Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

Author(s): Aseem Kumar Chaterjee
Publisher: Firma KLM Pvt Ltd

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COMPREHENSIVB HISTORY OF JAINISM
source that king Cāmundarāja, who was childless, became the father of Vallabha and other princes, because of the spiritual power of that Jain muni. His minister called Vira was also a devoted follower of this great Jain savant, Hemacandra, however, in his celebrated Dvyāśrāyakāvya5 describes this king as a devotee of Siva. His pilgrimage to Vārānasi, described by Abhayatilaka (1254) also supports Hemacapdra's evidence. It therefore appears that this particular king, in spite of being a Saiva, had some genuine passion for the religion of the Tirthankaras.
The next king Vallabha (1008 A.D.), who had a very short reign of only six months,' was probably a good Śaiva. His younger brother Durlabharāja, who also ascended the throne in 1008 A.D., had a total rule of 14 years. This king, undoubtedly, was favourably inclined towards the Jain religion. From several sources, we learn that during his reign, a great debate took place in the Vikrama year 1080, corresponding to 1024 A.D. The debate was held in the court of this king at Anabila păţaka. In this debate, the celebrated Svetāmbara savant Jineśvara, who was the chief disciple of the great Vardhamānasūri, defeated the Caityavāsins' (a prominent Jain Sect). As a result of this victory, Jineśvara came to be recognised as the leading exponent of the Jain pbilosophy in Northern India. The literary activities of Jineśvara will be discussed in the chapter on the Svetämbara literature, After this debate, the group led by Jineśvara, came to be known as the Kharatara sect. That Durlabba had definite passion for the religion of the Jinas is also conclusively proved by the very valuable evidence of Hemacandra, who describes him in his Dvyāšrāyakāvyalo as a disciple of Jineśvara.
After Durlabha, the throne passed to his nephew Bhima I, who had a pretty long reign of nearly 44 years, The magnificent temple of Abu was built during his reign in the Vikrama year 1088, corresponding to 1031 A.D. This is known from several literary and epigraphic sources. 11 The