Jainism in Shravana Belgola
If on the temple-hill at Palitana (Gujarat) only the gods reside at night, Shravana Belgola north of Mysore is a rock of asceticism, attracting at times hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. It is the most sacred place for Jains in South India. The statue of Gommateshvar on top of the Indragiri Hill (at. 1100 m.) is one of the tallest sculptures in the world, 17 meters high, carved out of a single piece of rock. After a visit to Belur and Halebid to the north and the complex sculptures there, the statue of the ascetic at Shravana Belgola is refreshing in its simplicity. Carved in granite ten centuries ago (981) the royal ascetic reminds the pilgrim of the futility of worldly power and testifies to the success of Jainism in South India, after nearly a thousand years of expansion. Hilltops in ancient India had not only a strategic importance in military matters, they often also served as beacons of triumph of one religious development over another, the shrine on top of the hill replacing the previous place of worship. The climb in Shravana Belgola is not as strenuous as in Palitana but the view from on top is even more rewarding. It is an ideal place for meditation in the pure afternoon air, after you heard the legend:
Bahubali, Gommateshvara was the second son of King Rishabhnath’ and his queen, Sunanda. He had a step-brother named Bharata. After the retirement of Rishabhanatha, the two sons, Bahubali and Bharata got two different parts of the empire to rule over. Bharata soon began to subdue the various principalities around him, and even wanted his brother Bahubali and ninety-eight others to bow before him. All except Bahubali gave up their kingdoms and became monks. Bahubali alone refused to surrender. So Bharata challenged Bahubali on the battlefield and engaged him in a duel. As Bahubali was about to demolish Bharata, he suddenly saw the absurdity of his pride in physical victory, and gave up the fight.
Then plucking his hair he gave up all desires, became a monk and began to perform various penances. For some years he stood in the kayotsarga pose and braved the rigours of sun, and rain and storm. The beasts of the jungle attacked him. And built their little mounds at his feet. Serpents crawled up his legs. Creepers sprang up and entangled his body. And yet he remained steadfast to his resolve for emancipation and remained still. Unable to attain kevala-jnana, as he still harboured some pride, he stood erect seeing his suffering. His old father, Rishabhanatha, asked his daughters Brahmi and Sundari to go and persuade him to give up his pride. Bahubali did so and is said to have achieved total awareness.
As impressive as his life-story is the statue of Bahubali Gommateshvara. It is not unlikely that some kind of rock-formation was situated on top of this hill, when it was decided to carve the statue. Tradition tells us that Bharata erected a statue for his brother which disappeared in the course of time. At the end of the first millennium a general of the local Ganga Kings decided to make his veneration for Bahubali immortal. An arrow shot by him from the opposite rock of Chandragiri struck a boulder on Indragiri and this colossal granite appeared to him as a mental image of Bahubali. Carvers did the rest, in the way the Sphinx near Cairo was probably initially ‘shaped’ by eroding winds and later on perfected by human hands.
The place Shravana Belgola was an important centre long before the statue of Bahubali Gommateshvara was carved. About five hundred inscriptions have been recorded in the area, giving very useful information about the Hoysala kingdom (Halebid) and the Vijaynagar kingdom to the north. It was from here that in 788 AD a Jain priest was invited to Kanchipuram to take part in a public debate with the Buddhists. Their defeat in debate was one of the reasons for their retreat from South India to Shri Lanka, in the 8th century. In this region also the famous Vaishnava philosopher Ramanuja (11th century) flourished and controversies between Jains and Vaishnavas were settled in a declaration of tolerance which was inscribed in stones and set up in public places.
At the foot of the hill stands the Brahmadeva temple (built in 1679 AD) containing a flat stone daubed with red ochre, locally called Brahma or Jaruppe Appa. The first shrine inside the wall on top of the hill is called Caubis tirthankar basti or ;shrine of the 24 Tirthankars’. A little to the west, near the pond that is the only source of water on top of the hill, is the Chennanna Basti built in 1667 for Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar.
On a terrace with a high flight of steps leading up to it stands the Odegal Basti, so called because of the odegals or stone-props used for strengthening the basement walls. The main figure is again ofAdinath. Just outside the entrance to the Gommata enclosure stands the elegantly carved Tyagada Pillar, so called because here, according to tradition, gifts were distributed and payments were made by Chamundaraya. Creepers emerge from the corners of its base and on one side an interesting inscription is found, confirming that Chamundaraya, general of the Ganga Kings, commissioned the carving of the statue of Gommateshvara. He is most probably represented on the south base of the pillar. The local priest will tell you that because of his many good deeds Chamundaraya was superior to other mortals: he could construct a pillar which did not touch the ground, which is proved by passing a handkerchief under thepillar.
