Epigraphia Indica Vol 01

SR No.: 032555
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1893
Total Pages: 528
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 357

322
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
These facts, I think, show that Dharmasagara's statements regarding other schools can only be used with great caution.
The events from the lives of the various Yugapradhanas reported in the inscription are for the greater part well-known, and those which are new, are mostly not particularly interesting. The account of the last Jinachandra's relation to the emperor Akbar, forins, however, an exception. The later Pattával, from which Dr. Klatt made his extracts, boldly asserts that this worthy oonverted the emperor Akbar to Jainism. The statements of our inscription are much more moderate and much more credible. They show, too, how the later fable arose. The Muhammadan historians admit, regarding Akbar, that " Samanis and Brahmanas managed to get frequent private intervieros toith His Majesty," and that "they brought proofs, based on reason and testimony, for the truth of their own and the fallacies of other religions, and inculcated their doctrines 80 firmly, and so skilfully represented things as quite self-evident which require consideration, that no man, by expressing his doubts, could now raise a doubt in his Majesty." As the term “Samanis" means ascetics, and includes the Jains monks, there is no reason for doubting the assertion that Jinachandra, the head of the great Kbaratara com. munity, was granted admission to Akbar's religious discussions. Nor is it incredible that the emperor granted him the two firmáns and the title mentioned in the inscription. More doubtful is the statement that Jinachandra pretended to perform miracles before Akbar, and that his pupil received the dignity of Acharya in the emperor's presence. With respect to the first point it must however be borne in mind that the Jaina Stris, even in the present day, claim to possess supernatural powers, and that, according to all accounts, they formerly often tried to impose on credulous kings by what can only be called jugglery. It seems to me, therefore, not absolutely impossible that Jinachandra may have attempted some trick in order to gain Akbar's confidence. In favour of the second point a note in Dr. Klatt's Pattavalt may be brought forward, according to which Jinasimha received the doháryapada in the winter of Vikrama Samvat 1649 at Lahore, which, according to the Muhammadan writers, at the time was the imperial residence. Nevertheless it is difficult to believe that Akbar should have gone to the Jaina temple where the ceremony must have taken place. The difficulty would disappear if we might take fripátisáhisama ksham to mean that Jinasimha accompanied his teacher into the imperial presence and was introduced as one worthy of the acharyapada.
The remainder of the inscription, lines 40-52, contain the Pragasti. The pedigree of the founder of the temple, who belonged to the Osval clan and the line of Mantrin Bhima, is given as follows:
Mantrin Champå married to Sahavade.
Mantrin Mahipati married to Amari. Mantrin Vastupala married to Siriyade. .
Mantrin Tojapala married to Mand. Såha Amaradatta" (the ornament of the Kukesa-race) married to Ratanade.
Ratnakumyaraji married to Sobhagade. » Elliot's History of India, vol. V, p. 628.
He seems to have been an adopted son.