Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

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

Page 17

JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
Digambaras were beaten, they should leave the country. According to the Prabandhacintämaņi', the Svetāmbaras had left no stone unturned to humiliate and unnerve Kumudracandra before the actual debate. Devasūri even did not hesitate to send his head pupil called Ratnaprabha to disturb Kumudcandra in his sleep.5o We further learn from the relevant sources that the queen-mother Mayaņalladevi, who was at first a patron of Kumudacandra, as the latter was her father's guru, ceased to favour the Digambara monk, because of the machinations of Devasūri and Hemacandra. There is little doubt that Kumudacandra found himself surrounded by his wily opponents in the court of Siddharāja. The result was a foregone conclusion ; we are told that Kumudacandra died a few days after this debate. Had this debate been taken place in Karnāšaka, the result would have been certainly different.
King Jayasimha, we are told by our authorities 1, honoured Deva sūri in various ways after this great event. According to the Prabhāvak acaritas 2, the minister Asuka, with the permission of the king, built a magnificent temple of Näbbeya i.e. Rşabha at Pattana, which was conscerated by four saints (including probably Devasűri himself) two years after that remarkable victory over Kumudacandra i.e. in V.S. 1183. According to the Pratandhacintamaņi the king, after this victory of Srideva (this form of the name is used everywhere in the Frabandhacintämani) accompanied him to his house, after he had performed his adorations to the temple of the Lord Mahāvīra, built by the rich merchant Thahada (who had distributed there lakh coins among the beggars of the town immediately after this victory of Devasūri). The king also, according to the same text, gave the learned doctor, by way of reward, twelve villages and a shawl and other presents, though he was not willing to receive them. That this victory of Devasūri was considered very significant, is proved by the following words of the great Hemacandra-55