Jain Journal 1989 07

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

Page 32

JULY, 1989
the illustrious disciple of the famous Jaina religious leader Bhadravahu (a contemporary and religious Guru of Candragupta Maurya), a native of Bengal born at Devikota, Godasa (who seemed to have born in east Bengal) formed a sect of his own (Godasagana) in eastern India with four sub-sections or branches, viz. (a) Pundravardhaniya, (b) Kotivarsiya, (c) Tamraliptiya and (d) Dasi-Kharvatika. Each of these sects except the last one was associated with the well-known regions of Bengal, DasiKharvatika was possibly situated somewhere in the high tracts or lateritic terrains of West Bengal in Manbhum-Midnapore-Bankura zone. But, the influence which the Godasa-gana exerted upon the Jaina community cannot be assessed at present (cf. existance of Gowdas in Mysore), nor it is possible on our part to determine the importance of the Pancastupanikaya of the Vatagohali in Rajashahi apparently in the Kotivarsa region in Bengal, of the Gupta times.
On the evidence of a tradition, recorded in the Buddhist Divyavadana the Nigantha (=Nirgrantha or Jaina) sect was well established in Pundravardhana town, the members of which were massacred by the order of Asoka, the Maurya for allegedly having despoiled the picture of the Buddha. The Pundravardhaniya monks of the Nigantha order were also mentioned in the Buddhist Vinaya texts and in one of the descriptive labels of the Bharhut railings. One of the Jaina monks of Radha (Rara) caused the erection of Jaina image at Mathura (inscribed in the 2nd century A.D.). There was perhaps a dearth of Jaina inscriptions etc. in Bengal in the few centuries before and after Christ, due to the great massacre of the Jainas at the behest of Asoka. But a revival of Jainism can be noticed in the 5th century A.D., when a Brahmin couple donated land grants and made offerings at Vatagohali (Goalbhita) for the maintenance of a Jaina vihara founded by Acarya Guhanandin of the ‘Panca-stupanikaya' of Kasi or Navyavakasika. This information has been derived from the Paharpur copper-plate inscription dated in the G.E. 159, i.e. 478-79 A.D. The said vihāra is now occupied by the great Buddhist temple monastery at Paharpur. The plan of the Paharpur temple is of Sarvatobhadra type. It is suggested that the Sarvatobhadra type of architecture has been evolved by the Jainas, for the caturmukha or caumukha votive shrines of the Jainas tally well with the former type. K. N. Dikshit also has suggested as to the existence of an earlier caturmukha shrine in situ.
. Can it be equated with Karvata, mentioned in Mahabharata II 30 (Bhima's
digvijaya)? Hunter's description of the Kharwars of Midnapur may answer to this question.