Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

SR No.: 011025
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 495
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 33 MB

Page 206

JAIRSY I SOUTH INDIA
suttived almost anmolested till that day! It is not unlikely that the spell of artistic excellence surrounding them might have by itself acted as a shield that defied the ruthlegs hand of the iconoclast. I do not know what happened to these charming sculptures ever since I took leave of them.
iv) A stone fragmant containing a damaged and worn out epigraph was detected near the Kadim Jumma Musjid. The inscription has been edited as No. 13 in Part II.
Reviewing the nature of these antiquities through the perspective of the epigraphical evidence, the picture that emerges before our eyes in respect of this place will be as follows. Ādaki was an important seat of Jainism which flourished here broadly during the period of the 11th to the 19th centuries A. D. A substantial section of its population including members of the wealthy mercantile community was of Jaina persuasion. It was bristling with many beautiful Jaina temples which were under the management of influential divines reputed for their learning and piety. One of these temples was named Koppa Jinālaya and it was dedicated to the god Pārsvanatha. The image of Pārsvanātha which graced this temple and, which is referred to in the inscriptions as Chenna Pārsva or "Pārsvanātha, the Beautiful, was in all probability one of the sculptures described above. Another temple was called Mādēviya Piriya Basadi. The image of Mahāvīra of the above mentioned three sculptures was probably enshrined herein. The third sculpture might possibly have adorned the temple built by the two merchants, Malliseçți and Kāļisețţi. The ancient name of the village was Adakki and it was situated in the district of Mirinte Three Hundred.
AĻAND This town is situated in the Pāyagā Jāgir at a distance of about 27 miles towards the northwest of Gulbarga. Although not many antiquities of the Jaina faith were discovered here, there are sufficient indications to youchsafe the importance of the place as a stronghold of Jainism in the Mediaeval Epoch. Most of the Jaina relics seem to have been destroyed or submerged under the impact of other creeds that gained ascendency afterwards. This place is referred to as Alande in the inscriptions. It was the headquartes of a district styled Alande Thousand, evidently comprising one thousand villages. This territory is roughly represented by the modern district of Gulbarga. .
... The following three antiquities noticed in the course of my exploration of this place may be mentioned here. i) An inscribed slab the writing on which could be approximately ascribed to the times of the Rashtrakūtas. Nothing could be made out of this record as it was badly obliterated. ii) Two