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Significance of New Inscriptions from
Koppala, Karnataka
Hampa Nagarajaiah
PREAMBLE
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Koppala, in the newly formed district bearing its name in the State of Karnataka, is an ancient Jaina centre and in importance next only to Śravanabelgola, from the late centuries of B. C. Reputed as 'Adi-tirtha' and 'Mahā-tīrtha,' one of the holiest pilgrimage places, it continued to be a centre of eminence for almost 1500 years. Kopana, Kopaņädri, Kopanagiri, Kupanācala, and Kopanatirtha are the variant applications that figure in the inscriptions. "Inscriptions hailing from the Mysore state speak of the usually large number of Jaina temples, which was a characteristic feature of this holy place. Reminiscence of this past phenomenon is still preserved in a local saying which avers that the town contained 772 Jaina temples and was regarded by the Jaina community as sacred as Kāśi-Ksetra or Banares, the famous holy place of the Hindus.” [P. B. Desai : 1957; 203; also cf. B. A. Saletore : 1938 : 190; and C. Krishnamacharlu. 1935 : 14; N. B. Sastry : 1954 :] Out of the hundreds of Jinālayas that traditionally existed at Koppala, only the following names, each bearing a cognomen, are reported in the inscriptions : Arasiya-basadi (temple of the queen), KuśaJinalaya, Candranātha-basadi, Jayadhīra-Jinālaya, Timabbarasiyabasadi, Tirthada-basadi, Dannāyaka-basadi, Nāgadevana-basadi, Neminātha-Jinālaya, Puspadanta-Jinālaya, Sāntinātha-basadi, and Sätaladevīya-basadi. (“Basadi' is the Kannada form of the Sanskrit 'vasati', meaning a Jinālaya. Incidentally, Jayadhira-Jinälaya was
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