History of Rastrakutas of Malkhed and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 97

36/The Raṣṭrakūtas and Jainism
affectionately referred as Raya and Anna, had a number of appellations repeated in the epigraphs and literary works. Virtually, Būtuga, Rāya, Mārasimha and Sankaraganda formed the strong rampart of the Räṣṭrakūta fort and also they were the true mänastambha pillars of the Jaina church.
2.6.5.1. Raya, a wise minister and a brave warrior of very many decisive battles, erected the huge 58' monolith colossus of Gommatesvara on the crest of larger hill at Śravanabelagola. His service to Jainism is multifacet. He founded Camuṇḍarāya basadi on the smaller hill at Śravanabelagola and on top of it his son Jinadevana erected another abode of worship. Early life of Raya was devoted to wars in favour of the Raṣṭrakūṭas, and the later life was dedicated to religious activities. He was a lay votary of Ajitasēna and Nemicandra ācāryas. He wrote Caritrasāra in Sanskrit and rendered Sanskrit Mahāpurāņa into Kannada in prose in C. E. 978. Viramārtaṇḍi, his third work, supposed to be a commentary on Gommaṭsāra, is not available. Raya has patronised Ranna, his comrade, who migrated to Malkhed to become the poet-laureate of the later Calukyas. Ranna and Raya fast friends have left their autograph on Candragiri. Rāya's younger sister Pullabba met her end by the vow of sallekhana in the Candranatha basadi at Vijayamangalam [TN: Periyar Dt, Erode tk].
2.6.6. Camuṇḍarāya has recorded that the husky Mārasimha was his master. Marasimha (961-74) became immediate successor of his father, because his elder brother, Maruladēva, first son of Būtuga, had died a premature death, perhaps even before his father. Mārasimha, spirited Duke and crest-jewel of the Ganga dynasty, was crowned by KṛṣṇaIII, the emperor himself. Mārasimha was like his father Būtuga, was incharge Puligere -300 and Belvola-300 put together popularly known as the "Two Three Hundred', and Gangava di-96,000. He commissioned 'Ganga-Kandarpa