Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 164

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
Three of the five Kalyāņakas of the 22nd Tirthankara Neminátha, viz. renunciation, omniscience and liberation, had taken place at Girnar. During the historical period the first wave of Jainism probably passed over Gujarat in the 4th century B.C. when Bhadrabāhu visited Girnar during his migration from Magadha to the south. The Mauryan king Samprati was a great patron of Jainism. He tried to spread Jainism in Gujarat by every means at his disposal. Jainism was in flourishing state from about the 1" century B.C. to the beginning of the rule of the Imperial Guptas in A.D. 319. This is clearly demonstrated by the facts that Jainācārya Kālaka taught Jaina tenets to the people of Broach, a group of monastic caves were excavated at Junagadh, and the Third Jaina Council to compile Jaina canons was convened at Valabhi, Bhavnagar district, by Nägärjuna. During the Gupta period (A.D. 319 to A.D. 600) Valabhi became an important centre of Jainism since the Fourth Jaina Council under the chairmanship of Devardhigani Kşamäśramana was held there in A.D. 453 and the Jaina canons (Ācārārga etc.) acceptable to the Svetāmbaras were reduced to writing. The existence of Jainism at this time is also proved by a group of Jaina bronzes discovered at Akota, Baroda district, which are all of Svetāmbara affiliation. Jainism continued to flourish under the Maitrakas of Valabhi in the 7th-8th century A.D. This is known not only by a group of Svetämbara Jaina bronzes recovered from Valabhi but also by the fact that Mallavādin, a great Jaina dialectician, and the author of the Nayacakra, induced the Buddhists to leave the country after their defeat in a religious debate at Valabhi. The Gurjara Pratīhāras had a liberal attitude towards Jainism. The Pratīhāra king Nāgabhatta II, according to the Prabhāvakacarita, even accepted the Jaina religion and as a token of his love for Jainism built Jaina temples at Modhera and Anahillapātaka and went on pilgrimage to Satruñjaya and Girnar. But unfortunately these Jaina temples do not exist now.
During the time of the Capas or Capotkatas, who ruled in Gujarat in the 9th-10th century A.D., Jainism
received great encouragement and established its firm foothold in Gujarat. The Cäpa ruler Vanarāja accepted Devacandrasüri as his religious preceptor and built the temple of Pancāsara Pārsvanātha in his newly founded capital at Anahillapātaka. His zeal for Jainism may also be seen in that he entitled the Caityavāsins (monks residing in temples) to prevent the non-Caityavāsins from residing in the capital.
Jainism (Svetāmbara) sees its heyday in Gujarat during the Caulukya-Vāghela period (c. A.D. 950-1300). Though the rulers of these dynasties were saiva, they had great respect for the Jainas and extended their full cooperation and patronage for the upliftment of Jainism. This was due largely to the influence of Devacandrasuri and his disciple Hemacandrasuri. While Devacandrasuri got the Digambaras ousted from Gujarat after defeating them in a debate, Hemacandrasuri got certain basic principles of Jaina doctrines promulgated after converting king Kumärapāla to Jainism. The popularity of Jainism is also indicated by the fact that a large section of the population was Jaina and Vimalaśāha, Prthvīpāla, Sajjana, Vastupala, Tejapāla etc. were ministers in the Caulukya court. Under these favourable conditions thus there were erected a large number of Jaina temples of which those built at Vadnagar, Than, Kumbharia, Girnar, Satruñjaya, Taranga, Bhadreśvara, Miani and Kanthkot stand to this day and evince the grandeur of the Jainas and Jainism. VADNAGAR
It is an old town beside the Vadnagar Railway Station in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. In the 7th century A.D. it had been visited by the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang. During the Caulukya period it became an important centre of the Nāgara Brāhmaṇas. Kumārapāla built a rampart for their protection, the remains of which may still be seen there. In the centre of the town are two Jaina temples going by the name of Adinatha and Mahavira. They are made of reddish sandstone and face the east.
Adinātha Temple - It consists of a sanctum,
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