Jainism in North India

SR No.: 011067
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Chimanlal J Shah
Publisher: Longmans Green and Compny London
Publication Year: 1932
Total Pages: 66
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 3 MB

Page 172

JAINISM IN ROYAL FAMILIES very early. This is because, according to him, "carrying away idols of worship as a mark of trophy and also showing respect to the particular idol is known in later history."2 This is also confirmed by scholars like Smith and Charpentier. To quote the former, "The Nanda dynasty exercised dominion over Kalinga for a long time. The Jaina religion, if not predominant, as it may have been, certainly occupied a position of high honour both in the days of the Nandas and in those of Kharavela. I may mention that I had come independently to the opinion that the Nandas were Jainas"4 Looking to the anti-Brahmanical origin of the Nandas it is not strange to find that they were Jamas. Besides their origin the Jainas have nothing to say against the Nandas, as is the case with the Buddhists. According to Dr Charpentier "this fact seems to suggest that the Nanda kings were not unfavourably inclined towards the Jauna religion." 6 This is further supported by the Jaina tradition that the Nanda dynasty as such had a line of Jaina ministers beginning with Kalpaka, who was perforce made to accept the ministership. It was with the help of this minister that King Nanda uprooted all the reigning Kshatriya dynasties, and, as the Jainas tell us, all the ministers of the Nandas were his descendants.10 The minister of the ninth Nanda was Sakatala, who had two sons. The elder was Sthulabhadra and the younger son was called Sriyaka. After the death of Sakatala, Nanda offered the ministership to his elder son Sthulabhadra, but the latter refused and, perceiving the vanity of the world, took Diksha, or joined the order under Sambhutavijaya,11 the sixth pontiff of the 1 "Kalmga culture was a complex compound of annism, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Jainism Cunously enough none of them was completely superseded at any time." Subrahmanan, 4.H.RS,1, p. 60. * Jayaswal, JB0Rs, iu ,p 245. 3 Charpentier, op cit, p 164 * Smith, J.RAS, 1918, P 546 6" Some would make us understand that Kalinga was Jaune, as it was long under the anta-Brahmanical Nandas, whose Jaina remains probably are found now in Nandapur in Jeypore. Subrahmanian, op and loc cf * Charpentier, op.at, p 174 7 Atasyaha-Sutra, p. 692; Hemacandra, op cit, vv. 73-74, 80 * Cf Apasyaha-Sutra, PP 601-692, Hemacandra, op at, w 1-74 ista: laola (TFF:) TTT: FUT:-Alasyaha-Sufra, p 698, Hemacandra, op at, v 84, 105-187 Cf Pradhan, op al, p 226. 10 megahiti t ada igara, . -Adasyaha-Sulre, p 698, Hemacandra, op cf, Canto VIII, v. 2 __ शकटालमन्त्रिपुनः श्रीस्थूलभद्रो .. पितार मृते नन्दराजेनाकार्य मन्त्रिमुद्रादानायाभ्यर्षितः सन् for a frenartigKalpa-Sutra, Subodhrha-Tiki,p 262 Cf Atasyaka-Sutra, 129