Jain Journal 1992 10

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

Page 62

104
JAIN JOURNAL
to her husband. She is also compared to Chetni for her faith in the worship of Jina.8? Baladeva Daņdanāyaka and his wife Bachikabbe are also compared to Rāma and Sita. Their sons, Nagadeva and Singana are stated to have resembled Rama and Lakşmaņa in their good qualities. Baladeva is described as an unassisted hero-Rāma in the battle. 38 Vişnuvardhana the great Hoysäla king is compared to Rama for being a stern, relentless hero in the battle. His renowned queen Santala the prime promoter of Jina Dharma, is extoled as Sita in the loftiness of devotion to her husband.39 It is also stated that a few of the royal ladies even excelled Sită. Chandekabbe, wife of Nāgavarma Daņdanāyaka also claims her superiority over Sita, in the loftiness of devotion to her husband,40 Echiyakka, daughter of Någadeva Daņdanāyaka is stated to have been even superior to Sitādevi o earth.41 Chattaladevi. daughter of Rakkasa Ganga has also been compared to Sitä.42 She is also hailed as the daughter of Sita.48
The Jaina tradition strongly upholds the view that Sri Rama attained nirvana on the Mängi-Tungi hill. The earliest reference to this effect is made by Sri Kundakundācārya, in one of his compositions Dasa Bhakti in which he has stated that, Sri Rama, Hanumanta, Sugriva, Nila, Mahānila, etc. attained nirvāna at Mängi-Tungi:44 The same tradition has also been carried by Ācārya Pujyapada. In his composition, Nirvāna Bhakti in which he states that Sri Rama attained nirvana at Tungi hill. Even a few Ācāryas of the later period have composed aştakas eulogising Mängi-Tungi as Siddha-ksetra by associating this with Sri Rāma.45 Further, the sculptural depictions of Sri Rama, Hanumāna and Sugriva seated in the padmasana posture are also found in one of the caves on Māögi-Tungi hill. It is significant to note that, this hill bears testimony to the fact that it is being a Jaina centre. The other caves on the hill too bear the sculptural carving of Tirthankaras and Yakşa and Yakşi, etc. Presently, MängiTungi hill is known by the name Galana bill and it is situated in Maharastra (almost eighty-six km from Manmad Station.)46
37 Ibid., No. 160. 38 Ibid., No. 174. 39 Ibid., No. 176. 40 Ibid., No. 176 (Chikkabetta) 41 Ibid., No, 174 (Chikkabetta) 42 E. C., Vol. VIII, No. 39 (Nagar) 43 Ibid., No. 192 (Thirthahalli) 44 Kunda Kundācārya, Dāśabhakti, ed. A. Santaraja Sastri, p. 129. 45 Santinatha, K. Hosapete, Mängi-Tungi Kșetra. 46 Ibid.