Mahavira’s ‘Samvasarana’

In Jainism, when a ’jina’ achieves ’kevala gyana’ the Gods prepare for his ’Samavasarana’. The earth is cleaned and a space is scented and adorned. Three walls are erected, the innermost of jewels, the middle of gold and the outermost of silver. There are four jewelled gates to each wall. In the centre is a tree on a pedestal and under the tree are four lion thrones. The throne on the east is occupied by the jina, there he preaches to Gods, men and animals. In this painting Mahavira sits within the ‘’Samavasarana’’. He is not in monk’s garb but in ornamental array common to a perfected being.