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106
S. B. DEO
Coming to the reign of Madanavarman, we have as many as five Jaina inscriptions: (1) Khajuraho Jaina Image Inscription:
Dated : 1147-48 A.D.;
Mentions only Śreșthin pānidhara.274 (2) Horniman Jaina Image Inscription:
Dated : V. S. 1208 (1150 A.D.). Dedication of an image by the Sreşthin Maula of the Graha
pati family of Mandilapur.275 (3) Mahoba Jaina Image Inscription:
Dated: 1155 A.D.
Dedication of Neminātha image by Rūpakāra Lakhana.276 (4) Khajurāho Jaina Image Inscription:
Dated: 1157-58 A.D.
Image of Sambhavanātha set up by a certain Sadhu Sālhe.277 (5) Mahoba Jaina Image Inscription:
Dated : 1163 A.D.
Refers to the dedication of a Jina image.278 In the reign of Paramardi also we have Mahoba image inscription inscribed on a broken Jaina statue dated 1168 A.D.279
From the localities of these inscriptions, it seems that Khajurāho and Mahoba were two great centres of the Jainas under the Candellas. This has been corroborated by the excavations at Khajurāho carried out by CUNNINGHAM as early as 1874-77, which yielded a large number of standing and squatted naked Jina figures.280 Gähadvīlas (c. 1075-1200 A.D.) 281 :
Even though a majority of the epigraphs found so far of this dynasty of Vārāṇasī and Kānyakubja are Brāhmanical in nature, yet, the existence of Jainism among the mass of the population is evidenced by a number of
274. Ibid., pp. 152-53. 275. JRAS. 1898, pp. 101-02. 276. ASR, XXI, p. 73. 277. E.I., I, p. 151. 278. ASR, II, p. 448, No. 25. 279. ASR, XXI, p. 74.
280. Ibid., X, pp. 16-17; For Mahoba as well as Khajurāho, see Ibid., Vols. I, III, VII, X.
281. RAY, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 548.
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