Book Title: Jin Parsva and His Temples in Inscriptions of Karnataka
Author(s): Hampa Nagrajaiha
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Page #1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ JINA PĂRÁVA AND HIS TEMPLES IN INSCRIPTIONS OF KARNATAKA Hampa Nagarajaiah Background 1. A movement of constructing Jaina temples in Karnataka had begun in the third century A. D. and the Gangas were the earliest to launch it. The Gangas entered Karnataka alongwith their religious pontiff Simhanandi, an ācārya of Kānūr-gana from Ganga-Perür (Andhra Pradesh) and settled in Kuvalälpura (Kolār). On Nandagiri (Nandi Hills) they built a fort and a Patta-jinälaya, a royal chapel exclusively for the family of the ruling dynasty, called 'Arhat-Paramesti-caityālaya,' which in course of time was converted into a Vaisnava temple as Gopalaswamy (Gopālasvämī) temple (EC. X(BLR) CB. 29. c. A. D. 750). 1.1. Simultaneously, a branch of the Ganga family proceeded, as guided by the same Simhanandi äcärya, towards Śivamogga (Simogā). They founded a principality which was to be called "Mandali-sahasra' (EC. VII-i (BLR) Sh. 4. 1122; MAR. 1912. p. 30, para. 70.; Rice, B. L., Gazetteer, 1, (1897) p. 311). Konganivarmā (A. D. 350-70) constructed a Patta-jinālaya (EC. VII-i. Sh. 4. 1122; Sharma, I.K. : 1983: 67-83] also known as Tirthada basadi. [In Kannada, basadi and basti (from Sanskrit vasati) means a Jaina temple.) 1.1.1. The Gangas of Kuvalāłpura gradually moved southwards via Manne (Mānyapura), Svagange Hill, and Mandya and Mysore districts, finally settled at Talai-kād, ‘umbrella like forest (Talkād). They, and their subordinate chiefs, built basadis at various places : at Manne (EC. IX (BLR) NI. 60. A. D. 797], Śrīpura [EC VII(R) Ng. 149. A. D. 776], Nonamangala (EC. X. (BLR) Mālür, 72. c. A. D. 425.), Perbolal [EC. X (1905) Mālür 73. A. D. 370] et Cetera. At Kanakagiri-tīrtha, their feudatories, Manaleras, built basadis in brick on the smaller hill and erected an image of Bahubali (10') on the larger hill, this was a hundred years before the famous Gommata image at Śravanabelgola (A. D. 987). 1.2. The early Kadambas of Banavāsi, who ruled between A. D. 430 and 535, gave an impetus to the construction of basadis and patronised the Nirgrantha, Kurcaka, Yāpaniya, and the Svetapata sects (Gopal : 1985 : No. 8. c. 5th cent. A. D.). Arhadāyatana at Palāsikā, modern Halsi in Belgaum District (CKI: p. 9], a Kamajinālaya at Gunāpur near Banavāsi (CKI : No. 22 : 5th cent. A. D.), and Padmālaya, a temple for Padmavatī, companion Yakşi of Dharanendra, at Kallīli near Gudnäpur (ibid., No. 30. 5th cent. A. D.). 1.2.1. The Calukyas of Bädämi (Vätāpi), who swallowed the Adi-Kadambas of Banavāsi, Page #2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Părśva and his Temples.... 85 also followed the royal example of Gangas and Kadambas in respecting the Nirgrantha-mata by building basadis and by enduring them with liberal grants. Apart from the Jaina cave-temple at Bādāmī, they built a separate Samkhajinālaya at Puligere which was their Patta-jinālaya. Vijayāditya (EI. XXXII. pp. 317-24. A. D. 707], Vinayāditya [SII. XX. 4. A. D. 683), the queen Kunkuma mahādevi (ibid., 46. 1072], Pulakesin II [EI. VI. pp. 1 ff. A. D. 634.] granted a number of gifts and endowments, free of taxes to the Jaina temples. 1.3. In this way the Gangas, the Kadambas, the Bādāmī Calukyas--the three early contemporary dynasties-laid a Jainic foundation and prepared a strong infrastructure for the spread of anekantamata in the fertile region between the river Kāverī in the south and the river Godāvarī in the north. Later dynasties, the Rāstrakūtas, the Cālukyas of Kalyāna, the Kalacuris, the Rattas of Kuhandināà, the Seünas (Devagiri-Yadavas), the Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara kings and their feudatories encouraged Jainism and the trend for the construction of basadis went on, the activity had reached its apogee during the period of the Cālukyas of Kalyāna. The Pāríva Temples 1.3.1. The scope of this paper is limited to a survey of the temples of Jina Parśva in Karnataka, exclusively taking in view the material from inscriptions. As such, the nature of this descriptive study is an historical approach to the Pārśva temples, spread over a period of thousand and three hundred years. 1.3.2. In Karnataka, the basadis were constructed in the early centuries in mud, wood, and brick (EC. I (R) "Intro.", XXIV.; EC. VII-I. SK. 136. 1068]. Traces of brick temples are visible at Are-Tippūru, Sravanabelgola, Nonamangala, and Talkād [Sharma 1983]. Some inscriptions speak of the conversion of wooden and brick basadis into stone structure [EC. I (R) "Intro.," XXIV.; IWG : No. 150 : 10th cent. A. D: P. 469]. Arhat Pārsva, relatively more favoured for worship among the 24 Tīrthamkaras, is an historical figure. His association with Dharanendra in sculpture has been thoroughly discussed from various angles in the papers included in the Arhat Pārsva and Dharanendra Nexus Ed. M. A. Dhaky (Delhi 1997); U. P. Shah, apart from a paper in the aforenoted volume, has also included useful material (with illustrations) in the Jaina-Rūpa-Mandana (Delhi 1987). By the time the Pārsva images and temples appear in Karnataka, a set pattern of sculptural details had already evolved in the north, particularly in and around Kankāli-tilä and Mathurā [Dhaky 1997, 29-43]. in Karnataka, no literary, no question of concrete example of reference to either Pārsva or, for that matter, any other Jina is available before the fourth century A. D. 2.1. Page #3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 86 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha 2.1. 2.1.1. The earliest reference, an indirect one, to the Arhat Pārśva temple in Karnataka comes from the Banavāsi-Kadamba inscription. Of the 51 inscriptions of early Kadambas, 15 pertain to Jaina and 12 speak of grants bequeathed to the basadis; and, of the nine monarchs, five followed Jainism [Gopal, CKI : 1985]. 2.1.2. During the early decades of the fifth century A. D., there were several basadis at Palāsika (Halsi), a Jaina centre where the Śvetapata, Nirgrantha, Kürcaka, and Yapanïya sects flourished. Besides Halsi, there were arhadāyatanas at BrhatParalūru and Asandi in the 5th century, either constructed by the Kadamba kings or had enjoyed the endowments they had made. [Gopal 1985 : LXXII.]. 2.2. The Gudnapur epigraph of the first regnal year of the Kadamba king Ravivarmā (c. A. D. 458-519) refers to a Kāma-jinalaya built by the king to the left of his palace, and made grants for its maintainance. Kama-jinālaya-ath-asya Kamajinalayasya [puja) samskararttham-asau maharaja-śri-Ravivarmma (Gopal 1985 : 85). The same record further refers to a Kamadevālaya at the village Häkinipalli in the vicinity and a temple of Padmāvati at Kallili village : Häkinipalli Kamadevälayāsya pūjā saskārārtham Kallili-grāmam-Padmāvatyalayasya-pūjā samskārārthem (ibid., p. 87); for the embellishments of the above temples, the king donated another village, Mukundi. Käma-jinälaya evidently was the first temple of Manmatha alias Bahubali alias Gommata, an younger son of Jina Rsabha the first Tirthamkara. Gopal, who correctly identified this Kāma-jinālaya with the temple of Bāhubali, also compared this phrase with Jinendra-mahimā-kāryyā occuring in the Halsi plate No. 24 of the same King Ravivarmā, which also speaks of the festival of Jinendra to be held in Kārtīka every year lasting for eight days (ibid., "Intro"., LX]. 2.1.1. Scholars have dwelt on the nature of this Kāma-jinālaya. Recent findings, in the same area, of some Jina images, have confirmed that Kama-jinālaya was in fact a Bāhubali temple. There indeed are three more pieces of evidence in support of this assumption : i. Padmavatyālaya, a temple for the Jaina Yakși Padmavati, in the same surroundings, was also a contemporary Jaina structure built by the very BanavāsiKadamba chief. ii. There are references pertaining to Kāma-jinālaya in the Prākta Jaina literature : For example in the "Rayanasehari Kaha." iii. Also, Ācārya Jinasena of Punnāta-samgha has mentioned a Kāma-jinālaya in his Harivarśapurana (A. D. 784). 