Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

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

Page 15

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
the commentator of Sridhara's Nyāyakandali, Karna was a patron of Abhayadevasūri and conferred on him the biruda of Maladhari.28 We further learn from the Prabandhacintamania that at Karnavati (the town founded by Karna) there was a well-known temple of Arişṭanemi. However, the tradition30 that represents Karna as the disciple of Vardhamänisūri must be wrong, as that Jain muni died during the reign of Bhima I on mount Abu, long before Karna's accession. Hemacandra, who flourished only a few years after Karna, states in his Dvyasrayas that Karpa was a devout Vaiṣṇava.
The next king Jayasimha Siddharāja, who had a long reign of nearly fifty years (V.S. 1150-1200) was one of the greatest Hindu monarchs of Northern India of his time. Althogh a devout Saiva, he was at the same time, a sincere friend of the Jains and this religion reached the zenith of popularity during his long and prosperous reign. Let us first take note of some of the important dated Jain manuscripts, which were written or copied during his reign.
A manuscript of Nisithasūtracurṇis was copied in V.S. 1157 (1098 A.D.) in the 'victorious reign of Sri Jayasingha' by a monk named Devaprasada at Bhṛgukaccha (Broach). In the Vikrama year 1164, corresponding to 1106 A.D., was written Jivasamasavṛttis by Maladhari Hemacandra, who must be distinguished from his junior and more famous contemporary, viz. Kalikalasarvajña Hemacandra. Maladhāri Hemacandra, according to a few contemporary sources", exercised great influence on Jayasimha. We are told3 that, at his suggestion, Jayasimha restored the annual grant to Jain temples. We further learns that the great Caulukya king set up golden knobs on the Jain temples out of deference for Maladhari Hemacandra. This king also had attended the funeral procession of this great Svetambara monk.39 Two other works of Maladhari Hemacandra were written in V.S. 1170 and 1175, during the reign of Jayasimha Siddharāja.