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 151

90 / The Răstrakūtas and Jainism
4.5.6.5.7. "Lõkāditya has been the light of Jaina faith. His father (Bankarāja) has the alias of Vanka in whose name Barkāpura was built. With his residence at Bankāpura, he ruled Banavāsidēša for a long period".
4.5.6.5.8. "When Akālavarsa was on the throne, Lõkāditya, his vassal, administering the whole of Banavāsidēša, on saka 820 Pingala samvatsara Jyestha śukla pañcami Thursday (i.e. 23.6.897), Uttarapurāṇa was completed. The devout worshipped this hallowed poem, composed by Guņabhadra, excellent of poets" (Uttarapurana : Prasasti (colophon) verses).
4.5.6.6. Jinasēna-II and Guṇabhadra seem to have largely followed the Mahāpurāņa version of KaviParamēșthi. Rāma story of Guṇabhadra differs markedly from Vimalasūri's Paumacariya in regard to story elements, characterisation etcetera. Surprisingly, Gunabhadra has not followed Ravişeņa (C. E. 678), his Digambara predecessor. Padmapurāņa (Padma-carita) of Ravişeņa of sēna-gana was the first Jaina Rāmāyaṇa poem in Sanskrit. Since, Jinasēna and Guņabhadra deviated from other extant works and known traditions, it is all the more confirmed that they largely followed Kaviparamēșthi for whom both of them had elevated veneration. It is the Kaviparamēșthi school of Mahāpurāņa that has pervaded Jaina purāṇas in Sanskrit and Kannada, including CRāya, Nāgacandra and others. Apabhramsa Mahāpurāņa of Puspadanta also has employed and developed the same tradition. Thus, the Mahāpuraņa of Kaviparamesthi has both perforated and proliferated in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Kannada literature.
4.5.6.7. In the analysis of Jaina Purāņas, a salient feature to be noted is that many a time the words Purāņa and kathā are used as synonyms to historical knowledge as conceived in the Jaina tradition. It is often said that Jaina version of Ramayana and Mahābhārata are distorted