Jain Journal 1976 01

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

Page 21

Jainism in Central India
(c.500 B.C.-C.300 A.D.)
UMAKANT P. SHAH
No specimen of Jaina art in Central India (modern Madhya Pradesh) during the Mauryan and Sunga rules are yet discovered, though it is wellnigh certain that King Pradyota of Avanti, a contemporary of Mahavira,
ina leanings. Also there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of the Jaina tradition about the worship of Jivantasvāmi (life-time wooden portrait statue of Mahavira) at Vidisa (modern Bhelsa) first started in the reign of Pradyota (who stole the statue from Uddyana of Vitabhayapattana) and its continued worship at least upto the age of Asoka's grandson Samprati who was converted to Jaina belief by Arya Suhasti during the Ratha-yātrā festival of the same image. Jaina traditions also refer to Ratha-yātrā festival of a Jivantasvāmi image at Ujjain.2 It is also said that Samprati fecilitated the movements of Jaina monks further southward beyond Pratisthana-pura (modern Paithan in Maharashtra).
Kalakacarya, according to the traditions noted in the Pañcakalpabhāsya, and Bịhatkalpa-bhāşya and its commentary, as well as in the Avašyaka-cūrņi, had gone to Pratisthanapura (probably from Ujjain) to learn the science of divination from the Ajivikas. Since the Pañcakalpa-bhāşya credits Kalakacarya with the authorship of Mula-Prathamānuyoga and other works and since these early texts also refer to Kalaka's meeting with the Satavahana kings it is not unlikely that he was a historical figure in the first century B.C.& whose association with
5 Cf.
1 Shah, U.P., A Unique Image of Jivantasvami, Journal of the Oriental Institute,
Vol. I. No. 1, pp. 72-79 and plates. 3 Shah, U.P., Ibid., p. 72 and foot note 3. : Brhat-Kalpa-Bhasya, 7. 3289 ; Nisitha Curni, 5, p. 438 ; Jain, J. C., Life in
Ancient India as described in Jaina Canons, p. 266. • Muni Punyavijaya, Prathamanuyog ane tena Praneta Sthavir Arya Kalaka, Vijaya-Vallabha-Suri-Smaraka-Grantha, Bombay, 1956, pp. 54 ff.
to eva sa omattham bhanio aha gantum so patitthanam ajivisagasammi sikkhati tahe nimittam tu 1540 aha tammi ahiyammi vadahettha nivittha annayaka yati salahano narimdo pucchatima tini pucchao 1541
-Pancakalpabhasya (Ms). Also see, Shah U.P., Kalakacarya in Suvarnabhumi, Journal of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, Vol. V., pp. 281-290. Shah U.P., Suvarnabhumi-men Kalakacarya, (Banaras 1956), cites evidences suggesting that Kalaka was a historical figure.