Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

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

Page 13

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
original temple of this place, which was dedicated to Rşabha, was built by Daņņādhipa Vimala, as we learn from our sources. Vimala's father Vira was a minister of Durlabharāja and was a disciple of the saint Virasūri, as we · learn from the Prabhāvakacarita, 12 This Vimala was one of the greatest patrons of Jainism in the first half of the eleventh century in Northern India. He had also great deference for Ambikā, who was the popular Jain mothergoddess. The earliest known Jain inscription 18 of this temple.complex at Abu has the date V.S. 1119, corresponding to 1062 A.D., which falls within the reign-period of Bhima I. A very good number of inscriptions belonging to the 12th and 13th centuries A.D., 14 are preserved in this great temple-complex, some of which will be noticed later in this chapter.
A recently-discovered Jain inscription 15 of the time of Bhima I definitely proves that this distinguished Caulukya monarch was a patron of the Jain religion. The inscription, known as the Poliyad plates, are now preserved in the Rajkot Museum of Gujarat. It has the date V.S. 1112, corresponding to April, 1056. The inscription records a grant made by the king himself in favour of the Jain monastery, situated in the city of Vāyada. It also mentions a merchant called Sādāka. The grant is addressed to the Brāhmaṇas and the people of 116 villages, attached to the city of Vāyada. Lines 11-15 state that the grant made in favour of the Jain temple-complex (Vāyaṇādhişthāna) should be protected by the descendants of kings and others. The writer Vateśvara of this inscription is also the writer of another copper-plate of the same king, 16 and the Dūtaka of this inscription viz. Mahāsāndhivigrahika Bhogāditya is also mentioned in the Palanpur plates1', of the same king.
The inscription, mentioned above, does not say to which Tirthařkara, the Jain, temple of Vāyada was dedicated. But we know from Jinaprabha's Vividhatirthakalpa18 that Vāyada was well-known for the temple of Mbāvira. This