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Yakovleva M. The image of dancing Indra in the mythology and artistic culture of Jainism

M. Yakovleva - Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia St. Petersburg, Russian Federation ORCID: 0000-0002-4405-3644
E‑mail: mnyakovleva@gmail.com

 

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ABSTRACT. Some hymns of the Rigveda represent Indra as a Great Dancer, but in the cultures of Brahmanism and Hinduism the image of Indra the Dancer is no more found. However, we can trace the continuation of Indra’s dancing and dramatic “career” in the Jain culture. In Jain mythology, Indra of the first heaven, Saudharmendra, takes an active part in the life of Tīrthaṅkaras, and on two occasions — after the ceremony of the first ablution of a new-born Tīrthaṅkara and after he obtains omniscience — Indra dances for joy. Some Jain texts tell that the festive theatre and drama program that was performed in front of the baby Tīrthaṅkara consisted of 32 acts. In the Jain text Rāyapaseṇiyasuttam we find a list of 32 nāṭyavidhi which constituted a dancing and dramatic ceremony held by the king of gods Sūryabhādeva for Jina Mahāvīra. Having analyzed the names and brief descriptions of the individual routines of the program, scholars have concluded that only the last one was a complete drama and all the rest were pure dances. Most likely, this mythological narrative was corresponding to some actual erstwhile practice of Jain communities, which had been already lost by the moment when this text was written. Saudharmendra’s dance in sight of Tīrthaṅkaras is depicted in the paintings on the ceilings of Indrasabhā Temple in Ellora and Vardhamāna (Trailokyanātha) Temple in Tiruparuttikundram near Kanchipuram, as well as in the reliefs on the facade of Chhota Kailasa Temple in Ellora.

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8600-2020-4(10)-16-34
УДК 234

 

KEYWORDS: Jainism, tīrthankara, temple, painting, relief, dance, Indra, Saudharmendra

 

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