some scholars associate the nude human torso found at Mohenjo-daro with Jainism, modern research suggests they are representations of ancient Yaksha figures.
Jain literature confirms the existence of a sandalwood statue of Lord Mahavir during his lifetime (6th century BCE). However, archaeological evidence points to the oldest Jain sculpture being a nude torso from the Mauryan period (around 3rd century BCE), discovered near Patna and now housed in the Patna Museum. This sculpture, made of sandstone, retains its characteristic Mauryan polish and depicts the figure in the Kayotsarga mudra (a standing meditative pose). A similar but unpolished torso from the Shunga period is also in the Patna Museum.
The Kushana period saw an increase in the creation of Jain Ayagapatas (pedestals for idols) and independent sculptures. The stone sculptures from the Kushana and Gupta periods found in Mathura, now in the State Museum, Lucknow, provide a comprehensive understanding of the development of Jain iconography.

Jain Sculptures in Foreign Museums: The article then proceeds to describe significant Jain sculptures housed in fifteen major museums across eight Western countries: Britain, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and America.

Britain:
- British Museum, London: Contains several Jin heads from Mathura and a stone sculpture from Odisha depicting Adinatha and Mahavir in Kayotsarga mudra, accompanied by their respective symbols (bull and lion) and figures of female devotees. This sculpture is estimated to be from the 11th century. It also houses a contemporary sculpture of Yakshi Ambika, the attendant deity of Neminath, from Odisha, showing her under a mango tree with her children and Neminath in meditation above. The museum also possesses beautiful stone sculptures of Sulochana, Dhriti, Padmavati, Saraswati, and Yaksha-Yakshi figures from Madhya Pradesh.
- Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Features two sculptures of Lord Rishabh (Adinatha) from the Kushana and Gupta periods. A unique 7th-century sculpture of Parshvanatha from Gyaraspur, Madhya Pradesh, is also present. It depicts the 23rd Tirthankara in meditation, under attack by the storm deity Meghakumara, and being protected by the Naga king Dharanendra and his serpent consort. A large metal statue of the 16th Tirthankara, Lord Shantinatha, seated on a throne, dates back to 1168 CE, as indicated by an inscription.
France:
- Louvre Museum, Paris: Houses several Jain sculptures, notably a beautiful bronze statue of Lord Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankara, in meditation. To his right, Parshvanatha stands in Kayotsarga mudra under serpent hoods, and to his left is Bahubali, entwined with creepers. These bronze figures, likely from Karnataka, are attributed to the Chalukya art period (9th-10th centuries). The museum also has a stone lintel from eastern Rajasthan, a fine example of art, with a meditating Jin in a niche below, flanked by four other Tirthankaras in Kayotsarga mudra (13th-14th century).
Denmark:
- National Museum, Copenhagen: Holds a good collection of Jain sculptures from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, primarily from the 11th-12th centuries. This includes nude statues of Lord Mahavir from the Chalukya period in Kayotsarga mudra, and a "Choubis" (representation of 24 Tirthankaras) of Rishabhanatha, with smaller figures of the other 23 Tirthankaras carved around the main idol.
Italy:
- National Museum, Rome: Features a prominent 1450 CE statue of Lord Neminath from Gujarat, standing in Kayotsarga mudra. Flanking him are two other Tirthankaras, seated and standing. At the base of the main idol are his Yaksha and Yakshi, Gomeda and Ambika.
Bulgaria:
- Rzhegrad Museum, Rzhegrad: A sculpture made in Rajasthan around the 11th century CE was discovered in northeastern Bulgaria in 1928. It depicts a Tirthankara seated on an artistic throne, bearing the Shrivatsa mark on his chest.
Switzerland:
- Rietberg Museum, Zurich: Houses a near life-size white marble statue of Lord Adinatha from Chandravati, Rajasthan, dating to the Parmara period (around 12th century). He is depicted in Kayotsarga mudra between two artistic pillars, with a triple umbrella above. The presence of fine clothing suggests its installation by Shvetambara Jains. The base includes a bull, donor figures, their wives, and other devotees.
Germany:
- Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin: Contains several Jin heads from the Kushana period (2nd-3rd centuries) found in the Mathura region. It also displays medieval Jain sculptures from South India, where Jinas are depicted nude and standing in Kayotsarga mudra, with smaller figures of attendants and devotees at their feet.
- Museum für Völkerkunde, Munich: Features a grand statue of Yakshi Ambika from Madhya Pradesh (around 18th century), identified as Durga in museum records. She is seated in Lalitasana, holding her son Priyankara in her lap, with her other son standing near her feet. The halo behind her head has figures of Indrani on horseback and Chakreshvari on Garuda, with a small image of Lord Neminath in meditation above. Several devotees with folded hands are seated below.
America:
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio: A highly significant sculpture of Parshvanatha from the Malwa region (around 10th century) depicts him in Kayotsarga mudra under serpent hoods, facing an attack by Kamatha and his associates. This vividly portrays the story of Kamatha's attempts to disrupt Parshvanatha's penance, highlighting the latter's unwavering devotion.
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts: Possesses a good collection of Jain sculptures from Madhya Pradesh, mostly of Adinatha, shown in meditation or Kayotsarga mudra. It also has an artistic Tirthankara torso, identified as Mahavir in museum records, but the hairstyle suggests it might be Adinatha. The sculpture depicts celestial Gandharvas flying and a divine musician announcing Adinatha's enlightenment above a triple umbrella, dating to the 10th century.
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia: Notable Jain sculptures from the Kalchuri period (10th century) from the Jabalpur region include statues of Mahavir, Parshvanatha, and Neminatha in Kayotsarga mudra. Parshvanatha is identifiable by the serpent hoods above his head, and Neminatha by the conch shell engraved on his pedestal.
- Seattle Art Museum, Seattle: Houses medieval Jain sculptures from Madhya Pradesh. It also has a Panchateerthi (a group of five idols) of Lord Kunthunatha from Gujarat, with an inscription from 1447 CE. Additionally, a beautiful statue of the dancer Nalarginna from the Abu region is displayed, with its earliest representation found in Kushana art in Mathura.
- Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, California: Includes Jain sculptures from the Deogarh region, with significant statues of the parents of the Tirthankaras. It also features a beautiful statue of Ambika under a mango tree, standing in a tribhanga pose, with her lion vahana at her feet.
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia: Contains an important Tritirthika (group of three idols) of Lord Parshvanatha from Rajasthan (around 9th century). Parshvanatha is seated in meditation under serpent hoods, flanked by two other Tirthankaras. On his right is Sarvanubhuti, and on his left is Ambika. The base depicts a Dharma Chakra between two deer and figures of eight planets.

Conclusion: The author concludes that Jainism has made a significant contribution to the field of Indian sculpture. Besides numerous temples in India, countless Jain art and sculptures are preserved in museums worldwide. The author emphasizes the need for their scientific and archaeological study. Publishing images of these sculptures chronologically would be a valuable undertaking, benefiting both Jain followers and researchers.