History of Early Ganga Monarchy and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

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6/ Ganga Monarchy & Jainism
gious teachers, ascetics and disciples and a large number of Jaina authors who flourished in this tract, go to prove the influence this religion had on the people" (Ritti, Srinivas : The Seunas : 1993: 256-57]. "Jainism is not an evangelical faith and hence it had no propoganda machinery" [Sheik Ali: 1976:309]. Albeit, śramaņas made many proselytes in the pre and post mediaeval period. Towards the last two centuries of B.C. and the early centuries of C.E., friars and the nuns of Nirgrantha Church began proselytising on an extensive scale and secured a rapid spread of their religion. By fourth century C.E., Jainism had come to dominate the life and thought of the people of Pāndya, Coļa, Cera kingdoms. "Tamil classical literature prospered under Jaina auspices... Gangas, Pallavas of Kanchi and the Rāshtrakūtas of Malkhed were staunch
Jains" (Krishna Rao:193 and 198]. Simhanandi the King Maker 2.1 Some of the Ganga kings went so far as to take the vows
and to meet their deaths by the rite of Sallekhanā. Most of them engaged in extensive temple building activity and generally attempted to follow the rules of kingship. Simhanandi had laid down the Jaina code of conduct for his protēgē, rightly swept up in the spirit of the age and history : If you fail in what you have promised If you do not approve of the Jaina teachings If you seize the wife of another If you eat honey or flesh If you form relationships with low people If you do not give your wealth to the needy If you flee from the battle field
Then your race will go to ruin 2.1.1 The primacy of the enumerated charter needs no exag
geration. All the Gangas faithfully adhered to these