Comprehensive History Of Jainism

Author(s): Aseem Kumar Chatterjee
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd

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INTRODUCTION
Muñja and provided interesting information regarding the Bengal king Lakṣmaṇasena and his poet-minister Umāpati, whose name is found in the famous Deopara prasasti of the Senas. He refers to the defeat of Paramardin by Pệthvīrāja which is confirmed by epigraphy. The date of the destruction of Valabhi has however been incorrectly given by him as vs 375; the actual date vs 845, having been supplied by another Jaina work, the Vividhatirthakalpa of Jinaprabha. His account of the Cālukya and Vāghela dynasties is flawless, as also that of the two great ministers Vastupāla and Tejaḥpāla. The Prabandhakośa of Rājasekhara, written in AD 1347 is another interesting work of history, although its author does not stand comparison with either Hamacandra or Merutunga, and it contains some fanciful details. Interesting light has however been thrown on the political relationship between Jayacandra of Kanyakubja and Laksamanasena of Bengal, although he incorrectly says that the great Bhadrabāhu was the son of a Brāhmaṇa of Pratișthāna, the correct information being provided in a much earlier work, the Bịhatkathākośa, written in AD 931 which represents this savant as the son of a Brāhmaṇa of Devakoțţa in Bengal.
A very interesting work, which is actually a geographical treatise, is the Vividhatīrthakalpa of Jinaprabha, written between vs 1364 and 1389. Its great importance has been discussed by me in the second part of this volume. It is of great significance that sinaprabha was even honoured by the Muslim emperor Muhammad bin Tughlag. Some dates given by him are absolutely correct, namely the date of the destruction of Valabhi, of Somnāth, and of the date of Pịthvīrāja's defeat and death, and through the information supplied by hiin, we have been able to correctly identify the ancient city of Mithilā.
Another medieval Jaina work, the Kharataragacchabyhadgurvāvalī, is of overriding importance both to students of history and geography, and provides details regarding the activities of some little-known kings. It also tells us about the atrocities, committed by the Muslim rulers in northern India, and these details in this and other Jaina texts fully tally with those of the Muslim historians themselves. Those modern historians who have sought to whitewash these Muslim invaders should persue these contemporary Jaina accounts for a true picture.
The Jaina epigraphs also contribute substantially to our knowledge of ancient and medieval India. We have Jaina inscriptions from the days of Khāravela (first century BC) to the days of Akbar, and