Jain Journal 1997 07

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

Page 13

JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXII, No. 1. July 1997 became the object of Chola attacks. The Chola hegemony in the Mysore country ended when Adigaiman, their Governor at Talakad was driven off across the river Kaveri by Gangarāja, a Jaina General of King Visnuvardhana in 1117 A.D.22 This is corroborated by epigraphical sources.
The inscriptions describing the conditions of the Jaina shrines then existing at Gangavadi state as follows : 'The land of the Gangas was filled with Jaina shrines all over, but they were destroyed by the Chola army during their occupation of Gangavadi."
The destruction of the Jaina shrines must have embittered the relations between the two powers. It was Jaina general Gangarāja who expelled the Cholas from Gangavadi. He won the battle against them on behalf of his master Vişnuvardhana. Gangarāja was an ardent Jaina and his devotion to Jainism is affirmed in a number of inscriptions which record the benefactions he made to restore many dilapidated Jaina monuments. In an inscription of Sravanabelgola, his acts of generosity and endowments for the maintenance of the Jaina shrines are reported as follows: "Wherever he marched, wherever he was encamped, wherever his mind was attached, there he had rich Jaina temples made. Thus, the country was everywhere restored by Gangarāja to the condition in which it had been in the days of yore."23
It is unfortunate that the Tamil Nadu failed to produce any personalities of such high calibre as the illustrious Gangarāja who could have championed the cause of Jainism at crucial times. It is important to note here that the mind of this Hoysala General was favourably inclined towards Tamil Nadu also. He built the Pārsvanātha basadi at Hosur in the Dharmapuri area in 1127 A.D. to commemorate the Hoysala victory against the Cholas.24 It is well-known that the Hoysala rulers exerted influence over the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu. Recognising the significance of this basadi, King Visnuvardhana made land grants and entrusted the same to one Väsapujya Pandita the Stanapati of that basadi. This record is significant as it reveals the importance of Hosur-then called Sevidarpadi, a Jaina centre in medieval times. 25
Ruins of Jaina monuments are abundantly scattered in the heart of Konga Nadu, especially in the places like Erode, Trimurti Hill, Bastipuram. They throw light on the position of Jainism which, at that time, had evidentiy made inroads into the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu. Nevertheless, Jainism failed to leave any permanent mark on the affairs of the Kongu peuple.26