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husband. The commentary on the Bhagavatisutra was written in Anahilavida in V. S. 1187, when Siddharāja was the ruler, and was presented to Chakresvarasūri, & pupil of Vardhamānasūri, who was a pupil of Salibhadrasūri.?
We shall now consider which religion Siddharāja professed. Although it would be too bold to assert that he was a staunch Jain, yet it would not be untrue to say that he had some inclination towards Jainism. Firstly, the Arab Geographer Al Idrasi says that Jayasimha used to worship a Buddha image. Secondly, he was trained by his Jain ministers Sāntu, Munjāla and Udayana. Thirdly, Abhayadevasūri Malladhari, Kalikalasarvagna Hemachandrasūri, Hemachandrasūri Mallad bári, Viráchárya and other Jain monks were his friends. He listened to their sermons with great pleasure. On the advice of Abhayadevasūri, be stopped the taking of life for eight days of the Pajusanaparva. At the suggestion of the same monk, he adorned Jain temples with staffs and gold knobs and restored their grants which were withheld by his wicked non-Jain officers. Fourthly, he built a temple to Mahāviraswami in Siddhapura, and another to Pārsvanatha
1 Jina vijaya, Ibid, No. 3.
97 Kavyānusagana II, COL XXXII. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