A good part of the entrance gate to the enclosure is carved out of a single rock and is called Akhand dvar or ‘unbroken gate’. The architrave consists of a seated figure of Lakshmi with elephants on both sides (Gaj-Lakshmi). In the small shrine to the right in the entrance stands Bahubali, to the left his brother Bharata. Inside, in front of Gommateshvara, stands another pillar, with a pavilion at the top enshrining a seated figure of Brahmadeva. Especially interesting here is the figure of a woman called Gullakayyajji. There is a legend that when the statue was completed the sponsor Chamundaraya anointed the statue but the ritual milk he poured did not flow down the thighs. He was then instructed by the priest to use the little milk an old pious woman had brought. And the milk flowed down to the feet! The old lady is said to be goddess Kushmandini who took this form in order to humble Chamundaraya.
The giant statue of Gommateshvara faces north and is 58 feet high. (Nearly identical statues at Karkala, dated 1432 and at Enur, dated 1604, are respectively 41 and 35 feet high). The length of his fingers is between three and five feet. The best part of the image is its face with its wonderful contemplative expression, as if Gommata is faintly smiling at the efforts of people in the world. The nudity of the statue suggests both the total renunciation and perfect self-control of Gommata. In the shrines in the enclosure you see statues of the 24 Tirthankars of the Jain tradition. I give the complete list of these great Teachers below:
Adii-nath
Ajit-nath
Sambhava-nath
Abhinanda-nath
Sumati-nath
Padmaprabha
Suparshva-nath
Chandraprabha
Suvidhi-nath
Sitala-nath
Shreyamsu-nath
Vasupujya
Vimala-nath
Ananta-nath
Dharma-nath
Shanti-nath
Kunthu-nath
Ara-nath
Malli-nath
Manisuvrata
Nami-nath
Nemi-nath
Parshva-nath
Mahavir
The shrines on the opposite hill (Chandragiri Hill) are witnesses of the ancient past of Shravana Belgola, the oldest of them going back probably to the eighth century. The Kuge Brahmadeva Pillar at the south entrance of the enclosure has an inscription commemorating the death of a Ganga King in 947 AD. The Mana Stambha in front of the Parasvanath Basti was built during the rule of a Mysore King (1672-1702). The pillar has a pavilion on top containing standing Jina figures facing the four directions. A Mana Stambha differs from a Brahmadeva pillar which has a seated figure of Brahma at the top. The pillar here is sculptured on the four sides of the base and contains the figure of Padmavati in the south, Yaksha in the east, seated Kushmandini in the north and a galloping horseman (the emblem of Brahmadeva) in the west.
Finally, the largest structure in the village between the two hills is the Bhandari Basti, built in 1159 and dedicated to the twenty-four Tirthankaras. After entering the enclosure and walking through the entry-hall and the porch, you see the doorway to the navaranga, with its exquisitely carved lintel, with a figure of a twelve-handed dancing Indra; he is surrounded by musicians playing different musical instruments. There are three doorways to the shrine and the middle one opposite to the image of the twelfth Tirthankar Vasupujya is well carved with perforated screens at its sides. A noteworthy feature of this temple is the use of gigantic granite slabs for paving the floor. It would be interesting to know how these were moved to their present position.
As an illustration for the inspiring and lively presence of pilgrims in the Jain shrines, I quote from Marg, p. 16ff.: The Bhandari Basti, the largest temple in the town, was situated within a high-walled courtyard. As we went through its pillared mandapas we could hear the monotonous incantations of a long puja in progress. It was being performed by a husband and wife seated opposite one another and taking turns to offer an arghya, and reciting a sacred shloka to go with it. In a far corner a young woman was fully absorbed in the ritual of arranging little heaps of rice grains in a pre-determined pattern and then tracing a tantric diagram from those heaps. Very gradually, the twenty-four Tirthankaras, images sculpted in black stone and standing in one row, assumed concrete shape in the dim interior of the temple. It was indeed a grandly conceived scheme, and very effective, too, for, the images whether seen singly of collectively were superb artistic creations - forever beautiful.
