Cleveland Museum of Art
The Eleven Principal Disciples (Ganadharas) of Mahavira, Folio 57 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra
- Date
- c. 1475–1500
- Medium
- Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
- Culture
- Western India, Gujarat
- Department
- Indian and Southeast Asian Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
The founder of Jainism, Mahavira, had 11 main disciples, all depicted as identical to one another. They all sit in a meditative posture, with the left hand in the lap, while the right hand is in the gesture of teaching. They each have shaven heads, elongated earlobes, and white robes, indicating that this manuscript was used by the Shvetambara (White Clad) sect. In the upper central grid, decorated with flowers, is a stylized om-hrim, mystic syllables visually combined to invoke the essence of all Jain teaching.
The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Cleveland Museum of Art and other institutions.
Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Cleveland Museum of Art
Mahavira Gives Away His Possessions
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Shvetambara Jain Teacher Giving Instruction
Cleveland Museum of Art
Adoration of a Tirtankara
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Kalaha Preaches to King Sahr; Mahavira’s Departure with Indra (top); Adoration of a Tirthankara (bottom)
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Folio 22 from a Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra: Jain Monk with disciple and two laymen, two Nuns, and a laywoman (recto); Text (verso)
Cleveland Museum of Art
Birth of Mahavira, folio 40 (verso) from a Kalpa-sutra
Cleveland Museum of Art
Kalaha Preaches to King Sahr / Mahavira’s Departure with Indra / Adoration of a Tirthankara
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Text, Folio 25 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Cleveland Museum of Art
Text, Folio 54 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Cleveland Museum of Art
Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Lay Disciple: Folio 141 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra and Story of Kalakacharya
Cleveland Museum of Art
Birth of Mahavira, folio 30 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra
Cleveland Museum of Art