History of Rastrakutas of Malkhed and Jainism

SR No.: 006719
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 374
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 114

The Rästrakūtas Feudatories / 53
also approves the statements made in their rock edicts. The word sramanadatti, endowment (area) of the sramanas, 'the Jaina friars', after undergoing the usual phonetic changes, has become Saundatti, and Sugundhavartti is its Sanskritized version. It was an important settlement of Jaina sangha. Saudatti was a seat of Mailā pa-tirtha, a branch of Yāpaniya sangha. Many princesses who were disciples of Mailāpatirtha were named after it as Mailaladēvi.
3.7.2. The political region of the Rattas in Kuntaladēša was called Kuhūndi-mandala or Kūņdi-3000. It is believed that the Rattas hailed from Rattanūr/Lattanūr/Lãtur, and one branch migrated to Malkhed to later flower into an imperial dynasty, and another branch reached Saudatti to be called as the Rattas of Saudatti. The word Ratta is connected to Rāstrakūta though, a branch of a common stalk, they were the governors under the Rästrakūtas, and later under Cālukyas, when they shifted their metropolis to Belgaum (Vēņugrārama, Vēnupuri).
3.7.3. Prithvirāma, son of Merada, a royal Duke of Krsna-II, caused a Jinēndra bhavana in C. E. 875-76 at Saundatti. This Jaina temple had allotments from emperor. Kārtavirya (Katta), chief of the Rattas, and his senior queen, Bhāgalāmbika, once again confirmed the donation gifted earlier by the imperials. The donee, a pupil of Indrakirtisvāmin, who in turn was a disciple of Gunakirti and Mullabhattāraka of Maiļāpatirtha, Kāreyagaña [Nagarajaiah, Hampa : Candrakode: 1997-B:34-39]. Rattas had founded their Pattajinālaya on the hillock at Saudatti dedicated Jina Pārsva and goddess Padmăvatidevi.
3.7.4. The Rattas were the worshippers of the lotus feet of Jina. Sāntivarma, Ratta king, founded another Jaina sanctuary at the same place, Saundatti, their residence, and granted land in C. E. 981. Šāntivarma, a subordinate of