Jain Journal 1975 07

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

Page 21

JULY, 1975
mischievous act of eloping the former's maid servant (disi), made a great impact of Jainadharma on Central India 3.
King Candapradyota had two sons named Palaka and Gopala. The latter took to the ascetic life, while the former assumed the royal power after his father, but later on he also got initiated to Jaina religion by abdicating the throne of Ujjain in favour of his son Avantivardhan, while his other son Rajyavardhan took the path of asceticism?
After Mahavira the Jaina missions were led by Arya Mahagiri, Suhastin, Kalakacarya and Bhadragupta, Drolivadajnata 75 in different phases in different periods as Jainadharma expanded in all directions in India. The building of 500 upāśrayas76 in Ujjain speaks itself highly of the expansion of Jaina mission to Central India.
The Jaina tradition avers that Suhastin led the Jaina mission to Ujjain from North India and converted the prince Avanti-Sukumala to Jainadharma, ultimately to Jaina asceticism. This prince attained Kāyotsarga-nirvānā at the funeral place in the vicinity of Avanti. His mother built a temple there, having cremated his dead body which was partly eaten up by a jackal and his son constructed a temple on his funeral place. It is known to-day as Mahakala-Mandir77.
In the first century B.C. the evidence of the existence of the Jaina Sangha at Ujjain is found in Kālakācāryakathānaka. According to this work, Gardhabhilla, the king of Ujjain trapped a Jaina Aryika named Sarasvati, the sister of Kalakacarya for the satisfaction of his sexual desire. In order to take retaliation upon him for his heinous crime committed on her Kalakacarya II made alliance with the Sahi kings (Saka feudal kings). They defeated king Gardhabhilla and founded the Saka kingdom at Ujjain. After the destruction of this dynasty the Vikrama era was started by king Vikramaditya later on. Thus this event is said to have taken place a little earlier than the Vikrama Samvat. It is known from this fact that in some cases the very gentle and forbearing Jaina monks also had to fight with the royal powers.
It is mentioned in an inscription 78 found at Mathura that in Gupta Samvat 113 (432 A.D.) Samadhya installed an image by the order of
73 Utraradhyayana Tika, 18, p. 233 ff.; 4v. cu., p. 400. 74 Ava. cu., p, 189. 75 Ibid., p. 394. 76 Ibid., p. 196. 77 Pattavali Samuccaya, part I, pp. 45, 150; part II, pp. 6, 204. 78 See Mathura Inscription, Gupta Samvat 113, also J.S.S., Pt. II, p. 48.