2.2.2. The two Kāma-jinālayas at Gudnāpur and Hākinipalli around Banavāsi are the earliest and apparently the forerunners in popularising the setting up of the Bāhubali images in Karnataka. Incidentally, the Padmāvatyālaya at Kallīli is also Page #4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārśva and his Temples.... 87 the first and the earliest of the temples built exclusively for Padmāvatī, the attendent goddess of Arhat Pārsva. 2.3. One of the salient features involved here needs elaboration. A peculiarity of constructing a temple for, and sculpting an image of, Bahubali in the kāyotsarga (khadgāsana) posture along with Pārsva temple/image/sculpture is found at a number of places, particularly in the cave temples at Bādāmī, Aihole, Elloră, and in Hombūja. At Hombūja, there are temples of Jina-Pārśva, Padmavatī, and a Kāmajinālaya where a Bāhubali image of A. D. 898 exists even today [Nāgarājaiah 1997, 217]. Again, on one of the pillars of the earliest temples at Hombūja, the Bogārabasadi (late 9th cent. A. D.), there is a bas-relief sculpture where both Pärśva and Bahubali figure side by side. in the same frame. At Are-Tippuru there is a Bahubali statue and Pārsva images, both of the ninth century A. D. Hence this combination of Pārśva and Bāhubali in the southern Jaina iconography is not an arbitrary choice; I will revert to this point in the sequel, in Para 37. 2.3.1. It is, then, natural to expect the material evidence of the existence of Pārsva temple/image at Gudnapur, Hākinipalli, and Kallīli, in which case that would attest to the earliest Arhat Pārśva temple/image in Karnataka. Among the very large number of images of Pärśva in stone and bronze in Karnataka that today exist, the earliest are from the Jaina caves at Bādāmi and Aihole, both belonging to the late sixth century A. D. In the forelobby of cave IV at Bādāmī, Pārsva image carved in bas-relief image and standing in kayotsarga posture with five-hooded canopy, has a smiling oval face with elongated ears attended by Dharanendra sitting on the left side with all his jewellery including the diadem. Padmāvatī is standing, rather unusually, on the right side of the Jina, holding the staff of the gem-studded parasol; she has a single-hooded canopy. This sculpture was executed during the period of Kirtivarman I (c. A. D. 566 596.) 3.1. A relief-sculpture of Pārśva in the Nirgrantha cave at Aihole (Ayya (cf. Sk. Ārya, Pāli. Ayya) + Polal (a city')-a prominent city) is exactly of the same period as the Bādāmī instance (late 6th cent. A. D.). These sculptures, both located in the forelobby of the concerned cave temples, are compositionally more or less identical, though the features of the figures involved differ. Śrīvijaya-jinālaya olim Süle-basti at Manne (B’Lore D[/NL TK), built in A. D. 797 by Śrīvijaya, a general under Śrīpuruśa of the western Ganga dynasty, is in a bad condition, and may any day collapse. Suffering heavily as it did at the hands of Colas, what remains today inside the basadi is only an excellent Dharanendra sculpture in the ceiling and four massive pillars in the hall in the typical Ganga style, the mulanāyaka image in the sanctum sanctorum is missing. This is one of the earliest extant temple of Pārśva temples (EC. LX (BLR) NI. 61. A D. 797]. Page #5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 88 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha There is also a reference to this basadi in an inscription of Ganga Mārasimha I and of Rācamalla I. 4.1. Gangas' earliest fort on Nandagiri also had a royal Jina-mandira which has lost all its early traits excepting a later inscription of the eighth century A. D. where there is a reference to Dharanendra : Svarggāpa-vargga-padayos-sopanapadavibhūtaya dhara-dhara-Dharnendra-sya phana-mani-lītānukarine [EC. X (1905). C B. 29. c. A. D. 750) : a path to the attainment of svarga/moksa, like the jewel in the head of the serpent) Dharanendra, who bears the world (ibid., p. 205). This is the earliest epigraphical reference to Dharanendra; and in the foregoing discussion was noticed the earliest inscriptional reference to Padmavati (CKI : p. 87). Pomburca, the present Hombūja (Humca) in Shimoga District, was the capital of the Säntaras, a dynasty who ruled for nearely a thousand years uninterrupted. [Nagarājaiah, Hampa : 1997-A]. Sāntara, a local (tribal) dynasty was absorbed into the alien Maha-Ugra dynasty from the Mathurā region in the north, headed by a brave leader Jinadatta who belonged to one of the oldest royal families in India, in the early 7th century A. D. [EC. VIII (BLR) Nagara. 35-36. A. D. 1077.] : Arhat Pārsva also belongs to this Mahā-Ugra-vamśa in the southern Jaina tradition. Padmavati-devī, according to the tradition, blessed Jinadatta with a lioncrest and a vānara-dhvaja (a banner bearing the monkey-symbol). He and his successors erected a number of Jaina temples, those of Parśva and Padmavati being more conspicuous. 5.1. Tolāpuruşa-Vikrama-Sántara (A. D. 895-935) built a Bahubali temple in the year A. D. 898 on the hill at Hombūja (ibid., No. 60.) Paliyakka, a paramour of Vikrama-Santara, also constructed two temples in A. D. 895-96, one of these being a stone building dedicated to Pārsva, which exists intact in the premises of the Panca-basti (ibid., No. 45. A. D. 898]. The pillars inside this temple having taranga-potikā (roll bracket) stylistically are of the late Rāstrakūta period. 5.2. There are two magnificent Pārsva images of the ninth century carved to perfection, depicting as they do the Jaina mythological episode of the Kamathopasarga, kept inside Hombūja's Pārśva temple of the 11th century in the spacious hall which has an entrance from all the three sides. Jina Pārśva, the mülanāyaka, sitted in the paryankāsana, is a feast to the eye (Dhaky (ed): 1996 : 281-84). 5.2.1. On the Kundādri Hill (Shimoga Dt / Tīrthahalli Tk) attached to the administration of Hombūja matha and included in the Sāntalige-1000, there is a Pārsva temple. A mutilated Pārśva image (in käyotsarga), about 8' high, is now kept outside the temple; it is assigned to the 20th-11th c. A. D. (A new image has replaced it.) A rare feature of this old image is that, on its body, there are two cobra symbols. Page #6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārsva and his Temples.... 89 6. A truly awesome image of Pārsva on Candragiri, Śravanabelagola, in the sanctum of a large structure (15') is canopied by the usual seven-hooded Nāgendra, datable to c. early 11th century. The temple measures 59' x 29' and is thus fairly spacious. It consists of a garbhagrha, a vestibule, a closed hall, and a mukha-mandapa: a lofty manastambha stands in front of the temple. 6.1. Some more Pārsva images are met with inside other temples at Śravanabelago!a. The Candragupta-basadi has one such image. The upper storey of the famous Cāmundarāya basadi contains a small image dated A. D. 995 (EC. II (R) 150 (121). p. 88.] There are three sanca inside the Candragupta basadi, with ArhatPārśva in the middle. A rarity of this Jina-Pārsva image is that, on the right side is placed Padmāvatī and on the left Ambikā alias Küşmāndi in lieu of the Yaksa figure. 6.2. On the Vindhyagiri Hill (ŚB) there are five Pārsva images of the medieval period enshrined in the cloister around the tall Gommateśvara colossus. 6.3. In the town proper, a large temple, Bhandāra Basadi olim Bhavya-cūdāmani, constructed by Hulla, the main treasurer and minister of the Hoysala king Narasimha I (1142-73) in A. D. 1159, contains a handsome Caturvimsati-pratimageha, 24 Jinas in a row (ibid., 476 (345). pp. 287-91; ibid., 481 (349) A. D. 1159. pp. 295-99). 