It was time for lunch when we finished our prayers and puja at the Bhandari Basti. We went to the matha dining area where a meal was available to all pilgrims without any discrimination of class or creed. All of us sat on the floor, in a line along the walls of the dining hall and ate simply wholesome fare with relish. Seated across us was a large group of people from Rajasthan, obviously on a pilgrimage of the shrines in the south. A family from the Punjab was also there; it consisted of representatives from all generations - from the very old to an infant in arms. And then there were the newly-weds, the shy bride and the protective groom, come to ask fro the blessings of Lord Gommateshvara as they embarked on a new phase in their lives. There was already a sense of responsibility visible on the face of the groom, who until a few days ago, must have been as carefree as his unmarried peers, like the bunch of chattering, laughing cyclists on a ‘marathon’ trip through the region. For more ancient temples with Jain sculptures, one may go to Jinanathapura, one mile north and Kambadahalli, 12 miles east of Shravana Belgola. The Jaina pillar in the village ofkambadahalli is said to be one of the finest in Karnataka State. It has a seated Brahma on top. Equally important and very ancient, to the west of the pillar, are the seven Jaina shrines, almost completely built in granite. The earliest structure (ca. 900 AD), dedicated to Adinath, has spires of various shapes, the east one being round, the north one square and the west one octagonal. It has been pointed out that the bulb-shape of the spire to the east anticipated that of the Taj Mahal by at least seven centuries.
Then plucking his hair he gave up all desires, became a monk and began to perform various penances. For some years he stood in the kayotsarga pose and braved the rigours of sun, and rain and storm. The beasts of the jungle attacked him. And built their little mounds at his feet. Serpents crawled up his legs. Creepers sprang up and entangled his body. And yet he remained steadfast to his resolve for emancipation and remained still. Unable to attain kevala-jnana, as he still harboured some pride, he stood erect seeing his suffering. His old father, Rishabhanatha, asked his daughters Brahmi and Sundari to go and persuade him to give up his pride. Bahubali did so and is said to have achieved total awareness.
As impressive as his life-story is the statue of Bahubali Gommateshvara. It is not unlikely that some kind of rock-formation was situated on top of this hill, when it was decided to carve the statue. Tradition tells us that Bharata erected a statue for his brother which disappeared in the course of time. At the end of the first millennium a general of the local Ganga Kings decided to make his veneration for Bahubali immortal. An arrow shot by him from the opposite rock of Chandragiri struck a boulder on Indragiri and this colossal granite appeared to him as a mental image of Bahubali. Carvers did the rest, in the way the Sphinx near Cairo was probably initially ‘shaped’ by eroding winds and later on perfected by human hands.
The place Shravana Belgola was an important centre long before the statue of Bahubali Gommateshvara was carved. About five hundred inscriptions have been recorded in the area, giving very useful information about the Hoysala kingdom (Halebid) and the Vijaynagar kingdom to the north. It was from here that in 788 AD a Jain priest was invited to Kanchipuram to take part in a public debate with the Buddhists. Their defeat in debate was one of the reasons for their retreat from South India to Shri Lanka, in the 8th century. In this region also the famous Vaishnava philosopher Ramanuja (11th century) flourished and controversies between Jains and Vaishnavas were settled in a declaration of tolerance which was inscribed in stones and set up in public places.
At the foot of the hill stands the Brahmadeva temple (built in 1679 AD) containing a flat stone daubed with red ochre, locally called Brahma or Jaruppe Appa. The first shrine inside the wall on top of the hill is called Caubis tirthankar basti or ;shrine of the 24 Tirthankars’. A little to the west, near the pond that is the only source of water on top of the hill, is the Chennanna Basti built in 1667 for Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar.
On a terrace with a high flight of steps leading up to it stands the Odegal Basti, so called because of the odegals or stone-props used for strengthening the basement walls. The main figure is again ofAdinath. Just outside the entrance to the Gommata enclosure stands the elegantly carved Tyagada Pillar, so called because here, according to tradition, gifts were distributed and payments were made by Chamundaraya. Creepers emerge from the corners of its base and on one side an interesting inscription is found, confirming that Chamundaraya, general of the Ganga Kings, commissioned the carving of the statue of Gommateshvara. He is most probably represented on the south base of the pillar. The local priest will tell you that because of his many good deeds Chamundaraya was superior to other mortals: he could construct a pillar which did not touch the ground, which is proved by passing a handkerchief under thepillar.
A good part of the entrance gate to the enclosure is carved out of a single rock and is called Akhand dvar or ‘unbroken gate’. The architrave consists of a seated figure of Lakshmi with elephants on both sides (Gaj-Lakshmi). In the small shrine to the right in the entrance stands Bahubali, to the left his brother Bharata. Inside, in front of Gommateshvara, stands another pillar, with a pavilion at the top enshrining a seated figure of Brahmadeva. Especially interesting here is the figure of a woman called Gullakayyajji. There is a legend that when the statue was completed the sponsor Chamundaraya anointed the statue but the ritual milk he poured did not flow down the thighs. He was then instructed by the priest to use the little milk an old pious woman had brought. And the milk flowed down to the feet! The old lady is said to be goddess Kushmandini who took this form in order to humble Chamundaraya.
