Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

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

Page 33

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JAINISM IN NORTH INDIA
Caritra 150 It was written at Aṇahilapataka during the reign of susravaka Kumārapāla. The other manuscript, containing the texts of the two works viz. Yogaŝastra and Vitarāgastotra gives Kumarapala, the epithet paramarhata151. It is highly interesting to note that, according to the Moha ajapa'ājaya12, Hemacandra composed these two particular works, exclusively for Kumārapāla. In a manuscript of the YogaSastravṛtti153, written in the Vikrama year 1251, we get the following information-"Srijinaśānaprabhāvaka Śrī Kumārapā'abhupa avidhāpitasya Sri Hemacandrasuriracitasya ŚriyogaSastrasya Vṛttipustakam lekhitam ti." The internal evidence of the Yogasastra and its vṛtti also indicate that this great philosophical text was composed for Kumarapala15, by that great master.
A temple dedicated to Tirthankara Ajitanatha, was built by Kumarapala, on Taranga hills, some 26 miles north-east of Siddhapura. Several works like the Prabhavakacarita155, Prabhandhacintamani16 and the Puratanaprabandhasangraha157 pointedly mention the fact, that the famous Ajitasvāmin temple on this picturesque hill, was built by Kumarapala. In the well-known Tirthakalpa158 of Jinaprabha, we come across the expression Taraṇe viśvakoṭiśilāyāṁ Śri Ajitaḥ This famous shrine was visited by the great Kharatara Acarya Jinesvara 159, in the Vikrama year 1326, corresponding to 1270 A.D. His successor Jinaprabodha visited it in V.S. 1333, corresponding to 1277 A.D.160 The next Acarya of this sect viz. Jinacandra161 visited the temple in V.S. 1347, corresponding to 1290 A.D.
Like all devoted Jains, Kumārapila made pilgrimages to the two great Jain Tirthas viz. Girnar (Raivataka) and Palitana (Śatruñjaya). Somaprabhācārya in his Kumārapalapratibodha102 refers to the fact that during his pilgrimage to Sauraşṭra temples, he first halted at Girinagara; however for bodily infirmity he could not reach the top and sent his minister Bahaḍa to perform worship on his behalf. The same author informs us that thereafter Kumarapala ordered