6.3.1. Ācāṁbä (Acale alias Āciyakka, the Jaina spouse of the saiva-brahmin Candramauli, minister under Hoysala King Vira-Ballāla II, had built a Pārsvajineśvara-geha olim Akkana-basadi (A. D. 1181). A five-feet tall Pārsva image in khadgäsana in the garbhagrha-antarāla contains a Sanskrit inscription on its pedestal. Nagendra-Padmavati figures (2) are stationed at the antarāla-doorway each with five-hooded cobra canopies. The carved and glistening pillars, triple umbrella of Pārsva, Bhuvanesvarī, and the image of goddess Sarasvati at once arrest the attention. A Kannada inscription of poetic excellence (ibid., 444 (327)] and a Sanskrit epigraph (ibid., 453 (331). A. D. 1181.) eloquently speak of this temple. A grant of a village Bammenahalli for its upkeep by the Hoysala king Vira-Ballāla (1173-1220) was made over to the god after washing the feet of Bālacandra-muni (ibid., 571 (Ven 150). 1181. pp. 355-57]. 6.3.2. An inscription on the pedestal of the Pārsva image in the Mangāyi-basadi states that the construction of the temple was by Śrīkarana Bamacaya, a general and a lay-disciple of Arhanandi-deva (ibid., 469, 12th cent. A. D., p. 283]. 6.3.3. Aregallu temple at Jinanāthapura, about a km away to the north west of Sravanabelagola and built in A. D. 1135, has now a Pärsva image with a 13hooded canopy, replacing the broken image which lies in the nearby tank. An inscription on the boulder near the tank-bund of Jinanāthapura registers the grant of land for the worship of Cenna-Pārsvadeva of the basadi at Bekka, another Page #7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 90 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha nearby village, by Nayakīrtideva, a disciple of Hiriya ('senior) Nayakīrtideva (ibid., 535 (385). A. D. 1250). 6.4. Pārsva temple at Hale-old')-Belgola, six kms away from Śravanabelagola, was built in A. D. 1094 during Mahāmandalesvara Ereyanga's time (A. D. 10931102). (Ereyanga was the father of Hoysa!a Visnuvardhana, A. D. 1108-52). A noteworthy point of this temple is the sculpture of Dharanendra holding a bow in his left arm and conch in the right arm (ibid., 568 (V CP. 148) A. D. 1094, pp. 349-51). Similar Dharanendra image is elsewhere seen, too, for example, in Kambadahalli; a coiled-cobra behind Dharanendra, and the Maladhara class of the Vidyadharas near him, are indicative of his exhaulted divine character. Pancakūta basadi in Kambadahalli (Mandya/Dt/Ng Tk) was built in C. E. 900 (MAR 1939. p. 45); H. Sircar puts the date between A. D. 900 and 1000 [Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. II., Ed. A. Ghosh, p. 218], and K. V. Sounderarajan puts it at A. D. 975 [Encyclopaedia of South Indian Temples-upper Dravida-Deśa, Vol. I, part-II. eds., Michael W. Meister and M. A Dhaky, Delhi 1986, pp. 198-99). It is interesting to note that the ceiling of the navranga-hall of this AdināthaJinălaya is adorned with a beautifully carved sculpture of Dharanendra Yaksa amidst asta-Dikpālas, the Regents of the Quarters. Similar sculpture is found in two other basadis; one at the Hale-Belagola and the other at Muttatti, both in Hassan district. In the ceiling of the sāntinātha basadi at Kambadahalli, the sculpture depicts Arhat Pārśva in padmāsana, surrounded by asta-Dikpālas; this Sāntiśvara temple (now in ruins) was built in the early 12th cent. A. D., and a later grant is also recorded [EC. VII(R) Ng. 29. A. D. 1174. p. 18) 6.4.1. A record of Sanena-halli, which gives an account of Gangarāja, registers the gift of the village Govindavādi for the worship of the gods Pārśva and Kukkuteśvara made by him after washing the feet of Subhacandra-siddhāntadeva (ibid., 547 (397). A. D. 1119.]. It may be noted that Bāhubali is mentioned as Kukkuteśvara. On the hill of Kanakagiri at Maleyūru (Mysore Dt) there is an old Pārsva temple (renovated, however, at different periods) Pārśva temple which is referred as Kanakagiri-śri-Vijaya-devaru [EC. IV (R) Ch. 355. A. D. 1422. p. 237] : hemadrauvara-Pärsvanātha-jinape dīksāśrita satphalā (ibid., Ch. 360. 1674. p. 240] and Kanakācala-Pārsveśa-pūjārthaṁ pañca-parvasu (ibid., Ch. 371. A. D. 1181, p. 245] which registers a gift of the village Kinnarīpura for the worship of Pārsva on the Kanakācala during the performance of the five festivals and for feeding ascetics daily by Acyutavīrendra-śikyapa, a great physician. This temple belongs to the period of the Gangas and a five feet tall Pārsva image in käyotsarga posture in the garbhagrha, and the two gorgeous images of Padmavati and Jvälāmālini of the same height sit in opposite directions facing each other. Another Kanakagiri-kşetra and tirtha (Mandya Dt/Maddūr Tk) is one of the early centres of Jainism, which was referred to at the beginning of this paper. A Page #8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pärśva and his Temples.... 91 8.1. charter of the time of Nītimārga Parmānadi (A. D. 916-17) invokes Vardhamanajinendra and refers to the construction of a basadi at Kanakagiri-tīrtha (EC. VII (R) Mu. 100. A. D. 916-17). There were not less than seven basadis at this place. Gangarāja, general of Visnuvardhana, gifted the village Tippuru to the pontiff Meghacandra-Siddhānta-deva in A. D. 1117 (ibid., 54. pp. 282-83]. Today, except the Bahubali image on the Savanappan-Betta ('Hill of the chief of the śramanas'), there are only the ruins of Jaina affiliation scattered on the Kanakagiri. Some 14 Tirthamkara images are carved in low relief of a natural cavern (now under water) and some loose images lie in the pond. Among the loose sculptures, Supärśvanātha and Pārsvanātha are outstanding. "Inside the pond and partly covered by the water, two good specimens of standing Pārsvanātha have been noted. The first example fashioned out of soft dull grey steatite or slate is canopied by Chatratraya, a plain auerole, and a highly ornamented makaratorana elaborately looped, pendented, and supported on kudyastambhas : It clearly is fashioned the conventional Hoysala style. The second one, out of granite stone, has an elegantly designed simple semi-circular prabhā with lotus and lilly flower flanking in relief and a similarly decorated chatratraya over the head. The figure resembles the seated Supārsvanātha and alike has wide fish-eyes and serene facial expression. Their original placement might be in the brick sancturies above the hill". (Sharma, "Western Ganga Jaina vestiges at Tippūru, District Mandya” in the Rangavalli : Recent Researches in Indology, Bangalore 1983, p. 237). A battered Āñjaneya temple on the hillock in the middle of the village Muttige (Hassan/Dt/Tk) is an ancient Pārsva temple of c. tenth A. D., constructed in the typical Ganga style. In this dilapidated building, converted to Vaisnava temple, inspite of the mūlanayaka Jina-image later replaced, the survival of the remarkable ceiling sculpture of Dharanendra surounded by asta-Dikpālakas makes the temple worth visiting. At Kurgallu village (Mysore Dt/Piriyapatņa Tk), there are a number of Jaina remnants : among them is an outstanding Pārsva image (kayotsarga), and the vestige of a tenth century Päráva temple. An inscription from this place informs that Ganga-Permādi Butuga's wife Paramabbe was ruling this region [EC. IV (R) Periya-patana. 28. 10th c. A. D. p. 523] lends support to the existence of this temple. At Varuna (Mysore/Dt/Tk), there are a number of broken and dismembered Jaina images. Archaeologists/historians have recorded that there were three Jaina temples to the left side of this village. After the destruction by Colas and others, images of the Jinas, Yaksas, and Nisidhi stones were used to construct a kalyāņi (tank) at Varakodu, a nearby village (MAR 1940. p. 19). Whatever remained in 10. 11. Page #9 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 92 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha the process are kept before the Mahālingeśvara temple. Among them is a Părśva image in paryankāsana with a câmaradhara on either side of the prabhāvali and Dharanendra-Padmāvatī at the bottom. [EC. V (R) Mysore. 180. 10th cent. A. D. p. 297]. 