Jain Journal 1997 01

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

Page 13

JAINS UNDER THE RĀSTRAKŪTAS OF DECCAN
RĀMVALLABH SOMĀNI The Rāştrakuțas had ruled from 7th century to the 10th century AD in the Deccan. They remained very powerful and made several incursions on the northern India. The Digambara Jains had developed their activities under them. We find several names of Jain writers and Ācāryas whose works have been regarded as the important sources for the cultural, political and socio-economic history of the tract.
Rāştrakūța Govinda Rāja I founded the kingdom after conquering the Cālukyas. His son Dantidurga was very powerful. He invaded northern India and had captured Avanti, where he performed Hiranyagarbha-yajña.' The Sanjān-copper-plate of Amoghavarşa I describes the details of it. It also mentions that Pratihāra king was made a door keeper there. But it seems to be an exaggerated account.? Jain monk Akalanka was contemporary to Dantidurga and his successor Kșsnarāja I. His works named ' Laghiya-straya' Tattvārtha-Raja-Varttikā Aștāsati. Siddhi-Viniscaya Pramäņa-Sangraha and others give details of the philosophical studies. Although, he remained silent about his biographical details and did not mention anything about the contemporary rulers, but the Kathā-kosa gives some details about his life. It mentions that he was the son of Purusottama, a minister of some Subhatunga-Ruler. The word Subhatunga was an appellation of Krsna-Rāja I of Rāştrakūta branch. K.B. Pathak who published a good paper on Jain monk Akalanka believes that the latter was contemporary to Krsnarāja 1.3 The Mallisena-Prasasti of Sravana-Belagolā mentions him as a prestigious Pandit of the court of Sahasatunga. But it is not a contemporary work. It also has an exaggerated account stating that there was no other grandeur ruler like Krsna Rāja on earth and no other eminent Pandit like Akalanka.It seems that the above passage was drafted on the basis of the rumours prevailing in the masses. Similarly the Akalanka-Stotra contains some verses which were said
peen spoken by him in the court of some ruler. But it seemed to have been interpolated by adding his name in certain verses. These 1. Epigraphia India Vol. XVIII pp. 235-257/Vol. VI p. 102. 2. Ibid. 3. Journal Bombay Branch of Royal Asiatic Society Vol. XXIII p. 226; Indian
Antiquary Vol. XII p. 215.
Jain Lekha Samgraha Vol. II & (Ins. No. 207 and others). But those are not contemporary records.