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JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA (AD 600-1000)
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boy that he was to become a great king. Later Vanarāja founded, according to Merutunga, in vs 802 corresponding to AD 744, the city of Anahillapura. Initially he offered his guru Sīlagunasūri his entire kingdom which the latter naturally declined to accept. Then, at the instance of his Jaina preceptor, Vanarāja built in the capital a temple dedicated to Pārsvanātha.53 According to an earlier Jaina text called Nemināthacariyu, 54 written in AD 1160, in the capital of Vanarāja, a Jaina merchant of the name of Ninnaya built a temple dedicated to the first Tirthamkara, Adinātha or Rsabha. The combined evidence of the these two texts show therefore, that Vanarāja was definitely a patron of the Jainas and a number of Jaina shrines were founded during his reign in his kingdom. The account regarding silagunasūri's connection with Vanarāja is confirmed by t Purātanaprabandhasargraha.55 It is interesting to note that a Jaina inscription of Vanarāja gives the date vs 802 which is found in the Prabhandhacintāmaņi of Merutunga. It is evident that the Jaina tradition regarding Vanarāja is based on historical facts. The temple of Pancāsara Pārsvanātha is still to be seen at Pattana, although it is embellished with later additions. The Prabhāvakacarita also refers to the concessions given to the caityavāsë monks by Vanarāja.” Practically nothing is known of the Jaina connection of Vanarāja's successors. However, a verse, quoted in the Prabandhacintāmani, shows that the Cāpas were patrons of Jainism. The translation of the verse runs thus: 'This kingdom of Gurjaras, even from the time of king Vanarāja, was established with the Jaina mantras (counsels), its enemies indeed have no cause to rejoice.58
Before a discussion on the condition of the Jaina religion during the successors of the Cāpas in Gujarat, I must turn my attention to the available epigraphic records, discovered from Gujarat, throwing light on the Jaina religion. The earliest of such records are the well-known Surat plates of Karkarāja Suvarņavarşa dated Saka 743 corresponding to AD 821. This inscription is an extremely important Jaina record. It not only discloses the names of Jaina saints who lived in the eighth century an in Gujarat but also throws welcome light on the exact condition of the Jaina religion at that time.
The record opens with a homage to the gospel of Jinendra. It runs thus: “Victorious is the gracious gospel, propounded by the best of the Jinas, which is perpetual abode of prosperity, which is clear in its entirety, which is based on Syādvāda and which brings about beatitude to one with a controlled mind. This inscription
