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56
Gommatesvara Commemoration Volume
was an ornament to the Mayuragrāma Sangha. She was wholly self-controlled. She accomplished Samadhi on the Kațavapra mountain (No. 108). , Prabhāvati of Namilür Sangha observed the vow on the mountain and attained a body endowed with natural beauty (No. 114). The last expression of a natural beauty seems to have been used to denote that the soul attained its full brilliance. Sri Purtya was a person of many virtues and had been observing numerous austerities. He observed the vow (No. 115).
Pocāmbike was a householder and a woman of high repute. She was the mother of Ganga Rāja. She amassed endless merit and shone by the nobility of her character. She constructed many temples at Belgola and at many other holy places. She gave many charities. She observed the vow of Sanyasana and took possession of the world of gods by perfection of her vow (No. 118-1120).
Special reference must be made to the death of queen Sānataladevi (No. 1431131) about which there is some controversy. She has been described in the inscription, to use the words of the editor of Vol. II, “gentle to sages and dependents, upholder of the four creeds, lover of vows, virtues and pure conduct, of unique fame in the world, the celebrated Sita (herself) in the loftiness of devotion to her husband, a celestial jewel to all panegyrists, crest-jewel of perfect faith in (Jainism)... expert in singing and instrumental music, a rampart to the Jaina faith, delighting in the narration of stories relating to Jainism, taking pleasure in gifts of food, shelter, medicine and learning, pure in Jaina faith, kind to the blessed... "There are numerous historical references to show that Santaladevi was a devout Jaina and that she continued to profess that faith even after her husband Bittideva had become a Vaişgava. The inscription states that "(on the date specified) she ended her life at the holy place Sivaganga and attained heaven.” Since the manner of her death is not specified, the late Sri K. V. Jyar has stated in his novel on Sāntaladevi that she committed suicide. It is ordinarily impossible that a lady who has been described as "a rampart to the Jaina faith” would commit suicide since Jainism regards suicide as a very heinous sinful act. Her Guru was Prabhācandra who was Siddhānta Deva. Under this background, it is hard to believe that she would commit suicide. Neither this inscription nor the circumstances support the view that she committed suicide. Dr. Saletore has stated in his Medieval Jainism on page 166 thus: “Queen Sāntaladevi's work to promote the cause of Jaina Dharma was lasting. True to the instruction of Jaina Dharma, she died by the orthodox manner of Sallekhana in 1131 A.D. at the holy place of Sivagangā (thirty miles to the north-west of Bangalore)” in Tumkur District of the Karnataka State.
That very inscription states that the mother of Sāntaladevi, by name Măcikabbe, went to Be!goļa after hearing that her daughter "had attained the state of gods” and adopted "severe sanyasana" after renouncing the world. It is further
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