________________
found in such abundance. These temples range in periodicity from the first century BC to ninth-tenth century AD. After these come the cave temples in Rajagṛha, which belong to the third century. The cave temples in Udayagiri near Vidiśa are of fifth century. In the seventheighth century many cave-temples were made; important among these are those at Ellora, Dhārāśiva, Mängitungi, Añjaneri, Gajapantha, Jintūra, Tārangā, Giranāra, Kuṇḍala, Aurangabada, Candabaḍa, Śravanabelgolā, Sittanna Vāsala, Bādāmī, Aihole, Pabhausā, Ankāītankāī. Ascetics used many of these caves as places for meditation. But most of them have images of Tirthankaras, ascetics, and yaksa-yakśīs. In these caves valuable heritage of art, archaeology, history and culture lies preserved.
INSCRIPTIONS
These include inscriptions on copperplates, stone slabs, and idols. Least available are copperplate inscriptions. Most of the copperplate inscriptions are about the land donations for temples by kings. However two copperplates worth mention here have great historical importance. One is the copper plate of King Nebuchadnazzar of Babylon found in Prabhasa Paṭṭana (in Saurashtra), and the other is that found in Pahāḍapura in district Rājaśāhī in Bangladesh. Dr. Prananatha Vidyalankara has deciphered the writings on the copper plate from Prabhasa Paṭṭana and it reads as follows
"The lord of Revanagar, god of high descent, Nebuchadnazzar has come.
"He has come to the city (Dvārakā) of Yadurāja (king of Yadavas).
"He has built a temple ... the Sun.
"Submitted for ever to god Nemi who is the god of the heaven like Raivata hill."
The period of Nebuchadnazzar is believed to be 1141 BC. Thus this copperplate is more than 3000 years old and to best of my knowledge the oldest copperplate inscription in India.
The period of the Pahaḍapura copperplate is fifth century AD. According to this a Brahmin couple purchased pieces of land in some villages in Punḍravardhana and gifted the same to the Jain Vihāra at
265
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
