Jainism In Krishna's Land
Neminath was the 22nd Tirthankara of Jain religion. He was the cousin brother of Lord Krishna. There is a place called Shauripur (near Bateswar) in Bah Tehsil of district Agra. King of Shauripur Andhak Vrishni had ten sons. Eldest son was Samudravijai, while the youngest one was Vasudeo. Neminath took birth in the house of Samudravijai, while Sri Krishna was born in the house of Vasudeo. Out of fear from Jarasandh Yadavas left Shauripur lock, stock and barrel and got settled at Dwarkapuri. There Neminath became an ascetic. He left behind his would-be-bride and after scaling the Girnar hilltop started his penance there. Following the footsteps of Lord Rishabhdeo, he renounced his cloths and turned a digambara (bare bodied). Vasudeo married the sister of Mathura's king Kansa and moved to stay there. Hence being related to each other Sri Krishna and his devotees and followers of Jain Tirthankara Neminath had no acrimony between them. Gradually Mathura turned into a centre of Jainism as well. The inscriptions on artpieces discovered from the Kankali mound of Mathura date from second century BC to fifth century AD; hence they sufficiently prove the antiquity of Mathura as a very old and important centre of Jainism.
Historian and renowned archaeologist Fuhrer narrates the antiquity of Jainism at Mathura like this: "This stupa is so ancient that till writing of the inscription the original description of the stupa has gone out of local populace's memory." Innumerable Jain sculptures discovered from several sites at Mathura prove beyond doubt that Jainism remained prevalent in this region for many centuries and also got patronage of many of the contemporary successive rulers of this part of the world.
Jambu Swami (Chaurasi) Jain mandir is located on the outskirts of Mathura city, close to the Govardhan crossing on Agra–Delhi bypass road. It is believed that Jambu Swami here practiced penance, and that his name is recorded in an old inscription on a stone slab that is still preserved under the altar. He is reputed the last of the Kevalis, or divinely inspired teachers, being the pupil of Sudharma, who was the only surviving disciple of Mahavira, the great apostle of the Digambaras. In this magnificent Jain temple are placed his footprints. Every year between Kartika Krishna's dvitiya to astami, Rathotsava (chariot-pulling), an annual fair, is held here. Kankali mound was near to it from where hundreds of Jaina sculptures were found out. One statue of the 24th Tirthankara Lord Mahavira was discovered from Chaurasi mound, which is said to have been chiseled during Kumargupta's reign. On the Chaurasi mound stands the Jambu Swami temple.
A famous art historian writing in `Indian Sculpture Art', reiterates that Mathura's Shunga Age art is mainly of Jain order.
Mathura, up to the end of 3rd century AD flourished as an important centre of Jaina art and iconography. In comparison to contemporary Jaina centres in the other parts of the country, the position of Mathura is much superior. Epigraphical sources reveal that during 2nd century BC to about 3rd century AD several Jaina monuments existed at Mathura; famous being Sanctuary, hall, cistern and a Jaina temple built by the courtesan Vasu.
Stupa at Kankali Tila termed as deva-nirmita (built by God) due to its hoary antiquity, which continued to exist at least up to sam. 1036, that is, 979 AD.
Following archaeological material, strictly Jaina in nature, has come down to us from the Mathura region:
Some symbols, including 20 Ayagapattas and 5 Silapattas. Figures of seated Tirthankaras, 93 in number. Figures of standing Tirthankaras, 26 in number.
Male Divinities, 17 representations. Female Divinities, 8 representations.
The Jainas had their own stupas, and stupa worship has been depicted in a number of sculptures. Actual Jaina stupas were very few but the most important of them was that of Mathura at Kankali Tila. From Mathura 27 stone tablets, mostly square, or sometimes rectangular in shape, have been brought to light. Very often in the inscriptions appearing on them they have been named as Ayagapatta or Silapattas installed for the worship of the Arhats. The word Ayagapatta is obviously a compound word meaning a tablet or patta installed in an ayaga (place of worship).
Ayagapattas were installed on high platforms in the stupa premises, they served as media for the worship of the stupa, and flowers and other offerings were directly placed on them. Most of the Ayagapattas have been roughly attributed to a period between the times of Mahakshatrapa Shodas and Kushanas. The Ayagapattas and Silapattas show a very rich variety of religious and secular symbols such as the group of eight or even fourteen auspicious marks (nangalas), the wish fulfilling tree (Kalpavriksha), full vase (purnaghata), stupa, dragons etc. Ayagapattas and Silapattas are carved on one side only. In the border frame of the slab there appear motifs like wine creepers (drakshalata), sacred symbols (mangalas), winged animals (ihamrigas) and dancing figures. In the inner field along with the decorative motifs and auspicious marks, there are to be seen some sacred objects such as the wheel (chakra) or sacred seat (bhadrasana). In the centre sits the Jina. National Museum Delhi, State Museum Lucknow and Government Museum Mathura have got the following Ayagapattas as their pride possession.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu left behind him six Gosains to take up the mission of spreading Krishna
bhakti in Braj region–Sanatan Goswami and Rup Goswami (Gosain) brothers, Raghunath Das, Raghunath Bhatta, Gopal Bhatta and Jiva Goswami. They established Gaudia order here. They identified and restored the sacred places attached with the different lilas (activities) of Krishna. All the local legends that the festivals involve are creditable to these Vrindavan Gosains of 16th century AD. The only divinities who are popularly commemorated in almost all the festivities of Braj are Radha, Krishna and Balram. Different festivals represent the popular incidents in the life of Krishna.
Till the close of the 16th century, except in the neighbourhood of the one great thoroughfare, there was only here and there a scattered hamlet in the midst of unreclaimed woodland. The Vaishnava cult then first developed into its present form under the influence of Rupa and Sanatan, the celebrated disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and they seem to be the probable authors of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana or Mathura Mahatmyam, the only recognized authorities for all the modern local legends. It was their disciple, Narain Bhatta, who first established the Ban-jatra and Raas-lila traditions. It was from him that every lake and grove in the circuit of Braj received a distinctive name, in addition to the some seven or eight spots which alone are mentioned in the earlier Puranas. On their arrival at Vrindavan, the first shrine which the Gosains erected was one in honour of the eponymous goddess Brinda Devi. Their fame spread so rapidly that in 1573 the emperor Akbar was induced to pay them a visit and was taken blindfold into the sacred enclosure of the Nidhivan where a marvelous vision was revealed to him, that he was feign to acknowledge the place as indeed a holy ground. Hence the cordial support which he gave to the attendant Rajas, when they expressed their wish to erect a series of buildings more worthy of the local divinity. The four temples erected in honour of this event are: Govind Dev, Gopinath, Jugal Kishore and Madan Mohan.
The Govind Dev Temple was built in Sambat 1647, i.e. AD 1590 under the direction of the two Gurus–Rupa and Sanatan. The temple of Radha Damodar of Vrindavan has a special distinction for the fact that it contains the ashes of Jiva; its founder, as also of his two uncles, the Gosains Rupa and Sanatan, the founders of the temple of Govind Dev, who in their life-time had expressed a wish to be buried together within its precincts. Their joint anniversary is celebrated in the month of Sawan, when the three shrines are visited by great crowd of Bengalis.
During the 16th century Mathura region had come under the influence of the Vallabha or Pushti sect of Vaishnavism. Bhakti way of worshipping Krishna and Radha gained quite a currency in that age. Surdas was one of the Ashtachhap saint poets of Pushti Marg (tradition).