________________
[ 9
is also furnished as a prelude to the details pertaining to the ruling family. In the Sadari29 inscription of V.E. 1557 (1500 A.D.) an account of Jain preceptors immediately follow the invocatory part. But generally it is the description of the ruling families, which follows the invocatory verses. There are, however, certain Prashastis, which do not contain the Raiavalli or Raj-VamshaVarnana.
(iii) The chronology, tradition of Jain preceptors and the antecedents of the Jain Shresthi, at whose behest the Prashasti was inscribed, come after the Rajavalli, While describing the Jain Sadhus the name of the Gachchha, details of his preceptors, ancestors and honorific or descriptive epithets, if any, used for him are also given. This practice is found in the inscriptions of both Shvetambar and Digambar Sects. While describing the Jain Shresthis, details concerning clan, namely whether he was an Oswal, Palliwal, Porawal, Dharkat, Bagherawal, Khandelwal or such like together with other such biographical information as the name of his home town etc. were also given. Sometimes manifold details of the benevolent deeds performed by his family were appended to such details.
(iv) After this nature of the endowments is recorded.
on stone.
(v) Sometimes the name of the person, who has drafted the inscription together with the name of the engraver (Sutradhar) is also given. The Mahavira30 Prashad Prasasti of Chittor V.E. 1495 mentions Sanvega-Yati as the scribe, who had written the letters The Nadol inscription31 of Chauhan Alhan contains the information that Naigam Kayasth Shridhar, who possessed a good knowledge of ancient literature had drafted the grant and written for getting the same inscribed it on stone. The persons, who composed the inscriptions, evidently had a good knowledge of the chronicles. Jain inscriptions are famous for their beauti
29. Jin Vijay No. 336/The Bhavanagar inscriptions, pp. 117–123.
30. J.B.B.R.A.S. Vol. XXIII p. 50 verse 102/Maharana Kumbha by the Author. p. 383
E.I. Vol. IX p. 65-66
31.
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