Jain Journal 1997 01

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

Page 15

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXI, No. 3 January 1997
The Harivamsa-Purāna is another important epic dealing with the life of Tirthankaras. It was drafted by Jinasena. He was different from Jinsenācārya, the author of the Mahāpurana. He belonged to the PunnataSanghaand was a disciple of Kartikeya and grand disciple of Jinasenācārya. In this way he was different from Jinasenācārya, the writer of the Mahapurana, who was the disciple of Virsena and grand disciple of Aryanandi. The Punnata was the ancient name of Karnataka territory.
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The Harivamsa-Purana was composed at Badhaman and Dostatikā areas of Gujarat-State in Śaka Era 705. The author has given the details of the rulers of all directions.9 At the time when the work was completed, King Vallabha was the ruler of the South. Indrāyudha in the north, Vatsarāja Pratihāra and the ruler of Avanti in the east and Jayavarṣa in the west ruling over Sauraṣṭra. The Rāṣṭrakūta Govinda II and Dhruva Nirupama both had adopted the epithet "Śrivallabha". But it seems that here it was used for Dhruva-Nirupama and not for Govindaraja II, as the latter's reign was of short duration. Except the Dhuliya-copper-plate of Śaka Era 701 no other grant of his reign was known. He seemed to have removed by Dhruva-Nirupama and had forcibly acquired the throne. Therefore, we may take Dhruva-Nirupama as the ruler of Deccan in Śaka-Era 705. Indrāyudha was the ruler of north. Some scholars have erred in considering Indrāyudha as the brother of Govinda III, who after some times ruled over Gujarat. In fact the Harivamsa-Purana was composed in Gujarat, therefore this part was not in the north. The name of Vatsarāja Pratihāra in the east creates some difficultires. The colophon of the Kuvalayamālā composed at Jalore in Śaka-Era 700, mentions him as the ruler of the place. He did not make any attempt to conquer the Mālawa. We do not find any mention of his victories in the said province. Dashrath Sharma and some other scholars have identified two rulers 10 named Vatsarāja and the ruler of Avanti as separate. Jinasena obviously has mentioned Avanti and Vatsarāja separately. Actually the Pratihāras did not rule over Mālawā prior to the time of Nagabhata II. Similarly Jaya Varaha was the ruler of Sauraṣṭra. A copper plate of Śaka Era 836 was noticed from haddātā mentioning the name of Dharani Varaha, who was the subordinate chief of the Pratihāras. Jaya-Varaha might be his ancestor.11
Jinasena had also quoted some names of Jain Pandits, Acāryas and others, as Samantabhadra, Siddhasena Devanandi, Vajra Sūri, Mahāsena, Ravisena Jaṭāsingha Nandi, Sāntisena, Kumārsena,
9. This verse has been much discussed by many scholars from the long time. 10. Dashrath Sharma- Raj through the Ages.
11. Altekar, Räṣṭrakuṭas and their Times pp. 401; AP Madan. The History of Raṣṭrakutas pp. 54-47.