Jainism in Ancient Bengal

Summary

R. C. Mazumdar surveys the history of Jainism in Bengal from its earliest references to its eventual decline. He begins by noting that Jaina texts recount visits by Lord Mahāvīra to the eastern regions and that Pali sources mention Nirgrantha (Jain) ascetics in Pundravardhana during the Buddha’s time. Early epigraphic evidence is sparse; the Susunia inscription (6th century A.D.) and copperplate grants attest to lay Jains and donations. With the rise of the Pāla dynasty in the 8th–9th centuries, Jainism prospered. Large stone images of Tirthankaras were erected at Telkupi, Deuli, Pakbirra and elsewhere. Mazumdar notes the prevalence of Digambara iconography—nude figures standing in kāyotsarga or seated in padmāsana, flanked by caurī‑bearers and often surmounted by a chatra. However, by the 10th century the religion began to lose royal patronage and sculptures became rare. He suggests that the ascendancy of the Buddhist Pālas diverted resources and that the later Sena rulers encouraged Brahmanical cults. Many Jaina temples were converted into Hindu shrines; images of Tirthankaras were reinterpreted as forms of Vishnu or Bodhisattvas. Inscriptions after the 11th century rarely mention Jains, indicating the community’s decline. The article highlights the persistence of the Sarak Jains in western Bengal, who maintained a distinct identity even after Jainism’s wider eclipse. Mazumdar also records later discoveries of Jaina bronzes and inscriptions but notes that most extant images in Bengal date before the 12th century. The author concludes by observing that the Jaina families found in Bengal today are descended from immigrants from western India during the Muslim period rather than from the ancient Nirgrantha communities.