________________
(6)
Vallabha of the same king, and the copper-plate inscription of the year 793 of the śālivāhana saka era from Sanjānā gives two names Dhārāvarşa and Nirupama of the same king. According to historians king śri-Vallabha was called Dhruvarāja. From this it can be inferred that king Śri-Vallabha had assumed the names Nirupama, Kali-Vallabha, Dhārāvarşa and Dhruvarāja. The copper-plate inscriptions from Navasāri, Deoli, and Karhād mention that the name of the father of king śri-Vallabha or Dhruvarāja was Kșsparaja, while the one from Sanjānā states that he was called Akālavarşa. From this it can be inferred that king Vallabha referred to by Puşpadanta and king sriVallabha referred to in a stanza of the Praśasti of the Harivamśapurāņa must have been identical with king Dhruvarāja alias Dhārāvarşa and that king Krsnarāja referred to by Puşpadanta, the author of Mahāpurāņu and Jinasena, the author of the Harivamśapurāņa, identical with king Akalavārşa who is referred to in the copper-plate inscription from Sanjānā. .
Puşpadanta is found to have glorified Bharata and his son in his works and Acārya Jinasena, the author of the Harivamśapurāņa is found to have referred to Nanna as a person who erected the temple dedicated to Pārśva Jina where the work of the Harivamśapurāṇa was commenced. From this it can be surmised that Purşpadanta preceded Acārya Jinasena, the author of the Harivamśapurāņa. We cannot say with certainty that, at the time of the completion of the Harivamśapurāņa, Nanna was alive. It is certain that Bharata, the father of Nanna, was not alive then. Under these circunstances, the dates of Acārya Virasena and Acārya Jinasena, the author of Adipurāna, whose works are referred to by Puşpadanta who, as it is seen, was prior to Acārya Jinasena, the author of the Harivamśapurāņa, Puşpadanta, Bharata, Nanna and king Krşparāja alias Akālavarşa, deserve to be pushed back to the period prior to the year 705 of the śālivāhana Saka era.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org