Development And Impact Of Jainism In India And Abroad

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Arham Spiritual Center

Page 57

Development & Impact of Jainism in India & Abroad
of a sea-trader Rudra was sunk while returning from Svarnabhumi. Likewise, some other stories are related with Isvaravarama and yasahketu.13 Another story mentions that a ship of a queen of Katahadvipa was sunk near Svarnadvipa while returning to India. 14 This island was a centre of sea-traders Guhasena went to Katahadvipa from Tamralipti with his wife.
The Kathakosa speaks of a story of Nagdatta who starts his sea-voyages with 500 cargoes. When he entangled with mountains, he informed about the safety to Sundar, the kings of Svarnabhumi through a letter, which was tied with a string into a leg of parrot.
The Samaraiccakaha of Haribhadrasuri draws our attention to obstacles of sea-voyage. Dhana, the son of a Sarthavaha starts his sea-voyage from susammanagar. His wife Dhanasri mangages to make him drunk the poison. He then hand overs his all belongings to Nanda. The ship reached to Mahakataha where he sold of his goods. He could not make a profit out of it. He then purchased Paratirabhanda (the goods to be sent to other countries) and reached to Katahadvipa where he earned a lot by way of disposing and purchasing the goods.15
In Pancama Bhava of the Samaraiccakaha, Sanatkumar and Vasubhuti Sarthabahas went to Tamaralipti was Samudradatta. The ship reached to Svarnabhumi in two months. From Svarnabhumi he went to Srilanka (Sinhal) where his ship was sunk on the way just after thirteen days of his departure.
According to another story, Caran Sarthavaha starts his sea-voyage from vijayanti seaport in Karnataka and reached to Svarnadvipa where he heaped of hundred bricks of gold and went o Ratnadvipa.
Here the Tamralipti Seaport16 may be identified with Tamalik or Damalipta in Midnaopur district of West Bengal whereform the cargoes were used to travel to Sinhal, China, Java etc. The Mahabharata17 refers to Tamaralipti and Sumbha separately. Dasakumaracarita mentions the Kalimandir of Tamaralipti. According to the Visnupurana18 it was ruled over by Devarksita in preGupta period. The Mahavamsa19 also refers to Tamralipti. It was a great centre for learning.
The Avasyakacurni20 presents a vivid picture of sea-voyage. It says that the ships were used to ply from Madurai to Saurastra. Two sisters Mati and Sumati started their journey by ship and were caught by a cyclone.
The jnatadharmakatha21 says that there were some sea-traders (navavaniyaga) who used to undertake the sea-voyage with praying Jinas. They started their journey from Champa and reached to Gambhir (Poyapattana), the possible second name of Tamralipti and then Suvarnadvipa and Kaliyadvipa. The Kaliyadvipa was very much famous for gold and silver. The Jaina traders used to purchase them against their goods like sugar, garments etc.22
Malayta Prayadvipa (Malayesia) is situated in South East of Bay of Bengal. This was the shortest route to enter into East and South East Asia from India. Europe and Western Asia. Traders used this route to enter into Svarnadvipa. In opinion of Itsing, Lang-Kia-Su ro Lankasuk is the name of Kedah or Katadvipa. According to a story of the Kathasaritasagar, Samudrasur reached to Kalasapur. While going to Svarnabhumi his ship was destroyed. Therefore Kalasapur or Ko-Lo-Ko Fen may have been a part of Malaya Prayadvipa. Kedda or Kadah may be identical where
48