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Sabdavatara and wrote commentarry on the 15 cantoes of one of the Mahakāvyas, Kiratarjunyam41. They, traditionally, wished prosperity to world, cows and brahmanas ('Sivamastu Gobrāhmaneti Lokasya'). They were very particular about the protection and preservation of the Brahmadeyas exhorting people that "Visam ekakino hanti.......Putra pautrakām.43 They prefered to be compared in virtues and achievments with the great heros of the bygone ages such as Parasurama, the ancient sage, Yudhisthira. Their records as usual end with the imprecatory verses from Manava Dharma Sastra44 to ensure the protection of the grants made by rulers. However, as in the records of the early Kadambas, there are no references indicating that they were Srotriya brahmanas well versed in the Veda etc. performing the Vedic rites and rituals. But generally rulers of ancient India, irrespective of their Varnas : Ksatriyas, Vaisyas, apart from brāhmanas, usued to be taught and trained in the fashion as mentioned above.
As many as thrity one copper plate records pertaining th the early rulers from Konguni Varma of early 4th century to Polavira of mid seventh century of this dynasty, are known. Of them four45 speak of the land grants made to Arhadāyatana / Jinalays / Chaityalaya / Chaitya. The early records, about twentyfive, are predominantly, concerned with the Brahmadeyas (25 nos.). But all the copper plate records of the early and later Ganga rulers upto 1000 A.D. known so for, including those stating about the grants made to the Jinaalayas, almost invaribaly begin with the invocation to god, Padmanabha, a form of god Visnu. Only two or three records such as the Tagare copper plates of Polavira, datable to c. mid 7th cent and Naraisimharajapura record of Sripurusa of c. 8th cent. begin respectively with invocation to God Sankara and to the Jaina Syāduāda:
"Jayati Jagadēkabhānu Syāduādagabhasti dipitam yēna I Parasamaya timirapatala sāknatkrita bhuvanēna II 47 or with the sacred mantra as; "Bhadram astu Jina sasanasya'48 as in the Biliyuru record of Satyavakya Permanadi dated to 888 A.D. In them excepting the mention of the Jinālayas; patronage by certain Jaina Sanghas to them such as Mula, Yapaniya etc; the Jaināchāryas in charge in two or three cases Chandranandyacharya of Mulasangha,49 Chandanandi bhatara 50 the fifth in the lineage of the bhataras from Abhayanandi bhatara through Silabhadra bhatāra, Jayanandi bhatara, Gunanandi bhatara of Desigana, Kondakundānvaya; Chandrasena acharya;51 and the purpose for which the grants were made, there is astonishingly, nothing about the Jinēndras or the Jain festival or religion. The records (out of 128 concerned with the brandheya grants (45 nos.), temples (19 nos.) and the Jaina basadis (17 nos.) plainly state about the
Arhat Vacana, July 2000
