Comprehensive History of Jainism Volume II

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

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COMPABHENSIVB HISTORY OF JAINISW
army general ( baladhipa), called Yagodeva, who was a devout Jain.
The next important king of this dynasty, connected with the Jain religion, was Rāyapāla, for whom, we have dates ranging from V.S. 1189 to V.S. 1202. Five of his Jain epi. graphs are known, and all of them have been found from Nadlai ( eight miles to the North-west of Desuri), now a small village. From the evidence of inscriptions, we now know, that it was known as Nadūladägikā and also Nandakulavati. The earliest Jain epigraph 9 28 of Rāyapāla's reign is dated in V.Ş. 1189, corresponding to 1133 A.D. It records the gift by two sons of mahārājādhirāja Rāyapāla, called Rudrapāla and Amstapāla, in conjunction with their queenmother Mānaladevi. The gift was of two palikas, out of those due to the royal family, from each oil-machine (ghanaka) and was made for the Jain saints in and outside Naďūladāgikā. The epigraph proves the involvement of the above-mentioned important members of the royal family in Jain religious affairs. It should here be noted that this epigraph was originally incised in the old Mahāvira temple, although, at present, it is dedicated to Adinātha 9 99.
Next, we have the inscriptions 80 of Rāyapāla, dated in V.S. 1195, found from the Neminātha temple of Nadlai. The inscription opens with the words om namah Sarvajñāya and this Sarvajña here is Neminātha, the 22nd Tirthanikara. The epigraph records that for the lamp ( dīpa ), incense (dhūpa), offering ( naivedya ), flowers ( puspa ) etc. of Sri Neminātha, one Țhakkura Rājadeva granted, for his spiritual merit, One-twentieth part of the income, derived from the loads on bullocks, going on their way or coming to Nadlai. Then a request is made to future rulers, for the preservation of the grant. The next inscription 891, connected with Jainism of the reign of Rāyapāla, is dated in V.S. 1200 and was found from Nadlai ( Adipātha temple ). It records that the rauta Rājadeva ( the same person, mentioned in the epi. graph of V.S. 1195), who had come on the occasion of the