दर्शन

Darshan — The Gallery

To behold the form of the Jina with a quiet mind is itself a practice. Click any image to view it full size; use the arrow keys to move between them.

Granite statue of Bhagwan Mahaveer seated in padmasana against a clear sky at Ahinsa Sthal, Mehrauli — Ahinsa Sthal, Mehrauli, Delhi — the Great Hero in granite, eyes lowered in unshakeable calm.

The honey-coloured stone idol of Bhagwan Mahaveer in a golden shrine at Shri Mahavirji, Rajasthan — Shri Mahavirji, Rajasthan — the beloved mulnayak idol, unearthed centuries ago from a mound at this very place.

The white and gold shikhara of the Shri Mahavirji temple against a blue sky — The Shri Mahavirji temple — a great pilgrimage of eastern Rajasthan, on the banks of the Gambhir.

The Mahaveer idol enshrined between ornately carved marble pillars at the Rijubalika Jain temple — Rijubalika, Bihar — temple at the riverbank where Vardhamana attained kevala jnana and became the Jina.

Carved white marble arches of the Jal Mandir at Pawapuri looking out over the lotus lake — Jal Mandir, Pawapuri — white marble over a lake of lotuses, marking the place of Mahaveer's nirvana.

The long red sandstone causeway leading across the lotus lake to the Jal Mandir, Pawapuri — The causeway at Pawapuri — pilgrims cross the lotus lake as the Lord once crossed existence.

Panorama of the marble temple city of Palitana on Shatrunjaya hill, with the sea on the horizon — Palitana, Gujarat — nearly nine hundred temples crown Shatrunjaya hill, a city built for no one but the gods.

Carved temple spires of the Palitana complex on Shatrunjaya hill, Gujarat — Shatrunjaya's spires — climbed by 3,500 steps, barefoot, before the sun grows hot.

The intricately carved white marble pillars and domes inside the Ranakpur Jain temple — Ranakpur, Rajasthan — 1,444 marble pillars, no two alike, holding up a forest of carved light.

The colossal monolithic statue of Bahubali (Gommateshwara) at Shravanabelagola — Gommateshwara, Shravanabelagola — Bahubali, son of the first Tirthankara, 57 feet of a single granite boulder, c. 981 CE.

The forested ridge of Shikharji, Parasnath hill, rising above the plains of Jharkhand — Shikharji, Jharkhand — the hill where twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained liberation.

An 1800 CE Rajasthani painting of the samavasarana — concentric circular assembly of the Jina — The samavasarana — the Jina's universal assembly, where every being hears the teaching in its own tongue. Rajasthan, c. 1800.

Kalpasutra folio of the ritual bath of the infant Mahaveer, gold and lapis, c. 1475–1500 — The ritual bath of the infant Mahaveer — Kalpasutra folio, c. 1475–1500 (Cleveland Museum of Art).

Kalpasutra manuscript folio with Prakrit text and a gold-painted Mahaveer enthroned — Mahaveer enthroned in gold and lapis — Kalpasutra manuscript folio with its Prakrit text.

Temple mural panels depicting the auspicious dreams of Queen Trishala — bull, lion, sun, garlands, vessel and fish — The auspicious dreams of Queen Trishala — mural from a Jain temple in Punjab.

White marble sculpture of a Svetambara Tirthankara seated in meditation, 11th century — A Svetambara Tirthankara in meditation — white marble, western India, 11th century (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

A bronze Jina seated in deep meditation, 10th–11th century, photographed against a dark ground — A Jina in bronze — Deccan, 10th–11th century. Stillness you can almost hear (Cleveland Museum of Art).

Kalpasutra folio of Queen Trishala reclining as her auspicious dreams appear, gold and lapis, c. 1450–75 — Queen Trishala dreaming the dreams that foretold a Tirthankara — Kalpasutra folio, c. 1450–75 (Cleveland Museum of Art).

Kalpasutra folio of Mahaveer plucking out his hair at initiation, Indra receiving it — The five handfuls — Mahaveer plucks out his hair as Indra receives it. Kalpasutra folio, c. 1475 (Cleveland Museum of Art).

Kalpasutra folio with Prakrit text and a painting of the birth of Mahaveer, c. 1400 — The birth of Mahaveer — Kalpasutra folio with its Prakrit text, c. 1400 (Cleveland Museum of Art).

Bronze altarpiece of 1089 CE with Rishabhanatha enthroned among the other Jinas — Altarpiece of Rishabhanatha among the Jinas — bronze, dated 1089 CE (Art Institute of Chicago).

A painting of all twenty-four Tirthankaras seated in rows, each with his own colour — The chaubisi — all twenty-four Tirthankaras in their traditional colours.

All images are public domain or Creative Commons — see image credits for sources and licenses.