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114 :: Aspects of Jaina Religion
famous work depicting the history of Kashmir. Many other reasons are aslo given in support of this contention.
Emperor Samprati, the grand son and successor of Asoka, is regarded the Jaina Asoka for his eminent patronage, and efforts in spreading Jaina religion in east India. (B) In Orissa
Like Magadha, the kingdom of Kalinga or Orissa had been a Jaina stronghold from the very beginning. It is asserted that Jainism made its way to south India through Kalinga only. Lord Mahāvīra, the 24th Tīrthankara, visited Kalinga and preached Jainism to the people, who already belonged to the Jaina Sangha, as organised by Pārsvanātha, the 23rd Tīrthankara. It is worth mention that in the second century B.C. Kalinga was the centre of a powerful empire ruled over by Khāravela and that he was one of the greatest royal patrons of Jaina faith. It is further contended that even after Jainism lost the royal patronage it continued for a long time as a dominant religion and that this is testified by the famous Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang (629 A.D) when he says that in Kalinga “among the un-believers the most numerous are the Nirgranthas (i.e., Jainas).” (C) In Bengal
Jainism had its influence in Bengal also. Hiuen Tsang states that in Pundravardhana and Samataţa, that is, in western and eastern Bengal, the naked ascetics called nirgranthas are most numerous. Even now Jaina relics, inscriptions, idols, etc., are found in different parts of Bengal. Even the name 'Vardhamāna' is given to one district in Bengal. In this connection it has been pointed out that the indigenous people of western Bengal known as 'Sarāka' are the Hinduised remnants of the early Jaina people. Again, in some parts of Bengal Jaina idols are worshipped as the idols of Hindu deity Bhairava. In short, the influence of Jaina religion on the customs, manners and religions of Bengal is very much visible even at present.
