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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
tant, I would like to make a detailed analysis of its contents.
The work opens with an adoration of Jina and also very significantly of the Brāhmi script. In the first śataka several types of asce groups are mentioned, including tāpasas, āsīvikas, and parivrājakas. Lord Mahāvīra is represented as giving a discourse on various topics to Gautama Indrabhūti in the Guņaśila shrine which was situated near Rājagļha. The most important information that we find in the first śataka relates to Kālāsavesiyaputta, a follower of Pārsva, who was converted by Mahāvīra. This monk, it appears, first had misgivings regarding Mahāvīra's religion, based on five restraints. In the second sataka there is a reference to Kayamgalā town, which is the same as Kajangalā of the Pāli canon. The canonical writer is not however correct in saying that it was not far from Srāvasti.75 This śataka refers to the conversion of Khamda of the Kātyāyana gotra who was a disciple of a teacher well-versed in the Brahmanical philosophy. We are further told that Mahāvīra for sometime lived on the Vipula mountain of Rājagrha.76 In this śataka too, Mahāvīra is represented as having converted a few of Pārsva's followers." It is interesting to note that the hot-spring of Rājagļha is mentioned in this sataka and the name given to it here is Mahātavovatī78 which reminds us of Tapodā of the Pāli canonical texts.79 It also appears from this śataka that even in the fifth century BC there were shrines, dedicated to the Jina, for we encounter the expression jinaghara.” In the third sataka there are several interesting references. The four Lokapālas,8l the god Sūlapāņi or Siva, who is described as Vasahavāhana,82 i.e., ursabhavāhana, and other gods like Indra, Skanda, Vaiśravaňa, etc. are mentioned. It appears from this śataka that gods like Indra, Skanda, Durgā, Rudra and Vaiśravaṇa were very popular. This will be confirmed by the evidence of other canonical texts, to be discussed later in this chapter. This śataka also contains an interesting account of Tāmali Moriyaputta of Tāmralipta city.84 We are told that he was initially a great merchant of that famous city-port and later gave up everything to become a recluse. The expression 'Moriyaputta' does not necessarily mean that he was a scion of the Moriya or Maurya family. It further appears from this śataka5 that the art of drama was fully developed in the sixth century BC, an assumption which is supported by the evidence of Pāṇini. A few malignant spirits like Indragraha, Skandagraha, Kumāragraha, Yukșagraha, and Bhūtagraha are also mentioned.86 Needless to say, these grahas were supposed to inflict bodily
