जै · The Jain Encyclopedia
Company · innumerable

Vaimānika devas

वैमानिक देव

The Vaimānika devas — the gods of the heavens, who dwell in the vimānas above the middle world. Scripture seats them but does not count them.

Enters by the north gate and sits in the quarter clockwise from it, one of three companies in that quarter.

Not a gap in the record. Asaṅkhyāta is a located category on the ladder of number, between the numerable and the infinite, with nine graded kinds of its own. Saying the gods are innumerable is saying where they sit on that ladder.

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The Samavasaraṇa — Vaimānika devas highlighted

Measurements and counts

Countasaṅkhyāta
Enters bynorth gate
ClassVaimānika

Connected

Rampart · innermost, highest

Jewel rampart

रत्नमय प्राकार

Raised by the Vaimānika gods, with battlements of various gems. Inside it sit the twelve companies.

The highest deck. Its court divides into twelve, three to each quarter, and at its centre stands the dais with the throne and the tree.

Its gates are kept by Tumburu, who carries a skull-crowned club.

Raised byVaimānika gods
Battlementsvarious gems
Holdsthe twelve companies
Steps up to it5,000

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समयं गोयम! मा पमायए

Do not be heedless, Gautama, for even a single samaya.

Uttarādhyayana Sūtra 10