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he and his officers did not discourage followers of other sects, e.g., Jainas and devotees of the Sun. The people also were tolerant. The Kahāum inscription commemorates the erection of Jaina images by a person, 'full of affection for Brahmins. "265
This remark is amply corroborated by the find of the copper-plate at Pahārpur in the Rajshahi district of Bengal, dated G. E. 159 (= 478-9 A.D.), and falling in the reign of Buddhagupta. It records the gift of land by a Brāhmana couple for the maintenance of worship in a Jaina Vihāra presided over by Guhanandin at the village of Vatagohali.266
Even a century after the fall of the Guptas, Yuan Chwang describes the existence of naked Jaina mandicants in the temples of north Bengal.
With these references with us, we may say that Jainism was prevalent in the Gupta period, though it was not in a flourishing condition as in the previous period. But as the Pahārpur plate shows, it had vitalising energy enough to win sympathy even among the Brahmins. Therefore, even though it lacked a direct royal patronage, it had firm roots in the masses. HAVELL, therefore, seems to be justified, when he remarks, "The capital of the Gupta emperors became the centre of Brahmanical culture, but the masses followed the religious traditions of their forefathers, and Buddhist and Jaina monasteries continued to be public schools and universities for the greater part of India."267
Very little is known regarding the history of India in general in the half century that followed the Guptas. Harsha who succeeded the Guptas in North India after a century or half, even though of strong Buddhist affnities gave grants to Jainism also.268
In the post-Harsha period Jainism spread rapidly to Rājputānā, Gujarāt, Central India and Karnatak. Before studying the development of Jainism in Gujarat, we shall see how far various royal dynasties of north India helped Jainism.
During the post-Gupta period Jainism prospered under the rule of the Gurjara-Prathihāras, Gáhadvālas, Candellas and the Kalacūris in Rajputāna, the U.P., C.P., and C.I., while Bihar and Bengal were predominantly Buddhist under the Pälas and the Senas. Orissa, which was once a centre
265. “The Gupta sovereigns had imbibed in themselves the true spirit of Hinduism, namely, remarkable tolerance towards other religions."-DANDEKAR, op. cit., p. 190.
266. BANERJI, op. cit., pp. 107-08. 267. op. cit., p. 156. 268. GLASEN APP, op. cit., p. 46.
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