The giant statue of Gommateshvara faces north and is 58 feet high. (Nearly identical statues at Karkala, dated 1432 and at Enur, dated 1604, are respectively 41 and 35 feet high). The length of his fingers is between three and five feet. The best part of the image is its face with its wonderful contemplative expression, as if Gommata is faintly smiling at the efforts of people in the world. The nudity of the statue suggests both the total renunciation and perfect self-control of Gommata. In the shrines in the enclosure you see statues of the 24 Tirthankars of the Jain tradition. I give the complete list of these great Teachers below:
The shrines on the opposite hill (Chandragiri Hill) are witnesses of the ancient past of Shravana Belgola, the oldest of them going back probably to the eighth century. The Kuge Brahmadeva Pillar at the south entrance of the enclosure has an inscription commemorating the death of a Ganga King in 947 AD. The Mana Stambha in front of the Parasvanath Basti was built during the rule of a Mysore King (1672-1702). The pillar has a pavilion on top containing standing Jina figures facing the four directions. A Mana Stambha differs from a Brahmadeva pillar which has a seated figure of Brahma at the top. The pillar here is sculptured on the four sides of the base and contains the figure of Padmavati in the south, Yaksha in the east, seated Kushmandini in the north and a galloping horseman (the emblem of Brahmadeva) in the west.
Finally, the largest structure in the village between the two hills is the Bhandari Basti, built in 1159 and dedicated to the twenty-four Tirthankaras. After entering the enclosure and walking through the entry-hall and the porch, you see the doorway to the navaranga, with its exquisitely carved lintel, with a figure of a twelve-handed dancing Indra; he is surrounded by musicians playing different musical instruments. There are three doorways to the shrine and the middle one opposite to the image of the twelfth Tirthankar Vasupujya is well carved with perforated screens at its sides. A noteworthy feature of this temple is the use of gigantic granite slabs for paving the floor. It would be interesting to know how these were moved to their present position.
As an illustration for the inspiring and lively presence of pilgrims in the Jain shrines, I quote from Marg, p. 16ff.: The Bhandari Basti, the largest temple in the town, was situated within a high-walled courtyard. As we went through its pillared mandapas we could hear the monotonous incantations of a long puja in progress. It was being performed by a husband and wife seated opposite one another and taking turns to offer an arghya, and reciting a sacred shloka to go with it. In a far corner a young woman was fully absorbed in the ritual of arranging little heaps of rice grains in a pre-determined pattern and then tracing a tantric diagram from those heaps. Very gradually, the twenty-four Tirthankaras, images sculpted in black stone and standing in one row, assumed concrete shape in the dim interior of the temple. It was indeed a grandly conceived scheme, and very effective, too, for, the images whether seen singly of collectively were superb artistic creations - forever beautiful.
It was time for lunch when we finished our prayers and puja at the Bhandari Basti. We went to the matha dining area where a meal was available to all pilgrims without any discrimination of class or creed. All of us sat on the floor, in a line along the walls of the dining hall and ate simply wholesome fare with relish. Seated across us was a large group of people from Rajasthan, obviously on a pilgrimage of the shrines in the south. A family from the Punjab was also there; it consisted of representatives from all generations - from the very old to an infant in arms. And then there were the newly-weds, the shy bride and the protective groom, come to ask fro the blessings of Lord Gommateshvara as they embarked on a new phase in their lives. There was already a sense of responsibility visible on the face of the groom, who until a few days ago, must have been as carefree as his unmarried peers, like the bunch of chattering, laughing cyclists on a ‘marathon’ trip through the region. For more ancient temples with Jain sculptures, one may go to Jinanathapura, one mile north and Kambadahalli, 12 miles east of Shravana Belgola. The Jaina pillar in the village ofkambadahalli is said to be one of the finest in Karnataka State. It has a seated Brahma on top. Equally important and very ancient, to the west of the pillar, are the seven Jaina shrines, almost completely built in granite. The earliest structure (ca. 900 AD), dedicated to Adinath, has spires of various shapes, the east one being round, the north one square and the west one octagonal. It has been pointed out that the bulb-shape of the spire to the east anticipated that of the Taj Mahal by at least seven centuries.