11.1. Pārsvanatha-basadi at Saligrāma (Mysore Dt/-Tk) contains a pillar consisting of the portion of four lathe-turned Rudrakānta-pillars of the Ganga period. 12. A dated epigraph of A. D. 1059, records the death by the sanyāsana-vidhi of a Yapaniya pontiff Nāgacandra, praised as a scholar-teacher of the Nirgrantha philosophy. He attained death in meditation in the Ghatāntakiya-basadi at Moramba (Morab-Dharwar Dt/Navalgund Tk) which enshrined Śrī-prabhu-Păriśvadeva. (By the way, Ghatāntaki is another name of Padmavati-devī.) [SII. XV. A. D. 1059 Morab. pp. 359-60]. 12.1. This cognomen 'Ghatāntaki has a special connotation in the context of Southern Jaina pantheon. It is said in the hagiography of Akalankadeva, the great epistemologist, that while he was engaged in disputation with the Buddhists who were enjoying the impromtu coaching by the goddess Tārā-bhagavati behind the screen, it was goddess Padmāvati who helped Akalankācārya who, at her instance, pulled the curtain down and kicked the magic-pot 'ghata' placed there and defeated the opponent. Thereafter Padmāvati came to be called as Ghatāntaki [Nagarajaiah 1976]. 12.1.1. Dănacintāmaņi Attimabbe (A. D. 950-1016) patronised writers, sculptors, musicians, dancers, storey-tellers, warriors, orphans, and so on and she built 1501 Jaina temples. She was equated with the Jina-śāsana-devī Padmāvati and got the biruda Ghatāntakī. Out of the 1501 temples she built, all the Pārsva basadis with Padmāvati-Dharana combine became popular as Ghatāntaki-basadis [Kamala Hampana : 1995). 12.1.2. A Ghatāntakiya-basadi at Lakkundi near the Brahma-jinālaya [SII. XI-i. 52 & 53. A. D. 1007.] has been converted into a Sivālaya and the Pārsva image has been replaced with Sivalinga, but the seven-hooded canopy is intact (Nagarājaiah, Hampa: 1995 : 11]. There were Ghaṭāntakī-basadis olim Pārśva temples at cikka-Handigola (SIT. XV. 128. 1174. pp. 161-63), at Kanenur (EC. III(R). 146. 1337. p. 266], at Konnur (SII. XV. 65. 1185. p. 91), at Adaki Gogi, H : 1996: p. 174. A. D. 1172), at Mugad [SII. XI-i. 177. A. D. 1125. pp. 232-33), at Morab (ibid., 124. 1077. p. 144). A damaged epigraph of Anwāl (Bijapur Dt/ Badāmi Tk) has recorded the gift of land to Ghatāntakī in the Jina-Pārśva temple [SII. XV. 629. 13 cent. A. D. p. 405). An inscription from Tumbagi (Bijapur Dt/Muddebinā! Tk) records a gift of land to the god Pāriśva-deva, a temple that was built in the 11th century (ibid., 198, 13th. c. p. 246). Page #10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Părśva and his Temples.... 93 14. 16. One of the prestigious among the Pārsvadeva caityalayas was the one constructed by Mälala-devī, the senior queen-patta-mahadevī—of king Kirtivarmā of the later Kadamba kula (EC. VIII-ii (BLR) sorab. 262. 1075. PP. 109-11]. The pratisthācārya of this basadi was her own guru PadmanandiSiddhāntadeva, who was a mandalācārya and a chief pontiff of all the caityālayas of Bandanika-tirtha. This Pārsva-caityālaya at Kuppatūr was renamed Brahma-jinālaya. A socio-cultural significance of the installation was the presence of religious-heads of all 18 sacred places, and the learned ācāryas of Banavase-Madhukeśvara-deva temple who were received with due recognition.. This is a rare occasion of religious tolerance that prevailed among the chiefs of various castes and subsects within. 15. A dated inscription from Mannera-Masalavāda (Bellary Dt/Harapanahalli Tk) records a gift of some plots of land to Vinayacandradeva, disciple of Nemicandra. Rāvula by the Mahāmandleśvara Manneya Bhairava-devarasa, a Vaisnava by faith, along with the gaudas and others for the Jina Pārśva temple of the tenth century (ARSIE 1944-45, B. K. No 63] and subsequently repaired by Keśava pandita, the Prime minister of the mahamandalesvara Saliveya Tikama-devara-neyara, as also a general of Seüņa king Rāmacandra. [SII. IX-i. 387. 1297] The name “idila Śrī-Jina-Pārsvanātha-mahācaityālaya appears in an inscription of late mediaeval period (SII. XV. 695. 16th cent.) Kittūr (Mysore Dt/Hg Tk) was the capital of Punnādu (Punnāta, Puṁrāstra) country which flourished between c. 3rd cent. B. C. and c. 9th cent. A. D., mentioned by Ptolemy (2nd cent. C. E.) had unreservedly patronised Jainism. The Brhat-kathā of Harisena (A. D. 931) states that, on the advice of the apostle Bhadrabāhu, a group of friars proceeded to Punnāța-visaya. Kongu-visaya, a seat of Jainism, was on the border of Punnāta. Ganga king Avinīta (c. A. D. 495-555) had married Jesthā, a daughter of Skandavarmā, king of Punnāța, and their son Durvinita (c. 555-605) was also called 'Paunnātādhipati' in the inscriptions. Punnāta's capital Kittūr (Kīrtipura, Kirti-mahānagarapura) was a seat of Jainism; “Kittūru-sangha', a cohort of friars and nuns, originated from this place. Acārya Jinasena of Punnāta-sangha, in his Harivamsapurāņa, has referred to the Punnātasangha bệhat-gana. From Punnādu it spread to Vardhamānapura (Vadhavāna in the Saurastra region of Gujarat) and its surroundings in the eighth century A. D. 17.1. As it were to support the above facts, a Jina Pārśva temple at Kittūr contains five inscriptions [EC. III(R) Hg. 126 to 130). One of the undated and worn out epigraphs, on the pedestal of the mūlanayaka Vijaya-Pärsvanātha, seems to record the construction of god Vijayanātha (Pārsva) at Kittür : On palaeographic grounds, the record is assigned to c. 12th A. D. [Ibid., 131 (XIV Hg 141) 12c. p. 518]. This Vijaya-Pārsva image belonged to Müla-Sangha, Känūr-gana, Tintrini. gaccha. 17. Page #11 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 94 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha 18. 19. An epigraph on the pedestal of the image of Jina Pārsva in front of the Maruti (Hanuman) temple at Doni (Dharwar Dt/Mundargi Tk) records that it was installed in the Kānūr-gana temple constructed by the nun Marudevi-avve (avveyajjva-aryika-ajjikā-avve); this image was a gift by Śri-karana Boppana, a grandson of Senabova Ādanna (Ādinātha) [SII. XV. 614. 1269. pp. 398-99). Boppa, son of the illustrious Gangarāja, minister under Hoysala Vişnuvardhana, built a temple at Halebidu (Hassan Dt/Belur Tk), consecrating a colossal image of Pārśva in A. D. 1133, of 15' in height, equal to the Pārsva image on the Candragiri hill at SB. The image was named "Vijaya-Pārsvanātha' by Visnuvardhana. Its notable details : The pontiff Nayakīrti Siddhānta-cakravarti, after the consecration of Halebidu's Jina Pārśva, took the consecrated food (sesa) to Visnuvardhana who was then camping at Bankāpura after gaining victory over the enemies : Simultaneously, the Chief also got the news of the birth of a son. He was, then, very happy about the two coincidental auspicious happenings and told the pontiff that, by the grace of Lord Pārsva, he obtained victory as well as a son. The Chief, thereupon renamed the newly consecrated deity as Vijaya-Pārsva' and named his son as Vijaya-Narasimhadeva.' He next made a grant of the village Jāvagallu in Asandi-nādu along with some streets and tanks (details mentioned) to provide for the offerings during three seasons and for the ((daily) worship of Lord Vijaya-Pārśva as well as the 24 Tirthankaras, and for providing food for the ascetics. The grant was also meant to include repairs of the basadi. Some time later, Dāsa-gauda-an oil-mongerand Rāma-gauda made a grant of lands to the same divinity. The recipient of these gifts was sāntideva, the priest [EC. IX(R) Belur 389 (V BL 124) A. D. 1133. Bastihalli (Hn dt/Bl tx) pp. 352-57). The gāvundas (chiefs of the village) of Mūgūr, had the local basadi renovated and the image of Pārśva consecrated [EC. V(R) Tn. 280. 