Jain Inscriptions of Rajasthan

Author(s): Ramvallabh Somani
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

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CHAPTER II
Historical Importance of Jain inscriptions
It is obviously not the primary objective of the Jains to provide us with chronological history through their inscriptions. But in speaking of their ancestors, the Jain Shresthis, sometimes, also described details regarding the ruling family of the area to which they belonged. Such information is, moreover, devoid of hyperbolic expressions and unnecessary bardic details and is consequently very valuable for historians. These inscriptions furnish us with a wealth of details helpful in understanding the cultural and political history of medieval Rajasthan.
Compared with Brahmin pandits the Jains had sounder tradition of recording chronological history furnishing greater1 and more authentic details. This fact emerges readily if we make a comparative study of the inscriptions composed by Brahmin Pandits and Jain Acharyas. In Mewar, for example, we have Ved Sharma,2 a Brahmin Pandit, who was contemporary of Ratnaprabh suri of Chaitragachchha.2A Both of them have drafted several inscriptions, yet inspite of the fact that Ved Sharma worked for the State under royal patronage his drafts lack details concerning the genealogy of the ruling family and other important events. The Ghaghasa3 inscription of V.E. 1322 (1265 A.D.) belonging to a Maheshwari family and the Chirawa,3A inscription of V.E. 1330 (1273 A.D.) of the Talaraksa family were drafted by Ratnaprabha Suri. Though these families
1. G. H. Ojha also held the similar views. (Udaipur Rajya ka Itihas Vol. I p. 175).
2. Ved Sharma was the son of Priyapatu of Nagar caste. He had drafted the inscriptions of Chittor dated V. E. 1331, Achaleshvar dated V. E. 1342 and Chakrasvami temple of Chittor (now demolished).
2A. Ratnaprabh Suri was the disciple of Bhuvansingh Suri of Chaitragachchha 3. ARRMA 1927 No. 6/G.H. Ojha-op. cit. P. 170.
3A. Vienna Oriental Journal Vol. XXI PP. 155-162/Varada vol. V No. 3 P. 4/E.I. Vol. XXIII PP. 160-163.