Compendium of Jainism

Author(s): T K Tukol, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Prasaranga Karnatak University Dharwar

Page 29

JAINISM AND ITS ANTIQUITY
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even though the Vedas made no mention of Ātmavidyā, the Upanishads which came later propounded the theory of Ātmavidyā or Brahma Vidyā.
Inscriptions
It is an established fact of history that many rulers in ancient Bihar and the territories round-about, were either patrons or followers of Jainism. Chețaka, the ruler of Lichhavi was a Jaina and he gave his sister to Siddhārtha. Mahāvīra was born of this wedlock. Some of the members of the Nanda dynasty were Jainas. So was Chandragupta Maurya who later followed Bhadrabāhu to the South. The Kalinga territory was occupied by Jainas since the time of Pārsva. It is therefore natural that there should be some reininiscences of Jainism in this part. The excavations near Mathura furnish important evidence of Jaina sculpture. The Arahanātha, the 18th Tirthankara, bears an inscription of 78 samvat. Shri S. C. Divakar refers to an inscription deciphered by Rai Bahadur Gaurishanker Harishanker Jha. It was found near the Badli village round about Ajmer. This refers to 84 Vira Nirvāņa era i. e. 443 B. C. and to the prevalence of Jainism in Rājasthān. 26 An inscription found by Fuhrer of about 100 years B, C. refers to grant of land for the worship of Rşabhadeva. Dr. Hiralal refers to an inscription on Stūpa found near Mathura to the effect that Ayāgāpața was got prepared by the wife of a dancer by name Faguyasa for the worship of Arahanta. Vincent Smith assigns 150 years B. C. to this inscription from the form of the letters.27
Shri Divakar refers to an inscription called “the Hathigumpba inscription of Udayagiri Hill written in Apabhramba" as throwing valuable light on the antiquity of Jainism. It begins with an invocation in traditional Jaina style referring to Arhats and Siddhās and shows that Kharavela, the emperor of Kalinga, was a Jaina apd excavated a number of caves at Khandagiri bill28 In this inscription of Kharavela, there is a