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JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
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śāntināthacarita, by the emperor Fīrūz Tughluq (1351-1388). The seems somewhat strange, as that Muslim monarch was one of the greatest enemies of the non-Muslims, and was so well-known for his iconoclastic zeal.24
In the 14th century, the monks of the well-known Kharatara gaccha fearlessly worked for the propagation of Jainism in both Rajasthan and Gujarat. The great Kharatara Acārya Jinacandra III, who was the head of the Sangha from V.S. 1341 to V.S. 1376, was undoubtedly one of the most influential Jain monks of that time. We will take note of his activities in Rajasthan, in connexion with Jainism in that state. in the next section of this chapter. In Gujarat he visited the Jain tirthas of Prahlādanapura (Palanpur, 25 in V.S. 1346, Tāranagadha (Tarangā) in V.S. 1347.26 He revisited Prahlādanapura in V.S. 1348 and also 1351.27 This particular place was known for the temple of Yugādi. deya or Adinātha. It is highly interesting to note that according to the Kharatar agacchabshadgurvävalia 8, Jinacandra performed some installation ceremonies at Prahladanapura in the Yugādidevacaitya on the 1st of Māgha 1351 V.S. And we have an epigraph2, from that place, which also refers to the installation ceremony, performed in that temple, on the date specified in that text. This proves that this work is absolutely authentic. However, we will have occasion to discuss critically this work, in our chapter on the Svetāmbara literature,
Jinacandra III, afterwards, visited Patan in 1352 V.S.30 and Cambay in 1364 V.S.31 The author of the KB8%, gives a graphic picture of that period, when everything was submerged under Muslim depredations (Mlecchasankule). These were the years, when Muslims were systematically carrying on the work of destruction of Indian temples, in Gujarat and Rajasthan and also in other parts of India, This is the reason why in the KB, it has been described as the worst of times (vishamaduḥshamakale),38 The expression Mlecchakațakakopa, in this connexion, is also quite
