________________
INTRODUCTION. A Very Brief Sketch of the Early
History of Jainism in Gujarat. Gujarat has been a stronghold of Jainism for centuries. In pre-historic times, Rishabbadova and Neminátha, with their disciples, performed penance on the Satrunjaya and Giranára respectively. In the fifth century of the Christian era, a conference of the Jain monks was held at Valabhi in Saurastra and the canonioal works of the Jains were reduced to writing. When Valabbi was selected for the ponference, it meant that it was a place oonvonient ito many learned Jain monks who do not use jony vehicles.
In the same century, in Anandapura or modern Vadanagara in the Mehsana District, thore lived a king named Dhruvasena. A Jain monk named Dhanesvarasūri composed the Kalpasutra to console the king who had lost bis son. According to Udyotanasūri, author of the Kuvalayamālā, there were many Jain templos in Gujarata in the 6th and 7th centuries of the Christian era.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
