Jain Journal 1999 01

SR No.: 520133
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 42
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 35

109
HAMPANA: STATUS OF WOMEN IN JAINISM IN KARNATAKA
Ganga-Mahadevi, in the presence of nad prabhus, county sheriffs, made a grant, free of all imposts, of Budanagare, certain lands in Bannikere, a garden, two oil-mills, and certain customs-dues in both those towns. Grants were also given to the stone mason Kāļoja and for the dancing girls. The donee was the preceptor of Bacaladevi, the chief of Mulasangha, a Desiga-gana, Śubhacandra-deva munipa, a disciple of Maladhärideva-yamina, an ascetic. For the decorations of the god, Erekaņņam, Lokkiguṇḍi-prabhu, also granted one and a half Lokkigadyāṇa, a particular variety of gold coin minted at Lokkigundi, the place of Annigadeva, son of Attimabbe, to increase by interest some land. Benediction: Let the earth grow in plenty without any fib, the king Bhujabala-Ganga stretch his kingdom with his strong shoulders and let Jainism flourish perpetually as long as sun, moon, and starts endure. The author of the inscription seems to have possessed the title of Budhābja-vana-kala-hamsa, a swan of art in the lotus pond of scholars.
The above grants and the presence of the king, queen, all the four princes, the nāḍ-prabhus and ministers go to confirm the great influence of the towering personality of Bacaladevi, who rose to the status of queen from being born in the family of a county sheriff, by the virtues of her wisdom, genius and physical beauty (EC. VII-I. (OLD) Shimoga No. 97. C.E. 1113. Alahally. pp. 106-08]. The glory of this Bannikere did not stop at this, it made a further headway and an unforgettable landmark in the annals of Nirgrantha creed.
The Pārsvadevālaya of Bannikere very soon attracted the bhavyas, devotees from far and wide. The Pārśvajinālaya was a nerve centre of religious activities and Bannikere expanded as a Jaina settlement. The Jaina-Matha to which the basadi was attached was flourishing; the chief abbatial monk of the diocese of Bannikere was the illustrious Śubhacandradeva-munipa who had the cognomen of a Siddhantaratnākara an ocean of the dogmas of Jainism. He was impeccable and the only head jewel of the noble religion in the world. Subhacandradeva was a disciple of Maladhārideva-Yaminah, a dot-less moon to the ocean of Desiga-gana.
When the Parsva Jinamandira of bannikere marched ahead alluring the votaries from different places, every Caityalaya would invariably be equipped with Śrutabhāṇḍāra, library of religious literature with canonical texts, The newly built Pārsvadevalaya of Bannikere was immediately in need of Siddhanta-granthas, in particular the Dhavala and Jayadhavalā Ṭīkās and the primordial texts of Nirgrantha creed. The adept Subhacandradeva himself a Siddhānta-ratnākara, well