Medieval Jainism

SR No.: 011082
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhasker Anand Saletore
Publisher: Karnataka Publishing House
Total Pages: 448
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 27 MB

Page 66

ROYAL BENEVOLENCE
51 the celebrated title Śabda-caturmukha (conferred on him), in the court of the king Ahavamalla."1
Now who were these--the Jaina guru who secured the title of Sabda-caturmukha and the monarch merely called Ahavamalla ? From the manner in which the Jaina gurus are mentioned in the above epigraph, it is clear that the sage who secured the name Svāmi was the same as he who got the title sabda-caturmukha. We shall first identify the guru who got the title Sabda-caturmukha; next, the one who secured the title Svāmi ; and, finally, the king Ahavamalla.
Sabda-caturmukha was the biruda of Ajitasena Bhattāraka. This is proved by the II and III Pañcabasti stone inscriptions and the Grāmadabasti record cited above. The II Pañcabasti inscription dated A.D. 1077 tells us that after Vădirājā came Kamalabhadradeva who was followed by Ajitasenadeva. This last guru was known as Śabda-caturmukha, Tārkkika-cakravarti, and Vädibhasimha, and his colleagues (saha-dharmigaļu) were Kumārasenadeva and Śreyāṁsadeva. The Grāmadabasti record dated A.D. 1103 informs us that Vādirāja was succeeded by Odeyadeva (Dayapāla) who was followed by Śreyāṁsapaņạita, who was succeeded by Ajitasena muni who was followed by Kumārasena. Ajitasena is called in this inscription Tārkkika-cakravarti and 'adibla-pañcānana.3 The III Pañcabasti stone inscription dated A.D. 1147 confirms the evidence of the above two records. It informs us that Vădirāja was followed by Kamalabhadradeva after whom came Ajitasena Paņạita known as Sabda-caturmukha, Tārkkika-cakravarti, and
1. E. C. II. 67, p. 30. 2. Ibid., VIII. Nr. 6, pp. 140, 365. 3. Ibid., Ti. 192, pp. 203, 688, 1. 40.