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COMPRBHENSIVB HISTORY OF JAINISM
250. Tāmralipti :-As we have already seen in the earlier volume of the present work (p. 37), there was a Svetāmbara Sakha, connected with this famous port, in the 4th century B.C. Jainism was in a flourishing state, even in the days of Hiuen Tsang, in every part of Bengal The discovery of hundreds of early medieval Jain icons from almost all parts of West Bengal, proves its great popularity before 1000 A.D. Even in Mabāvira's time, the residents of Tämralipta were attracted towards the religion of the Nirgranthas (see supra, I, p. 38), Prabhācandra's Kathakoša (11th century) refers to the Pārsva temple of this town (p. 26). Prabably after 1100 A.D., Jainism lost its hold in Bengal.
251. Tārangā :-This sacred hill in the Mahesāna district of Gujarat, became a holy place of the Svetāmbāras, from the days of the celebrated Kumārapāla, A magnificient temple of Ajitanātha, the 2nd Tirthñkara, was built by this great king, on this hill ; see Prabhavaka, p. 207 ; PC., p. 96; and PPS., pp. 47 f, Jinaprabha also in his celebrated work (p. 85), associates this hill with Ajitanātha. And there are several references to it in the KB. (pp. 52, 55 and 59); sec also above, p. 23. The Digambaras also became interested in this place, from the 16th century (see Tirtha. vandanasangraha, pp. 246 f.) and one of their temples was built in V.S. 1611. It was also known as Tārāpura, and Tārañagadh. According to the Kumarapalapratibodha (p. 443), there was formerly a temple of Tärā, built by Vatsa rāja, on this hill, from which it came to be known as Tārāpura ; see also Bharat ke Digambara Jaina tirtha, IV, pp. 137 ff.; and Tirtha Darśar, II, pp. 355 ff.
252. Tavanidhi :- This place, secred to såntinātha, in the Shimoga district of Karnāțaka, has yielded a few Jaia epigraphs of the 13th century. It was also known as Tavanandi. It was a surely Jain sacred place where, Jain monks embraced voluntary death ; see for inscriptions, from this place, J.ŚL.S., III, Nos. 531, 540.568-69, 577-78.
