Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 311

CHA
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temple. From the inscriptions on some Jaina images exhumed from the neighbourhood of an old Jaina temple at Ajmer, it appears that these images, which were of Bâsupôjya, Mallinâ tha, Parsvanatha, and Vardhamana were dedicated in the thirteenth century A.D., i.e., ranging from Samvat 1239 to 1247 (JASB., 1838, p. 52). The Uva saga dasão Inentions that a temple called Chaitya Punnabhadda existed at Champå at the time of Budharman, one of the eleven disciples of Mahavira who succeeded as the head of the Jaina sect on his death (Hoernle's Uvdsagadasdo, p. 2, notes, Iñatâdharma-sútrapalha). The town was visited by Sudharman, the head of the Jaina hierarchy, at the time of Kuņika or Ajatasatru who came barefooted to see the Ganadhara outside the city where he had taken up his abode. Sudharman's successor Jambu and Jambu's guccessor Prabhava also visited Champå, and Prabhava's successor Sayambhava lived at this city where he composed the Dasavaik dlika Saira containing in ten lectures all the essence of the sacred doctrines of Jainism (Hemchandra's Sthaviravalt or Parifisha parvam, Cantos IV, V). After the death of Bimbisara, Kupika or Ajātasatru made Champå his capital, but after his death, his son Udå yin transferred the seat of government to Pâtaliputra (Canto VI). On the northern side of this old temple of Bågupajya, there is another temple dedicated to him, but it has been newly built. At Champanagara proper, there is another temple of the Jainas belonging to the Svetambara sect, containing the images of many Tîrthankaras. Champa has been described in the Dabakumara-charita as abounding in rogues. From the Champaka-Sreshthi Katha, a Jaina work, it appears that the town was in a very flourishing condition. In the opening lines, the castes and trades of the town are enumerated. There were perfumers, spice-sellers, sugar-candy sellers, jewellers, leather-tanners, garland-makers, carpenters, goldsmiths weavers, washermen, eto. The name of the king is mentioned as Samanta Pala : his minister was Břiddhadatta (Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts by M. M. Haraprasada Sastri, 1892). Champinagara is also traditionally the abode of Chand Sadagar, the story of whose son Lakhindara and his wife Behula is so graphically related in the poem called ManasarBhasdn. The place where he was bitten by the snake and the Gh⢠where his dead body was launched are still pointed out close to the East Indian Railway bridge. It is still called Behula Ghât and is situated at the junction of the Ganges and the Chandan, where Behuld is said to have put the corpse of her deceased husband on a raft and carried it to different places till it was miraculously restored to life. A great fair is held here every year in the month of Bhadra in honour of Behule, the devoted wife of Lakhindars. The Ganges flowed by the side of the town, but, within the course of the last fifty years, it has receded about a mile to the north. Of all the places claimed as the residence of Chånd Sadagar, (as Champai in the district of Burdwan near the river Gangur or Behullnadi and Chandnia or Chandmaya in the district of Bogra), this place has the most preferential claim, inasmuch as it is situated on the Ganges, on which the story and the tradition place the Champânagara of Chând Sadâgar, and there was, according to the Hindu and Buddhist works, no other Champânagara on the Ganges except the Champanagara near Bhagalpur. At the time of Buddha, Champa was one of the six great oities of India, for Ananda exhorted him to die in one of these great cities : Champa, Rajagriha, Srivagti. Saketa, Kaukambi and Benares, and not in the insignificant town of Kusinara (Mahaparinibbana-suttanta, oh. V). Subhadrângi, the mother of Asoka, was born at Champa. Her father was a poor Brahman, who took her to Påfaliputra and presented her to Bindusara called also Amitraghâta, king of Magadha (347 to 319 B.o.), in consequence of a prognostication that she would be a great queen. The jealous queens, however, employed her in menial work, but she attracted the attention of the kingi.who made her his