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range of Candor hills have a series of caves known as the Cambharlen caves, which were used by Jaina monks as their retreat. The monks, according to Prof. Jyoti Prasad Jaina, belonged to the Past casttipānvaya line, which in later years came to be known in Deccan India as Senagana.
The history of Pañ cassapānvaya begins at Vārānasi. Acārya Gunanandi of the line moved from Vārānasi in the fifth century to Pahadpur (in modern Bangladesh), where the disciples founded a Jaina center, which in due course of time, became famous as Batgohāli shrine. In the following century, one Rsabhanandi from Batgohāli shrine traveled south, where Jainism was accorded both large patronage and adherents from the ruling families. Srisena, a pupil of Rsabhanandi from Batagonāli, also travelled south. During the first part of eight century, Candrasenācārya, a disciple of Srisena, became the head of the monastic order, which had come down from Batagohali and had firmly established Senagana. It was Candrasenācārya who founded the Jaina university at Vātana. The university was said to have flourished for about 150 years. Nayanandi (C.E. 1042), the author of Sudarsena Carite, has also referrd to this university. In light of this, Prof. J.P. Jaina has observed that it suggests that the author himself not only had heard but had scen it.” The Dhavala
Acārya Virasena, the celebrated saint and scholar of medieval India, was said to have royal descent. Prof. J.P. Jain has observed that Virasena was possibly of Royal descent being an illegitimate son of King Dhavalappadeva of Citogadh in Rājasthān. He was a student at Vatana University and later had become a teacher at the university. As well he was said to have been sent by Aryanandi, the Rector of the University, to Citogadh to study canonical works under Elācārya, one of the great canonical scholars of the times.
After his return from Citogadh. Vīrasena was entrusted with the study of the Satkhandāgama. His study team consisted of six members - Jayasena, his colleague and his pupils Dasarataguru, Sripala, Vinayasena, Padmasena and Jinasena - II. The study, which was initiated in the year 792 C.E., was the high period of the Rästrakūta empire. During the reign of Jagatunga Govinda - III, who had the title of Tribhuvana Dhavla, Acārya Virasena finished 20,000 verses on the 8th of October 816, and in honour of his king Govinda, he named his work as Dhavala.
Jinasena - II. a pupil of Virasena, completed the unfinished part of the work in C.E. 837-38, and his part of the work was called Jaya Dhavala in honour of his royal disciple Amonghavarsva, who bore the title of atisaya Dhavala."
Arhat Vacana, 14(4), 2002
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