At the base of the seat
also, are placed nine very small figures representing the _navagraha_
or nine planets; that is the sun, moon, five planets, and ascending and
descending nodes.
In the Jaina _Puranas_, legends are given to account for the
connexion of the Yakshas and Yakshis with their respective Tirthakaras:
thus, in the case of Par['s]vanatha, we have a story of two brothers
Marubhuti and Kama[t.]ha, who in eight successive incarnations were always
enemies, and were finally born as Par['s]vanatha and Sambaradeva
respectively. A Pasha[n.][d.]a or unbeliever, engaged in the
_panchagni_ rite, when felling a tree for his fire, against the
remonstrance of Par['s]vanatha, cut in pieces two snakes that were in it;
the Jina, however restored them to life by means of the
_panchamantra_. They were then re-born in Patala-loka as
Dhara[n.]endra or Nagendra-Yaksha and Padmavati-Yakshi[n.]i. When
Sambaradeva or Meghakumara afterwards attacked the Arbat with a great
storm, whilst he was engaged in the _Kayotsarga_ austerity--standing
immovable, exposed to the weather--much in the way that Mara attacked
['S]akya Buddha at Bodh-gaya, Dhara[n.]endra's throne in Patala thereupon
shook, and the Naga or Yaksha with his consort at once sped to the
protection of his former benefactor. Dhara[n.]endra spread his many hoods
over the head of the Arhata and the Yaksh[.
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