Jain Journal 1975 07

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

Page 13

JULY, 1975
princess Jayanti22, king Udayana 23 of Sindhu-Sauvira, Rajarsi Siva 24 of Hastinapur, etc. in general and particularly the conquering Maurya king Candragupta 25 had joined it and his advance in that Age determined the prevailing distribution of political power of the single state down to the time of king Samprati26 who sent Jaina missionaries to all outlying non-Aryan27 countries to propagate Jainadharma first in the guise of officials to prepare the ground.
As a rule the need for domestication of the subjects and for rational administration based on written records supplied the occasion for the kings to call scribes 28 into the land as is evidenced by all inscriptions of Ancient India. They were either Brahmanical, Buddhistic or Jainistic. Very soon even in folk belief Samsara (world) and Karma (action) were generally self-understood pre-suppositions. However, for quite some time Brahmanical, Buddhistic and Jainistic educations were to be found side by side. In the Asokan Inscriptions Brahmanas, Sramanas and Nirgranthas29 were mentioned, and still in the fifth century A.D. a Gupta king supported the Jainistic and Brahmanical religion 30. Meanwhile, in due form, Jainism had become the state religion in some Indian territories in the South 31 and the West 32 and South East33. It was the
22 Ibid., 12.4.441. 23 Ibid., 13.6.497. 24 Ibid., 11.9.418. 25 See Bhadrabahu Carita of Ratnanandi. 26 "andharan dravidan ...... maharastrakudukkadin pratyantadesam ghoran
pratyapayabahatan samantatah sadhusukhapracaran sadhunam sukhaviharanan
akarsit krtavan", Brhatkalpasutra and its Bhasya, gathas 3288, 3289. 27 Ibid.; Indian Antiquary, Vol. XI, p. 246; Triveni, Vol. VIII, No. 2, p. 131. 28 Asokan Inscriptions, No. 14 (Girnar Version); Jaina Silalekha Samgraha,
parts, I-IV. 29 Asokan Inscriptions, Seventh Pillar Edict, "ime viyapata hohamti nigam
thesu"; vide Dr. D. C. Sircar, Select Inscriptions, p. 66. 30 Select Inscriptions, p. 284. 31 Dhanada, a Southern Jaina prince of the Iksaku family ruled the Vengi
Mandala from Pratipalapura (Bhrattiprolu) of Andhradesa. Jainadharma was his state religion. See Desai, Jainism in South India, pp. 3-4, 7, 8; also the eleventh asycsa (Chapter) of Dharmamrta of Nayasena. The Satavahanas were the patrons of Jainadharma. See J.B.B.R.A.S., Vol. X, p. 131. Besides, two princes of Karnataka named Dadiga and Madhava were the followers Jainacarya Simhanandi who made them the rulers of Karnataka. (Ep. Carn., Vol. VII, Sh. 4.); B.A. Saletore, Mediaeval Jainism, pp. 7, 10-11.
Vide JSI, p. 10. 32 King Dhruvasena was a Jaina king having Jainadharma as the state religion. 33 King Kharavela was a Jaina king and his state religion was Jainadharma,
See Kharavela's Inscription.