Jain Journal 1972 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 58

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JAIN JOURNAL
devotion to Jainism, many of them were devotees of Surya and Siva. As noted elsewhere, the Rastrakutas of Hastikundi also helped the spread of Jainism to some extent, to which the 10th century Jaina temple at Jodhpur by Vidagdharaja, and the Bijapur stone inscription of Dhavala informing us about the renovation of the Vidagharaja temple in the 10th century, stand testimony. Several Jaina scholars like Haribhadra, Udyotana Suri and others flourished and enriched the literature of the Jainas.
The Deccan :
It is difficult to say anything regarding the state of Jainism in the ancient period, at least from c. 4th century B.C., to the beginning of the Christian era.
Several inscriptions found near Mysore speak of the reign of the Nandas over Kuntala. The identification of Nav Nand Dehra with Nander and the view advocated that Paithan was the southern capital of the Nandas tend to suggest that Deccan also formed a part of the Nanda empire. However, we have no evidence either literary or archaeological, to this period to show that these kings who had taken away the Jina image from Kalinga and whose ministers according to Jaina evidence were Jainas, spread Jainism in the Deccan as well.
Coming to the Mauryas, we have the traditional account of the migration of Candragupta with Bhadrabahu, to the south. It is difficult, however, to say what path this famous pair of guru-sişya adopted. The same want of evidence is to be found in the reign of the great Asoka. Jaina literay evidence, however, credits the spread of Jainism from Ujjayini to the Deccan and to the southern countries to Samprati, the grandson of Asoka. But here also, we have no other evidence to corroborate this Jaina tradition.
The successors of the Maurayas, viz., the Sungas, do not seem to have held their sway over the Deccan, and until we come to the Satavahanas we have no definite material regarding the history of the Deccan in general.
Regarding the king Salivahana the Jaina literary tradition says that this king ruled at Paitthana. It seems that Arya Kalaka tried to influence the king inasmuch as the former changed the date of the paryuşaņa festival from the fifth to the fourth day so as to suit the convenience of the king who was busy on the fifth day.
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