History of Early Ganga Monarchy and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 78

Patronage of Royal Ladies / 35
6.5.2 The illustrious Revakanimmadi, who had the cognomen
Cāgavedangi (a beauty of charities) [1WG : No. 138: C.E. 962-63 : p. 419), was the daughter of Rāstrakūta Amogavarşa Baddega-III (936-39) (MAR 1921, pp. 8-16). She, and her brother Kannaradeva Krsna-III (939-67) were very generous to Jainism [SII. XXIII: No. 65. C.E. 958. Tirumalai (TN: N. Arcot dt/Polur tk; EI. IV pp. 8183: SII. 1. No. 51 C.E. 966). The emperor Krşņa-III had married Ganga Mahādevi, a sister of Mārasimha-II, and the last king of the Rāstrakūta dynasty Indra-IV was the son of this queen. A dull period followed the death of the Krsna, a consequence of which was that the ever ambitious enemies, waiting for the opportunity to strike, had flocked all the frontiers and were knocking the feeble walls of the Rāştrakūta fortress. Towards the fagend of the reign of Karaka-II, Khottiga and Indra-IV, particularly between A.D.970 and 973, the rājyasri of Răştrakūtas disappeared from the face earth. Knowing pretty well that it was too much for him, Mārasimha-II continued to wage the loosing battles, and made a futile attempt to revive by setting up Indra-IV, son of his sister Ganga Mahādevi and Krsna-III. When he failed in his mission, he willingly submitted himself to the inevitable death by performing the rite of sallekhanā at Bankāpur, at the feet of his preceptor, the adept Ajitasena, the royal teacher [EC. II (R) 64(59) C.E. 97475. pp. 20-22]. Indra-IV, somehow continued to live in obscurity at Indranahalli, a hamlet named after him, near Sravanabelagola, for some more years between 975 and 982, and finally died by sallekhana the voluntary act of fasting, in C.E.982, on Candragiri, hill of sepulchre. Thus he became the second emperor to die by a self-chosen act of religious merit, after Candragupta Maurya at
Sravanabelagola. 6.5.3 Under these adverseries, Revakanimmadi continued to
extend liberal charities to Jainism [Fleet, J.F.: DKD : p.