13c. Mügür ( Mysore Dt/ Tn Tk). p. 653). The upāsakas were the disciples of a friar who in turn was a disciple of Bhānukīrty-pandita of Mula-sangha, Desigana, Pustaka-gaccha, Kundakundānvaya, and Inganeśvara-Sangha. Mūgūru (Mogūr) had three jinalayas : Śivalayyana-basadi, Adinātha-basti and Pārsvanātha-basti, the last two are extant but require repairs. A fairly long inscription from Kalkeri (Bijapur Dt/Sindagi Tk) gives the genealogy of Singhana (Seüņa, Devagiri-Yadava dynasty), records gifts of lands, and housesite by pradhāna Malla, Bicana, and Pāyisetti for the benefit of AnantaTirthamkara at Kalukere in Hagaratagenādu, constructed by Payisetti. The relevance of this inscription in the context of the present paper is that Pāyisetti built a basadi at the instance of his guru Kamalasena-bhattāraka who was attached to, and the worshipper at the holy feet of Parśva of Srīpura (971. XX. 202. A. D. 1244. p. 252]. It is not clear weather Śrīpura and Kalkeri are identical. 20. 21. Page #12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Parsva and his Temples.... There are, in point of fact, two Kalkeri villages located in two different districts. An inscription from another Kalkeri (Dharwar Dt/Mundargi Tk), on a pedestal of a lost image preserved in the village cavadi (pañcâyat-hall) records the sculpting and installation of the Parsvanatha image [SII. XV. 568. c. 12th c. A. D. p. 378]. 22. 22.1 Mulgunda was an ancient Jaina centre from the period of Bādāmī Calukyas, i. e. from early 7th cent. C. E. Inscriptions hail Mulgunda as the city of all the four ages [SII. rv. 40. c. 1020. p. 52; SII XI-i. 97. 1062]. Mulgunda-tirtha, the holy Mulgunda, had Jaina monasteries and a good number of well-reputed preceptors and authors up to the 16th century. A Sanskrit epigraph on a slab built into the inner wall of the Parsvanatha basadi at Mulgunda records the death, by the vow of sanyasana, of Amṛtayya, son of maha-pradhana-heggade Devanna, who was a minister and a bahattara-niyogadhipati of Tilakarasa of Soratur (Sorab). Though the charter belongs to a later period, Jina-Pārsva temple belongs to an early period, of 11th cent. A. D. [SII. XV. 615. A. D. 1275. Mulgund (Gadag Dt)] pp. 399-400]. An inscription of the 16th century states that this Pārsva temple was set on fire by the Mohammadans and the preceptor Sahasrakirti, a disciple of Lalitakirti, who stayed inside the holy shrine unshaken, was burnt to death who thus vindicated the glory of the Nirgrantha creed [ibid., No. 695, 16th cent. A. D. p. 433] 23. 24. 95 23.1. Kogali, now a small village (Bellary Dt/Hadagali Tk), was one of the ancient nerve centres of the Nirgrantha faith. It was a tirtha-kṣetra where the Ganga-king Durvinita constructed a sarvotabhadra-jinālaya in the 6th century A. D. and was subsequently renovated in the 11th century by a pontiff Indrakirty-munindra [SII. IX-i. 117. 1055. pp. 92-93]. One of the many basadis at Kogali is cenna (handsome") Pärivadeva's temple. There are epigraphs which register the money grants made by many votaries for the daily ablution of cenna-Parsvadeva [Ibid., 346. 1275; Ibid., 347. 1276). 25. A much damaged and undated inscription from Sogi (Bellary Dt/Hadagali Tk) refers to a Parsva temple attached to Hanasoge diocese [SII. IX-i. 360. c. 12th cent. p. 376] A memorial stone in the compound of a saw-mill at Alnavara (Dharwar Dt/Tk) states that the śrävaka Cikkamalli setti, embracing the sallekhană rite, died after 21 days in the premises of Matti-Pāriśveśvara temple [SII. XV. 693. 1505]. This Cikka-malli setti was a poet and had composed the Samyaktva-kaumudi, a Kannada work in Sangatya-metre, consisting stories of Arhad-dāsa and his wives. At Sringeri (Cikkamagalur Dt/NR-pura Tk) a Pārsvanatha basadi was constructed. for the merit of Mari-setti, in the year 1160 [ARIE 1953-54. B-404. A. D. 1160. p. 59]. But prior to this, another Parsva temple also existed to which a donation Page #13 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 96 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha was given in the year A. D. 1149 (MAR 1934. Pp. 113-14]. A broken fragmentary epigraph also mentions a Pārsvanātha basadi at this place (MAR. 1933. p. 125; Saletore : 1938 : 206]. Gūliya-Bācideva of Adala family, governor of Marugare province, was an ideal upāsaka who respected all the four faiths. In fact, the invocatory verse of his inscription is worth pondering over : [EC. XII (BLR) Tumkur. 9, A. D. 1151. p. 13]; Jayanti-yasy=āvadat=opi bhārati vibhūtayas-tīrtha krtopi naihrite Śivāya-Dhātre Sugatāya Vişnave Jināya tasmai sakalātmane namaḥ 11 (It is a quotation of Vs. 3 from the Samadhitantra of Pujyapada Devanandī, C. A. D. 635-680) 26.1. When his spouse Bhimave-nāyakiti breathed her last, mahāsamanta Bācideva, for her merit (paroksa-vinayārtham), built a Bhima-jinālaya, a cenna-Pārsvadeva temple, in her name at Kaidāla (Tumkur Dt) and granted several gifts for the anga-bhoga and asta vidha-arcane of Sri-cenna-Pārsvadeva and for ahāra-dana, feeding the rșis (the Nirgrantha friars) [Ibid., pp. 13-15]. 27. Mullūru, a head-quarters of Mullūru-70 Kampaņa (a district') was once a Nirgrantha pilgrimage centre (Coorg Dt/somavārpet Tk). An inscription engraved on the wall of the Păráva basadi at this place states that it was erected by a lady lay-follower, śrävaki (śrāvikā) Pocabbe, mother of Rājādhiraja-Kongälva. She was a disciple of Gunasena-pandita of Dravila-gana, Nandi-sangha, Arungala-anvaya [EC. I (R) 68 (37). 11th C. A. D.). There are three basadis at Mulluru Pārsvanātha, Candranātha, and śāntiśvara (ibid., 75 (39). 1390). 27.1 Rājädhiraja-Kongāļva constructed Vijayadevara-dehāra, a Pārsva basadi at Maldūru for the merit of his mother Pocabbarasi, and granted certain villages (ibid., "Intro." XXIII-XXIV). After 400 years, a Vijayanagara king Harihara II also renewed the grants and gifted the village Kāragod, by renaming it as Annāngapura, to the god Pārsvanātha through Gundappa dandanāyaka (ibid., 75 (39). 1390]. 28. An epigraph at the site of a ruined Jaina temple at Yallādahalli (Mandya Dt/Ng Tk) refers to the rule of Hoysala Narasimha (1152-73), records the erection of a Pārśva-jina-basadi at Suranahalli and registers land grants by Devarāja, mahāpradhana of Vişnuvardhana. This village Süranahalli was renamed as Pārsvapura [EC. VII (R) Ng. 64 (IV Ng 76). 1145. pp. 45-49]. A graphic description of this triküta (triple) jinālaya runs as follows: "amarendra-bhavanam-enipa Pārsva-jinabhavanamam" (ibid., line : 66), which reads, when freely translated : Lo ! behold the Pārsva-jina temple which looks like the abode of the lord of gods. 28.1. A Campakamála verse of an inscription from Alisandra (Mandya Dt/Ng Tk) Page #14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārsva and his Temples.... 97 narrates that śāntaladevi, daughter of the unequalled general Bharata, wife of Ecirāja who is praised as a Jina, mother of Lord Rāyadeva and Mariyāne, got constructed at Sindaghatta an edifice for Pārśva with numerous fine kutaspirelets to the praise of all on earth and became an accomplished one on each : ghanatara-kūta-koti-yuta Pārsva-jineśvara-gehamam jagajjana-nutam [EC. VII (R) Ng. 72 (IV Ng 32) 1048, 1103, 1182 and 1183. pp. 54-60). This Pārsva-basadi was built in A. D. 1043 and subsequently the earlier grants were confirmed and renewed in A. D. 1103, 1182, and 1183. 28.2. In A. D. 1178, Sovi-setti (Soma-setti) constructed at Hattana (Mandya Dt/Ng Tk) amaragiri-tunga-Pārsva-jinageha and granted lands for the worship, food offerings and for repairs. The recipient of the grant was Adhyātmi-Bālacandra, a disciple of Nayakirti-Siddhāntadeva (EC. VII (R) Ng. 118 (IV Ng 70) A. D. 1178, pp. 11.721]. This city was then called Mudhuvolal (an ancient ciry') and later came to be known as Hattana. This Pārsva temple was converted into a Saiva temple where the present inscription stands as a witness, and on the pedestal in the garbhagrha stands the Saivite deity Virabhadra. 28.2.1. Another inscription from Dodda-Jataka village describes mahāsamanta Hemmaya-nayaka to be a man lay-yotary of Pārsvadeva-Parśva-deva pādārādhaka : (ibid., Ng. 132 (IV Ng 15) 1179. p. 129]. 28.3. An epigraph from Kasalagere village (Mandya Dt/Ng Tk) records the construction of Arhat Pārsva basadi at Hebbiduruvādi in Kalu-Kani nādu in A. D. 1142. A ruler of that region, Samanta Soma, a lay disciple of Bhānukīrti-siddhäntadeva, made a grant of the village Aruhanahalli ('a village of Arhats") and the recipient of the grant was Brahmadeva of Surastha-gana (ibid., Ng. 169 (IV Ng 94) 11 12, pp.167-69). 