Jain Journal 1982 10

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

Page 38

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JAIN JOURNAL
to the initiation of Cangadeva, who later became famous as Kali-kalasarvajña (omniscient in the Iron Age) Acarya Hemacandra.14
Of a slightly different nature was the sacrifice of Sridevi, the wife of Vimala, minister to Bhimadeva I of Patan. Like Pahini, the greatness of Sridevi can only be understood if one realizes that every woman aspires to attain the culmination of her married life in being a mother. To forego the fulfilment of this birthright for a cause, is one of the greatest sacrifices that a woman can make, and Sridevi was an eminent lady of this type.
Vimala, a great statesman and warrior, was the descendant of a family well-known for its riches and for the successive ministers it gave to the Calukyan rulers of Anahillavada Patan. He was once appointed governor of the Candravati region, which included in it Mt. Abu. The lovely city of Candravati largely appealed to him and his learned wife Sridevi, both of whom were pious, generous and great patrons of art and culture. Here Vimala met a Jajna monk under whose influence he decided to undertake some religious act for the atonement of his sins as a warrior and statesman. The sage advised him to build Jaina temples at Abu.
Vimala and Sridevi had no issue and felt lonely. Hence he invoked the goddess Ambika to obtain two boons from her-one, a male issue and another, help in the construction of a shrine at Abu which would be the finest work of art. The goddess, pleased with his devotion, appeared in person before him, but said that his merit (punya) was not so great as to make him worthy of two boons ; so he should select the one that he liked. Vimala decided to give his reply the next day after consulting his wife. Sridevi justly thought that the issue may not be worthy of the father, while the temple would be more lasting and would bring happiness in the life hereafter. Vimala thereupon chose to erect the temple on Mt. Abu, which to this day remains one of the most magnificent examples of fine marble carving. The legend is mixed up with supernatural elements and thereby loses much of its historical value. But it brings out the character of Sridevi, who was a great woman and contributed not a little to the greatness of Vimala.
Such acts of building shrines, tanks, step-wells etc. or getting valuable manuscripts copied, done by pious Jaina women, make a very long list even from known epigraphs and colophons to several works,
14 Buhler : Life of Hemacandra, translated from German by Dr. Manilal Patel, Singhi
Jaina Series, Bombay.