Jivantasvami


The Jivantasvami images represent Lord Mahavira as a prince, with a crown and ornaments. The Jina is represented as standing in the kayotsarga pose. Jivantasvami images have been used only in the Shvetambara Jain tradition, they are unknown in the Digambara tradition.

Description

The earliest reference to the Jivantasvami images is found in the later commentaries on the Shvetambara Jain Agamas, Vasudevahindi of Samghadasagani the Avashyakachurni the Avashyakavritti of Haribhadra Suri and the Trishashtishalakapurushacharita of Hemachandra. These mention the existence of Jivantasvami images at Ujjain, Dashapura, Vidisha, Vitabhayapattana, Puri and Koshala.
According to Hemachandra, the original image was made by god Vidyunmali, carved in sandalwood, during the time Lord Mahavira was still a prince. According to the legend of the queen of Udayana of Vitabhaya worshipped this image. This image was eventually installed at Vidisha, but was eventually lost.
The best known images of Jivantasvami were found in the Akota Hoard, and are widely mentioned examples of the early western Indian school of art. One of them is specifically inscribed as Jivantsvami installed by Nagisvari, which represents early phase of the Gupta style. The images were dug out sometime before June 1951. A University of Baroda professor brought five of them to archaeologist U.P. Shah for examination. U.P. Shat eventually purchased most of the images from local individuals and presented them to M.S. University, which are now in the Baroda Museum.
Other tirthankaras including Rishabhnath, Shantinath, Munisuvrata and Parshvanatha, were also sometimes represented in the form of Jivantasvami.

Museums

The two famous Jivantasvami images along with the rest of the Akota Hoard bronzes are in the Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery.

Citation