28.4. Mahā-pradhana-sarvadhikari-Heggade Ballayya, a subordinate of Hoysala Vira Ballāla II, made a grant of income from the customs of the village Bhogavādi [Bhogadi : Mandya Dt/Ng Tk] and its hamlet Kaļabovanahalli for the worship, offerings etc., to God Pārsvadeva; this basadi had a popular name, Śrīkaranajinālaya. The recipient of the gift was Padmaprabha, disciple of Akalanka, the pontiff (ibid., Ng. 184 (Re. 1940-29). 1173. pp. 183-85]; it is evident that the Srikarana-Pärsva-jinālaya is anterior in date to A. D. 1173. 29. A slab in the compound of the Hanumāna temple at Kandagal (Bijapur Dt/ Hungund Tk) records a gift to the god Pārsva-jina. This Pārsvanātha basadi was built by Nāgasiriyavve, a nun-disciple of Sakalacandra-bhattāraka of the Kanür cohort of friars and nuns. This gift was made by the 500 svāmis (members of the merchant guild) together with the prabhus, mummuri-dandas, ubhaya-nāna desis Page #15 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 98 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha of Halasige-12000 (Palāsikā, Halsi in Belgaum Dt) and Banavase-12000, who had assembled as Maha-nāļu (big country) at Kandagäle (the present Kandagal) the maligeya-mane of Kannada-4000. This record is dated the 21st regnal year of the king Singhaņa of Devagiri Yādava/Seina dynasty, corresponding to A. D.1220. Cakrapăni dandanāyaka was administering Kandagāle in Karadikal-300 Kampana region. I quote the relevant portion of lines 21-22 describing the virtues of the men lay votaries : sujana-manojarum jina-puja-purassararum jina-samaya-vārdhi-vardhanacandrarum 30. śrīmat-Pārisvanatha-caranāravinda yugala-bhrñgāya-mānarum [SII. XV. 164. 1220. pp. 208-10.] Mattāvara (Cikkamaga?ūr Dt) has a Párśvanātha temple on the hill, built in the last decade of tenth century, which was also visited by the Hoysala chief Vinayāditya II (1047-98) around A. D. 1050. He visited this basadi for the second time in A. D. 1069 (MAR. 1932. pp. 172-74]. He, with devotion, went to the basadi on the hill, offered prayers and asked the people "why have you built the basadi on the hill (outside) instead of building it inside the village ?” To this Mānika setti respectfully replied—“We beg your Lordship to build a basadi within the village and richly endow it with and privileges. We are poor, but there is no limit to your wealth. Your wealth is equal in quantity to the paddy grains grown by the hill chiefs". Pleased with the speech of Mānika śetti, the king smiled and said very well, and had the basadi built inside the village. He first got Māņika setti and other leaders of the town (named) to give specified land to the basadi and he himself granted, for the basadi at Mattávara, paddy income (specified) of the village Nadali. Moreover, the chief ordered several houses to be constructed near the basadi, giving the village the name of Rsihalli, and finally remitted many (specified) village taxes on its behalf [Saletore : 1938 : 75-76; MAR 1932. pp. 172-74; MAR 1916. pp. 51-52). It is well-known that Rşihalli means the village of the Nirgrantha monks and nuns. 31. As the list of Pārsva temples in Karnataka continues to grow longer than expected, I prefer to catalogue the rest of basadis. 31.1. Idugani (Iduvani) : Pārsvanātha-caityälaya was built by Pāriśva-ganda (EC. VIII (BLR) Sa. 60. 1472. p. 103). 31.2. Devarāya II built in Saka 1348 (A. D. 1427) a caityalaya of Pārsva at Hampi [Saletore : 1938 : 302]. 31.3. An ancient Pārsvanātha basadi of Tadatāla in Heddūrnád was renovated at later periods [EC. VIII (1902). TI. 197. 1363. pp. 206-07]. 31.4. Padumana setri constructed a caityalaya of Pārsvatīrtheśvara at Vogayakere (ibid., Sa. 163. 15th c. p. 124]. Page #16 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārśva and his Temples.... 99 31.5. Narasana Nayaka built a Pārsvanātha basadi at Māgodu (ibid., Sa. 55. c. 15th pp.100-02). 33. 31.6. Jakkavve, wife of mahapradhana Cavimayya constructed a cenna-Pārsva temple at Heragu [EC. VIII(R). 146. 1155. Pp. 376-78). 31.7. A 12th century Arhat Pärśva basadi continues to flourish at Cāmarāja-nagara, a newly formed district headquarters from 1997 [MAR. 1908. p. 9.1117; MAR 1916-p. 53; ibid., 1927. p. 62; ibid., 1931. p. 42; EC. IV(R) ch. 2 (IV ch 83) 1163 A. D. pp. 4-6]. This temple, a 'trikūta-basadi' olim 'Punisa-jinālaya', was erected by Punisa-rāja-dandādhipa. 32. Ādaki (Gulbarga Dt) Cenna-Pārsvadeva-basadi olim Koppa-jinālaya enjoyed special privileges [Gogi, H: 1996 : A. D. 1125, pp. 465-67]. Similarly, Berambadi [EC. III(R) Gu. 218 (IV Gu 96) 14c. pp. 157-58] and Atanür [Gulbarg Dt/Afzalpur Tk. 11th c. A. D). Pārsva temples were very popular. Elsewhere in the State, Gulbarga District alone had mediaeval Pārsva-jinālayas in the following villages : Aland, Gogi, Keśvaragadi, Gavhāra, Jevargi, Cirtapur, Gulbarga, Dandoti, Jevanagi, Degalamadi Nelogi (Nelavagi), Peyha-éirüra, Mannura, Sedam, Sulepete, Hunasihadagali, Harasūru, Lād-ciñcoli, Rājana-kolür, et cetera. In South Canara (Mangalore and Udupi/Dts) there are nearely 20 Pārsva temples. In Mūdabidare, a great Jaina centre, Gurugala-basadi is the pivot of other 18 basadis (SII. VII. 225. 1384). The Pārsva image in this basadi is said to be dated to the tenth century. Besides, there are two Pärsvanätha temples (ARIE. 1941. A-1. p. 5 ff]; one of them is called 'Candogra-Pārsva-deva-basadi', which received royal patronage from the Alupa kings of Tuluva (Saletore : 1938 : 352]. 33.1. There are seven Pārśva temples at Karkala alone, each with different designations : Hallara-basadi, Addakeri-basadi, gummadhikäri-basadi, Bommarāja-basadi, Betrada-basadi, Eda-bala-basadi, and Ammanavara-basadi. 33.2. At Māla and its surroundings eight Pārśva temples exist; they are, Eda-bala basadi, Belli-bidu-basadi (Marodi), Perādi-basadi, Hejmādi-basadi, Padan-gadi basadi, Dagga-Abbana bețțu-basadi, sirva-basadi, and Nallūru-basadi. 33.3. At Venuru there is a Caturvimśati-basadi and a Pārsva-jinālaya olim Kelagina basadi, Bettada-basadi and Aladangadi-basadi (Dodda-basadi) at Garadādi; Nidagallu-basadi, valālu-basadi at guruvāyanakere; all the four temples at Buveripuddottu including the Sūrālu palace temple; Hattiangadi palace temple, and Pārsvanātha temple at Madurapatia; Padubidri cikka-basadi, triküta kere-basadi, Arekallu-basadi, Ballamanja-basadi, Kudibailu-basadi, Mijāru-basadi and the Manjeśvara-basadi are all Pārsva temples of the later mediaeval period. 33.4. A detailed description of these Pārśva temples based on the field-work and historical records is beyond the scope of this paper. Therefore, I have given only an exhaustive list. Page #17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 200800 Hampa Nagarajaiah 34. An 11th century inscription is engraved on the pedestal of the Jina-Parsva image, found in the cauvisa Tirthankara basadi at Koppala, is deposited in Salar Jung Museum. In the aureola of the main image of Jina-Parsva are represented 23 Tirthankaras in miniature. The two lower figures are the regular attendants, Dharanendra on the right and Padmavati on the left. There are two camaras, one on either side of Arhat Pārsva; above the regular seven-hooded canopy, there is also a triple umbrella. The image was a gift to the temple caused by Madana dandanayaka, by Boppana and his younger brother, sons of Malavve, wife of Emmeyaraprithi Gauda of Kopaṇa-tirtha, lay-disciples of Mandalācārya Maghanandi-Siddhāntācārya. In addition to this, from Koppala was also found a Pancatīrthi image of Arhat-Pärśva, of the 11th century, now deposited in the Salar-Jung museum [MAR 1916. p. 83; C. R., Krishnama Charlu, The Kannada Inscriptions of Kopbal, Hyderabad Archaeological series No. 12 (1935), Inscription No. 9, 11th cent. C. E.] 35. 