The Eleven Disciples (Ganadharas) of Mahavira: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mahavira had eleven principal disciples, who founded the original schools (gana) of Jainism. They are shown teaching, a gesture appropriate to those who embody and transmit the doctrine. All the disciples predeceased the jina except two—Indrabhuti, who succeeded as head (sthavira) of the order, and Sudharman, who in turn became head upon Indrabhuti's death a month after that of his master. Hence all spiritual descendants of Mahavira come from the line of Sudharman. Each disciple is dressed in the white robes of the Svetambara sect, has a small broom on his lap (for harmlessly brushing away insects), and a cloth facemask, or mohapatti (to prevent inadvertently swallowing even microscopic life forms), over his right shoulder. At the center of the composition is the mystic om-hrim symbol, an ancient mantra for purity used to evoke the essence of the siddhachakra (circle of jinas), the essence of the Jain doctrine.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art