Gyandhara

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Saurashtra Kesari Pranguru Jain Philosophical and Literary Research Centre

Page 300

maintained them. Generally the villages and lands were made over to the Jain monks and they formed, the chief source of income of the jain monasteries. The monks did not directly cultivate the land but kept the control of the administration. This administration was free from royal interference and enjoyed the full freedom. Thers monasteries catered all the needs of all the classes of the Jains, religious as well as political. The ascetics played the important role of the instructor to the Kings and the Princes.
The political influence : To a certain extent it is true that the jain ascetics did not mingle with the general affairs. But history says that the kings consulted through their messengers the Jain monks living in the woods ans sought their advice. There is no doubt that Ganga kingdom, which ruled from 2nd century to 1000 A.D. was established under Jain auspice, followed by Chalukyas, Rastakutas, Kalachuries and Hoysalas. The Jain religion seems to have enjoyed considerable patronage at the hands of early Chalukyas. The parshwnath temple of Vijaynager by Krishdevraya is the evidence that the royal families not only patronised but also practiced the Jain faith.
Idol worship and the festivals : Idol worship was not a practice of the early jains. The Digmbara texts also do not furnish with the authentic information on this subject. Samanantbhadra of first Christian era was the first one to lay down worship as a daily duty for the layman. He included -it in Sikshavrat not only that the literary and the epigraphic sources indicate that constructions of the new temple and rebuilding of the old and dilapidated ones, as meritorious acts. Temple worshiping was glorified and visit to sacred places was associated with the lives of Jains. The abhishek જ્ઞાનધારા
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જૈનસાહિત્ય જ્ઞાનસત્ર-૨)