35.1. Two more Pārsva images in the Calukyan style from Karnataka are in the Victoria and Albert museum, London. A Kannada inscription on the pedestal of the image, in 12th century characters, states that the image was made for the nagara Jinālaya at Yerambarge (Gulbarga.) 36. Nirgrantha An 11th century bronze image of Parsva (paryankāsana), with a Kannada inscription on the backside, is now in the British museum, London; it states that the image was made for the nagara-jinālaya at Yerambarge (Gulbarga Dt.; JRAS. 1915) 35.2. At the centre of Asian art and culture Avery Brundage collection in San Francisco, U. S. A., there is a beautiful 11th century Parsva image of about 5' in height, taken from Varuna, a village near Mysore, referred earlier in para No. 11. Certain Parsva images/temples in Karnataka carry a special prefixed adjective such as Cenna-, Vijaya-, Candogra-, and Prasanna-; each such prefixation has an extra significance. Cenna is a Dravidian-Kannada word meaning 'handsome', 'pleasing'. Cenna-Pārśva means the handsome-Pārsva-deva. Basadis and the mūlanayaka images at Heragu [EC. V (BLR) Hn. 57], at Kogali [SII. IX-i. 346 and 347. 13 c. A. D.] at Heggere [EC. XII (BLR) CK. 21. 1160], at Bekka [EC. 11 (R) 535 and 536. A. D. 1250), at Adaki [Gogi, H: 1996 p. 465. A. D. 1125] and at Kaidāla [EC. XII (old) Tumkur 9. A. D. 1151] are Cenna-Pärśvas. 36.1. The prefix Vijaya- means victory, success; Vijaya-Pārśva means the victoriousPārsva; but it also denotes that Vijaya-Päriva brings victory in all endeavours. It is noteworthy that the Vijaya-Parsva temples were named so by the local kings. because they considered that their victory was due to the blessings of this god [EC. IX (R) Bl 390. 1254. p. 358; Ec. IV (R) Ch. 355; EC. III (R) 131. 12c.] Generally, a capital/royal seat is indicated by an expression with Vijaya-as a prefix; Vijaya-Vaijayantam (IA. VI. p. 24), Vijaya-Tambrä-pasthānāt (EI. XV, Page #18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārsva and his Temples.... 101 p.150), Vijaya-Palātkatādhisthānāt (ibid., XXIV. p. 141), Vijaya-Kāñcipurāt (ibid., I. p. 5), Vijaya-Palakkadasthānat (IA. V. p. 51) etc. Thus, it would appear that the prefix Vijaya-, as a free morpheme, applied to the specific victorious city, was primarily intended to convey its celebrity as a religious city/seat of importance. Hence, if we conclude against this background, the nomenclature "Vijaya-Pārsva', we may surmise that the prefix "Vijaya' is a significant attribute given to the primary role of the concerned Arhat-Pārśva temple; the charters extolling the merits of Arhat-Pārśva (temple) also points to the basadi having been a resort of spiritual aspirants. Vijaya- should therefore be taken to convey the sense of a chief religious establishment/centre. Śrī-Vijaya-Jinālaya at Manne (EC. IX (BLR) NL. 61. AD. 797) and at Kittür (EC. III(R) 131 (XIV Hg 141) 12th cent. A, D.) should be viewed from this discussion in the background; Manne was one of the capitals of the Gangas, Kittür was the capital of Punnáta-visaya. Therefore, in this context, Śni-Vijaya-jinālaya denotes that the Jaina temple was of royal founding. While dealing with this subject, attention may be focussed on the recent discovery of the image of Jina Pārśva standing in khadgasana and traced under a pipal tree near the tank at Talkád on the banks of the river Kaveri. This corroborates with the early inscriptional reference registering a Srivijaya-jinālaya enjoying the gift of villages during the reign of the Ganga king Avinita Mahārāja (EC. I(R) I (1). A. D. 466. pp. 1-3); Talavanapura (Talkād) was the capital of the Gangas, and a city of special celebrity. 36.2. Candogra- means sharp, piercing (cobra ?/candoraga); Candogra-Pārsva is the powerful Pārsva. Symbolically, this suggests the nexus of the penetrating and pervading Nāgendra who will be so conspicuous with his seven-hooded canopy. A Müdabidure epigraph records the gift of land to the Candogra-Pārsvadeva (SII. VII. 229. 1390 A. D.); Elsewhere at Berambadi [EC. III (R) Gu. 218. C. 14th C.). (From a literary reference of the 16th Century, a temple to Candogra Pārsvanātha existed in Geresoppe.) 36.3. Prasanna- denotes serene and tranquil visage of the god. Prasanna-Pārsva is the embodiment of tranquility. The word also suggests the accessibility of the god to the lay votaries' desires. Jogimattige Brahma-jinālaya had the name 'Prasanna Pārsva-basadi' [EC. XII (BLR) śira. 32. A. D. 1277]. 36.4. Devarāja mahāpradhāna built a 'triküta-Pārsva-jinālaya' for the prosperity of his king, the state and fame and money : raja-răstra-yaso-dhana-vrdhyartham [EC. VII (R) Ng. 64. 1145). 37. As discussed in para 2.3, certain temples have the sculpture of both Pārśva and Bahubali, and I reckon a valid reason for this. In inscriptions and elsewhere in biographical sketches, Bahubali is referred to as Kukkuteśvara (EC. II (R) 547 (397). A. D. 1119, pp. 334-36), unnata-Kukkuteśvara [Poet Ranna (A. D. 993), Page #19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 102 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha Ajita-tīrthakara-purana-tilakam, chap. 1, poem No. 60), and the same poem is again quoted in an inscription [SII. XI-i. 52, 1007]. 37.1. An inscription containing a khanda-kavya on Bāhubali, by poet Boppana-pandita who bore the biruda sujanottamsa and a disciple of Adhyātmi Bālacandra-munindra who was a disciple of Siddhānta-cakreśvara Nayakīrty [EC. II (R) 336 (234). 12th C. pp. 186-89]. A Mattebha-vikridita-vrtta verse in this inscription narrates in brief that the emperor Bharata caused to be made near Paudanapura, an image of Bahubali-Kevali. After a lapse of time, a world terrifying mass of inumerable kukkuta-sarpas having sprung up in the region near, Bāhubali obtained the name Kukkuteśvara. Thereafter that region became invisible to the common people, whereupon Cámundarāya caused this colossus of Gommata at ŚB (ibid., 336 (234), lines : 8-10 and 16]. Again inscriptions of number 425 and 547 also refer to him as Kukkuteśvara [Nagarajaiah 1996 : 28-30). Further, he is called 'Daksinakukkuteśvara' (Southern Lord of Kukkuțas (ibid., 481 (349) 1159. p. 297]. It suggests, by inference, that a Uttara (northern) Kukkuțeśa also existed. 37.2. Mahamandalācārya of Belgola-tirtha, Nayakīrti-Siddhānta-cakreśa's lay disciple Nāgadeva, the Pattana-svāmi of the Hoysaļa King Ballāļa II, constructed a stone pavement and a dancing hall in front of Kamatha-Pārśva-basadi at ŚB (ibid., 457 (335) A. D. 1118]. Preceptor Nayakīrty was adorned with the lotus feet of the Lord of Jinas, the southern-Kukkuteśvara (Bahubali-Gommata) and embellished by the temples of Kamatha-Pārsva-deva (ibid., lines : 28-29). 37.3. The companion of Dharanendra (wrongly believed in medieval times as his consort), goddess Padmavatī, is described as Kukkuțastha in the Aparajitaprccha (c. late 12th/early 13th cent. A. D.). The Rūpamandana (c. mid 15th cent.) introduces her as 'Kukkutoragastha'. The Acara-dinakara (A. D. 1412) refers to her as the one seated on Kurkkūta-sarpa. The Trisasti-salaka-purusa-carita (c A. D. 1160-1170) describes that Kukkutasarpa is her vāhana (mount). A text, the Astottara-sahasra-nāmāvali, mentions Kukkuţoraga-vāhine namaḥ,' and another text the Padmāvati-devi-parāku (“laudation', 'fullsome praise") påhi-kukkuta-sarpa läñcana-yute (Nagarajaiah 1976, 162-63]. 37.4. Etymology (kukkuta + isa īśvara) and the meaning (kukkuța ‘a cock', 'a wild cock') are quite obvious. Albeit, in the context of the Nirgrantha mythology, this has a special meaning. Accordingly, kukkuta-sarpa means a wild cock with a cobra head, a rare syncretic fusion of a cock and a serpent (ibid., pp. 138-41]. Anthropological analysis of this totemic symbol may ultimately suggest both cobra-hood and kukkutasarpa were the totem of a particular Nāga worshipping tribe. U. P. Shah has discussed this point and rightly suggested that Pārsva had some connection with the Nāga tribals [Dhaky (Ed) 1997 : 9, 35, 38). 