Contribution of Jainas to Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature

Author(s): Vasantkumar Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah, Dinanath Sharma
Publisher: Kasturbhai Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi Ahmedabad

Page 52

Proselytism of Jaina Shrines in post-medieval Karnataka
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I have made only a sample survey at random. But a thorough, systematic and meticulous study, without any malice towards any faith, and research would yield more conclusive and authentic evidence on this topic. A dispassionate and unbiased study would help the students of history, religion and socio-culture to reconstruct the position of religions in the early history of Karnataka.
Conversion of Jaina sanctuaries and Buddhist Vihāras into Hindu shrines was a common affair in Andradeba. A good number of Buddhist stūpas were converted into Hindu places of worship at Cēbrõlu, Bidāpur and Bezvāda. It is said that Adi-Sankarācārya and his followers demolished Buddhist and Jaina holy centres, including monasteries, sanctuaries and libraries, systematically and ruthlessly at various places including the region of Nāgārjuna Konda.
In Karnātaka also similar incidents occured, particularly after C.E. 1184. [SII. XV. No. 56, C. E. 1184, Tālikõte (Bijapur Dt, Muddebihāl Tk.)]. Till then except for rare and stray incidents, people of all castes and creed, sects and subsects happily lived together. But after 1184, Ādayya, Virupayya, Goggarasa and their followers took cudgel against Jaina saints, temples and the residences of its followers to the extent of brutally killing them. This has been widely and graphically recorded in the inscriptions, sculpture and literary works. Some kāvyas have clearly mentioned even the numerical figures of Jaina temples that the followers of their faith were successful in destroying 800 and 700, totally 1500 Jaina temples. Conceeding the element of exaggeration in such statements made by over enthusiastic author it is certain that a huge number of Jaina temples were demolished in religious clashes.
When a group of fanatics armed with lethal weapons attacked them, majority of the fear stricken Jains took to mass conversion. Lakhs of Jains in Karnataka inevitably embraced Virasaivism. This enmasse exodus of Jains to Vīraśaivism happened from the last decade of twelfth century onwards and in the 13th and 14th centuries. Regarding the dilapidated Jaina shrines in the process, soinething had to be done. When hundreds of basadis were uncared for, lying vacant non-Jains preferred to appropriate those still in good condition. Therefore, they requisitioned Jaina temples wherever was convenient, by retaining the whole building and structure as it was, but by replacing the Jaina idols with the figures of their faith. After removing the Jaina images either they were immersed in the nearby tank, reservoir or well, or placed outside the