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HISTORY OF JAINA MONACHISM
129
The next king Vishnuvardhanadeva, inspite of his devotion to the Jaina sage Sripala Traividya Deva35 alias Vādibhasimha, was converted to Vaishnavism sometime about 1116 A.D., according to RICE.436 The cause of this conversion was "the influence of the great ācārya Rāmānuja who, to escape persecution at the hands of a Cola king had taken refuge in the Hoysala country". SALETORE, however, maintains that Vishnuvardhana was still a Jaina as late as 1133 A.D. as he named his son Vijaya Narasimha after the god Vijaya Pārsvanatha whose temple was built by one of his generals.438
The successor of Vishnuvardhana was Narasimha I who does not seem to have done much for Jainism. However, a reference to his visit to Sravana Bēlgola occurs in one of the inscriptions.439
His son Vira Balläla I, however, proved to be a worthy king and he increased his realm as well as his patronage to Jainism. His preceptor was Vasupujyadeva of the Nandi Sangha under whose influence the king granted villages for Jaina purposes.440
Out of the remaining kings of this dynasty, Narasimha III was a devout Jaina and his guru was Mãghanandi. It seems, however, that the importance of the dynasty was fast decreasing, as the king was called simply as Mahamandalācārya.441 The end of the dynasty was approaching, and the influence of Jainism on Vira Ballāla III, is not certain.442
Further South:
We have already seen that the Tamil literature of the early centuries of the Christian era shows great influence of Jaina ideas and principles. Yet, Jainism could not fare better under the rule of the royal dynasties of the south like the Pandyas, Pallavas and the Cholas. Though a few cases of their patronage to Jainism are not lacking, yet, later kings of the Pandyas and the Pallavas helped the wiping out of Jainism from South India under the influence of Saivite teachers. Of the Cheras, it is said that three kings
435. Ibid., V, 17; Cn. 149.
436. Op. cit., p. 99.
437. Op. cit., p. 79.
438. Ibid., p. 80.
439. E.C., ii, 349.
440. Ibid., V, Ak. 1; Cn. 146; MAR, 1926, pp. 50-51.
441. Ibid., ii, 334.
442. For other grants of the Hoysalas for Jaina purposes, see: E.C., ii, 178, 181; Malavalli 31; iv, Ng. 7; v, Ark. 98, Hasan 130; Belur 124, 125, 126; Arsikere 55, 141; Canna 146, 148, 150; Hassan 57, 58, 112; vi, Chikm. 160, 161; Kadur 36, 69; Mudg. 22; xii. Tumkur 9, etc.
BULL. DCRI.-17
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