37.5. Pārśva, according to the Digambara āgamas, belongs to Ugra-vamsa. Ugra is a synonym-variant of uraga, a process of metathesis also confirms this. Ugra is a Page #20 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārsva and his Temples.... 103 Ksatriya family and Rşabha appointed them as guardian for the protection of people : the Vyākhyāprajñapti (para 383 and 682), the Sutraktänga (2.1.9), the Acaranga (2.11) the Āvasyaka-cūrni (1. p. 154), the Kalpasūtra (para. 18). Gunabhadrācārya. (mid 9th cent.) refers to Pārśva as ugra-vamśägranih (Uttarapurāna : 73 : 166). It is, therefore, evident that Pārsva got the totem of cobra because of the traditional background of his family. (The northern āgamas mention six royal dynasties, Ugra being one of them). 37.6. Dharanendra [Nägendra, Phaņipati, Nāgakumāra), and Kukkuţoragasthā i.e. Padmăvats as attendants of Pārśva are depicted from the very beginning of their appearance in sculpture in Karnataka, taking its model from the Tiloyapannatti (c.mid 6th cent.) of Yati Rsabha, chapt. 3. 37.7. An association of serpents with Bahubali sculpture is to indicate deep meditation; but it may suggest more than that. He is called unnata-Kukkuteśvara oft and on, because the Nāga-clan respected him as their master. Bāhubali comes from Käsava (Kaśyapa) lineage, but the cobra-clan worshipped him as they worshipped Pārsva-jina. This is also one of the reasons for depicting them together at Bādāmī, Aihole, Ellorā, and Hombūja. 'He (Gotama Svāmī) is also, with Pārsvanātha, frequently figured in their cave sculptures, both always as naked, with creeping plants growing over their limbs, and Pārsvanātha usually having a polycephalous snake (Dharana or Dharanendra, the Nāga king) over shadowing with its hood' (James, Furgusson, and James Burgess, The Cave Temples of India : (1880) sec. imp. 1988 : p. 488). Fergusson and Burgess had confounded Gommata svāmī with Gotama svāmi and have also confused the fact that both Gommata and Pārsva are having creeping plants growing over their limbs. But their explanation is correct as far as they noticed the sculptures of Bāhubali and Pārśva frequently figuring together; it must be said to their credit that they are the earliest to recognise this salient feature, indeed as early as 1880. 38. A large number of temples and images of Jina-Pārśva clearly speak of the message and influence that reached every nook and corner of Karnataka. Artists, the architects as well as the sculptors knew the different modes of representing Pārśva in sculpture. The local artists chose one of the modes and adopted to their contemporary needs. This localisation has lent its contribution in enriching the variety and avoiding the reduplication as far as possible. Even when we look at the seven-hooded canopy, variations are conspicuously present. When I, out of sheer curiosity, worked out at the ratio and proportion of Jaina temples constructed to various Tirthamkaras based on the available data in Karnataka, in the distribution, not surprisingly, I found that 30 to 35 % of the total Jinagshas are dedicated to Pārsva. What does this popularity indicate ? It suggests that the circumstances favoured Arhat Pārsva's and Padmavati's worship 39. Page #21 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 104 40. Hampa Nagarajaiah and as its consequence the setting up of their images in Karnataka. For the Gangas, the temple of Parsva was their Patta-jinalaya, the 'crown temple'. My recent research has convinced me that the earliest of the Ganga temples on the Mandali Hill, built by Madhava-Konganivarma in C. E. 350, at the instance of Simhanandi-acarya, was a temple to Jina-Pārśva and the same temple-complex contained a temple for Padmavat [EC. VII-I (BLR) Sh. b. 1060; ibid., Sh. 4. 1121-22]. The Gangas and the Kadambas of Banavasi popularised the founding of temples to Parsva and Padmavati. According to the epigraphical and literary evidence, the worship of Padmavati had gathered momentum and had reached its peak in the medieval period. The ruling-sections were proud of recognising themselves as Padmavati-Devilabdha-vara-prasada. Padmavati temples were flocked by devotees, because she was the goddess who would respond to their desires, abhista-vara-pradayini. For the sculptures, the special esteem in which Arhat-Parsva was held, provided greater scope for his temples and hence for the attendant figures of Padmavati and Dharana. An utter indifference toward warding off of the terrible aspect of the terrible asura is the central significance of this classic iconography/iconology of JinaPārsva meditating in kayotsarga posture. In other words, the awesome divinity is explicable through the puranic origin that portrays him as the one who sustained the asuropasarga without malice; his unshakable neutrality generates instant reverence. Jina Päriva is an embodiment of the primordial concept of käyotsarga, giving verbal expression to väsi-candana-kappa (vasi-candana-kalpa), a must virtue to a mahavratin, a great sage. It is said in the Avassaya-nijjutti (gäthā, 1548) (c. A. D. 525): Väsi-candaṇa-kappo jo marane jivie ya samasanno dehe ya apadibaddho kávussaggo havai tassa Nirgrantha A monk observing kayotsarga of excellence will be like väsi-candana-kalpa; he considers. life and death as equal and he is devoid of any attachment to human body. Haribhadra-süri (c. 3rd quarter of the 8th century) while giving gloss of this gatha, quotes a supportive gathā: Jo candanena bähum älimpi väsina ya taccheyi Sandhuņai jo va nindayi maharisino tattha samabhava || Some may smear candana (sandie) to the arms, some may etch the arm with an adze; some may praise and others may abuse; albeit, the maharsi, a great sage, would consider both equal. Jina-Pärśva regarded both Dharmendra and the asura (Kamatha/ Sambara) as equal; He neither blessed nor cursed, and exactly that is the quintessence of Nirgrantha philosophy expounded by the Arhats. Page #22 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Vol. III, 1997-2002 Jina Pārśva and his Temples.... 105 BIBLIOGRAPHY : P. B Desai, Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs, Sholapur 1957. M. A Dhaky, "Sāntara sculpture", Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art, New Series, IV 1971-72. (Ed) Encyclopaedia of Temple Architecture, South India, Vol. 1. part-3 (upper Drāvida deśa, Later phase : Northern Karnataka style, c. A. D. 1060-1142, "Santaras of Humca” phrase. II), Delhi 1996. (Ed) Arhat Pārsva and Dharanendra Nexus, B. L Series No. II Delhi-Ahmedabad 1997. Dhaky M. A and Jitendra B. Shah (Eds.) Nirgrantha Vol. II, SCERC, Ahmedabad 1996. H Gogi, (Ed.) Kalburgi-jilleya Śāsanagalu, Hubli 1996. B. R. Gopal, (Ed.) Corpus of Kadamba inscriptions, Vol. I. Sirsi (N. K.) 1985. Kamala Hampana Attimabbe and Chalukyas, Bangalore 1995. Hampa Nagarajaiah, Yaksa Yaksīyaru, Bangalore 1976. Kavivara-kāmadhenu, Mysore 1996. Sāntararu-Ondu Adhyana, Hombuja 1997A. Candrakode, Hampi 1997B. Koppala śäsanagalu, Mysore 1998-A. śasanagalalli Basadigalu, Mysore 1998-B. (All the above six research books are in Kannada) B. A Saletore, Mediaeval Jainism, Bombay 1938. U. P. Shah, Jaina Rupa-Mandana, Delhi 1987. I. K Sharma, "Brick Temples of Western Gangas-in Śrinidhih (perspectives in Indian Archaeology, Art and culture), 1983 pp. 67-83. abbreviations ARIE : Annual Reports on Indian Epigraphy BL : Belūr Page #23 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ 106 Hampa Nagarajaiah Nirgrantha BLR : B. L. Rice C : circa / century CB : Cikkaballapur CKI : Corpus of Kadamba Inscriptions Ch : Chamaraja nagara CP : Cennarayapattana Dt : district EC : Epigraphia Carnatika EI : Epigraphic Indica Hg : Heggadadevana Kote Intro : Introduction WG : Inscriptions of Western Gangas MAR : Mysore Archaeological Reports Mu : Maddur Ng : Nagamangala Nl : Nelamangala NR Pura : Narasimharajapura pp. : pages (R) : Revised Sa : Sagara SB : Sravanabelgola Sh : Shimoga (Sivamogga) Sk : Sikaripura SII : South Indian Inscriptions Tk : taluk Tl : Tirthahalli