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BHADRA BAHU AND SRAVANA BELGOĻA.
BHADRA BAHU AND SRAVANA BELGOĻA.
BY LEWIS RICE, BANGALOR.
THE THE most interesting and probably the earliest | dra Bâhu svámin, in order to escape a dreadful among the ancient inscriptions to be found famine of twelve years' duration which he had on the rock at the summit of Indragiri at foretold, and his death on the way at this hill. The Śravana Belgola is one relating to an emi- inscription is in the same antique form of Old Kagration of Jainas from Ujjayini (Ujjain) and narese letters as the others already published by Northern India under the leadership of Bha-me, but in the Sanskrit language, and runs thus:
JUNE, 1874.]
Svasti ||
Jitam bhagavatâ śrimad dharmma tîrttha vidhâyina Varddhamânena samprâpta siddhi saukhyâmritâtmanâ| Lokaloka dvayâdhâra vastu sthâsnu charishnu cha sachidâloka śaktih svâ vyaśnute yasya kevalâ || Jagatyachintya mâhâtmya pûjâtisayam iyushah tirttha krinnâma punyaugha maharhantyam
upeyushah |
Tadanu ári Visâleyajjayatyadya jagaddhitam tasya sasanam avyâjam pravâdi mata śâsanam || Atha khalu sakala jagadudaya karanoditâtisaya gunâspadi bhûta parama Jina éasana sarah samabhivarddhita bhavya jana kamala vikasana vitimira guna kirana sahasra mahâti Mahavira savitari parinirvrite bhagavat paramarshi Gautama ganadhara sâkshâchchishya Loharya Jambu Vishnu. Dev-Aparajita Govarddhana Bhadra Bâhu Visakha Proshṭhila Kshatrikârya Jayanâma Siddhartha Dhritishena Buddhilâdi guru parampareņa kramâbhyâgata mahapurusha santati samavadyotitânvaya Bhadra Bâhu svâminâv-Ujjayinyâm ashtânga maha nimitta tatvajnena traikâlya darsina nimittena dvâdasa samvatsara kâla vaishamyam upalabhya kathite sarvva sanghah uttara pathâddakshina patham prasthitah Arshenaiva janapadam aneka grâma sata sankhyam ndita jana dhana kanaka sasya go mahishaja vikala samâkirnam prâptavân. Atah âcharya prabha chandrânâm avani tala lalâma bhûtethâsmin Katavapra nâmakopalakshite vividha taru vara kusuma dalávali vikachana sabala vipula sajala jalada nivaha nilopala tale varâha dvîpi vyâghrarksha tarakshu vyâla mriga kulopachitopatyaka kandara dari mahâ guhâ gahanâbhogavati samuttunga śringe sikhariņi jivita sesham alpatara kalam avabuddhyâdhvanah suchakitah tapassamâdhim ârâdhayitum âprichchhya niravaseshenâ sangham visrijya śishyenaikeva prithulakastirna talásu silâsu svadeham sanyasyârâdhitavân kramena sapta satam rishinâm arâdhitam iti. Jayatu Jina sâsanam iti. The following is the translation:
May it be well!
Success through the adorable Varddha
mâna, a tirthankara by his own merit, an embodiment of the nectar of the peace of acquired siddhi (the fruit of penance);
Refuge of both the upper and lower worlds, himself all things moveable and immoveable, by his own energy pervading the worlds of both mind and matter;
Having obtained inconceivable greatness and supreme honour throughout the world, having acquired the great arhantya in the group of worthies who have become tirthankaras:
Moreover whose undisputed (and indisputable) doctrine, overcoming those of the other disput
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ing sects, is supreme in Sri Visâla,* and a security to the world.
After the great sun Mahâvîra had gone down, an abode of glorious qualities which illuminated all worlds, a great orb of a thousand brilliant rays which, dispersing the darkness, caused to unfold the lotus of the faithful multiplying in the lake of the supreme Jaina faith:-(there arose) the adorable great Rishi Gautam a Ganadhara, his personal disciple Lohârya, Jambu, Vishnu Deva, Aparajita, Govarddhana, Bhadra Bâhu, Visakha, Proshthila, Kshatrikârya, Jayanâma, Siddharta, Dhritishena, Buddhila, and other gurus. Bhadra Bâhu Svâmin, of the illustrious line and direct descent of these great men, who by virtue of his severe penance hád
An ancient name of Ujjayini.
