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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA
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great centre of Jainism, from the last quarter of the Sth century A.D. According to a tradition**, it had once 64 Jina temples. And this tradition is recorded in an epigraph 8 25, of circa 1100 A.D. The earliest epigraph$ 26, from this place, is assigned to the early 10th century A.D. It records the death of Sridharadeva, who belonged to Panasoge sakhā. Panasoge is the ancient name of Hanasoge and the reference to this šakhā shows that, probably from a much earlier period, it was looked upon as a Jain tirtha. Another epigraph 827, of the same period, records the death of a lady called Jakkiyabbe, who according to Saletore888, should be identified with the Jain queen, of the same name, mentioned in an epigraph of 911 A.D. 889 Another epigraph890, from Chikka-Hapasoge of about the same time, refers to the death of Elācārya, a celebrated Jain monk. A single-line inscription *81, of about 1025 A.D., mentions a Jina temple called Rajendra Cola jinalaya.
Next, we have a short epigraph889, of about 1060 A.D., which refers to the erection of a Jina temple, dedicated to the monks of the Pustaka gaccha, by Vira Rajendra Nanni Cangälva. Another epigraph888, from Hanasoge, of about the same date, gives us the rather curious information that formerly the Jain tirtha, at that place, was in existence, during Dāśarathi Rāma, and afterwards during Vikramā. ditya, the enemy of the Sakas. This indicates that Hanasoge or Panasoge was looked upon as an old Jain tirtha, as early as the 11th century AD. The present epigraph further represents Nanpi Cañgālvadeva as the builder of a new basadi of this place. It also associates Mārasimba with this place, and this Mārasithha is no other than the great Jain king Mārasithha III (960-974), who lived and died a dedicated Jain 984.
Next, we have an epigraph 385 of about 080 A.D., which mentions Dāmanandi Bhattāraka of Deśiya gana, Pustaka gaccha and Kondakunda anvaya, as the monk in charge of all the 64 Jina temples (basadi) of Panasoge. He is further
