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An Epitome of Jainism be cleft by a golden arrow. According to the dream, on the next morning, Chamunda Râja stood on the hill with his face towards the south and let loose a golden arrow from his bow. Immediately the mountain was cleft in twain, and an image of Vahuvali became visible. Châmunda Raja then established and consecrated the image and granted lands for the worship of this image. When king Rajamalla heard of this affair, he conferred the title of "Raya" on Chamunda Raja and granted further lands for the regular worship of the
image. In a very recent work, named Rájávalf-kathe written by Deva Chandra in the Kannada language, the same story is repeated, with variations in details. It is there written that Châmunda Râya was a feudatory chief of king Râjamalla. His mother learnt from Adi-purâņa, when this work was being read to her, that in Podanpura there was an image of Vâhuvali. Thereupon she set out with her son to see this image, but on her way on the hill where Bhadrabâhu Svâmi died, she dreamt one night that Padmavati appeared to her and said that there is an image of Vahuvali on that very hill, covered by stones, which was formerly worshipped by Râma, Râvaņa and Mandodarî. On the next morning an arrow was shot and the image of Vahuvali became visible.
Thus, in the legendary accounts of the Jains, we find that Châmunda Raja was not the person who caused the image to be made, but that there was already an image on the hill which he established and consecrated in the proper way. The high priest at Sravana Belgola had also stated, according to these traditions, that "in ancient times, an image was at this place, selfformed from earth, under the shape of Gomat Isvara Svâmi which Râvaņa, the monarch of the Raksasas, worshipped to obtain happiness."
Châmunda Raja discovered it and "made the workinen cut it into a regular shape, with the utmost accuracy of proportion in all its parts; the several proportions of the body resembling the original likeness of Gomat Isvara Svâmî in profound contemplation to obtain Mokşa. He also caused several buildings to be constructed as temples and other edifices round the God (?). On their completion, he established the worship of the image......with great ceremony and devotion."* In an extract taken from Sthala-purâna, we find the following passage which agrees with the above story:
Chåmunda Raja.....set out with his family......with a view to visiting the God Gommatesvara......at Padanapura and the 1,254 other gods scattered throughout the surrounding country. En route he came to Sravana Belgola Kşetra, having hcard a good deal about the God Gommateśvara.....He repaired the • ruined temples and, among other ceremonies, had that of sprinkling the god
performed. He appointed Siddhântâchârya as Guru of the Math to conduct the daily, monthly, annual and other processions. He established in the Math a Chattram where food, medicine and education were provided for pilgrims. He appointed men of his caste to receive with, due respect the devotees and pilgrims of all three castes who should resort to the place from Delhi, Kanakådri, Svitpura, Sudhapura, Pápåpuri, Champapuri, Sammida-giri, Ujjayanta-giri,
• Historical and Legendary Account of Belliagola (Asiatic Researches, Vol. IX, page 263).
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