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COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF JAINISM
texts, and one of the earliest saints of the Kharatara gaccha (see pp. 12 f.; pp. 104 f.; see also KB., p. 6). That Abheyadeva was the founder of this tirtha, sacred to Parśvanatha, is also supported by the evidence of the Prabhavakacarita, pp. 165 f. and also the P.C. (p. 120). A manuscript of the original Bhagavati, which was copied at Stambhatirtha between V.S. 1110 and 1119 is probably the earliest Jain work to refer to this holy place (see Jinavijaya, Jainapustaka prasasti-sangraha, p. 99). This shows that even in Abhayadeva's life-time, it was recognised as a tirtha. Hundreds of Jain manuscripts were afterwards copied here and other temples were also built in this place. For the epigraphs of this place, see Jinavijaya, Prācin Jaina-lekhasangraha, II, Nos. 447 ff.; and for the manuscripts, copied here, see the same writer's J.P.S., p. 167.
242. Surat-This well-known place, also known as Suryapura, is situated in Gujarat, and had a temple of Candraprabha in the 16th century; see Jñanas āgara, verse 71, quoted in Tirthavandanasangraha, p. 76. A temple of Rshabha of this place has been mentioned in a literary record of V.S. 1664; see Bhaṭṭāraka Sampradaya, No. 497; see also ibid., No. 65. For a reference to Väsupujya temple of this towr, see ibid, Nos, 154, 159. See also Tirthavandanasańgraha, p. 185.
243. Surpāraka :-This place, now represented by Sopara in Mahārāshtra, was connected with Jainism, from early times (see supra, I, p. 111); see Prakrit proper Names, II, pp. 862 f. The Jivantasvami Ṛshabha temple of this place, has been mentioned in the Vividhatirthakalya (p. 85). The Puratanaprabandhasangraha (p. 42) also mentions this temple and refers to its hoary antiquity.
244. Tagaḍūru :-This ancient place is, at present, identified with Dharmapuri a district town of Tamil Nadu. There was a Jina temple here of the 9th century, and it received a grant from a Nolamba Pallava chief called Mahendra I and afterwards also from his son called Ayyapadeva; see EI., X, pp. 65 ff.; and Desai, op.cit., p. 162.