Jain Journal 1997 07

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

Page 33

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXII, No. 1. July 1997
Śripurāna is a notable work held in great reverence by the Tamil Jains. It is generally believed that the author of Sripurana went of Srabanabelgola from his native place Perumandur and wrote Sripurana following the example of the Chamundaraya Purana (997 A.D.). The authorship of Sripurana is yet to be decided. Nevertheless, it is attributed by most of the scholars to Mandalapurusha of the 12th century A.D., the author of Niganthu. But this has been denouced by scholars who assign the work to 14th-15th centuries A.D.90
Devendra Mahamuni, the author of Jivasambhodane, composed in Maniprabāla style is believed to have followed the example of Bandhuvarman who has also composed Jivasambhodane in Canarese. Bandhuvarma is assigned to 1200 A.D.91
Madurai-Dakshina madurai reference made by the Kannada Jaina Writer
Jaina predominance that prevailed during the ancient period at Maduri finds exposition in the writings of the Modern Jaina Kannada poets and scholars. Padmanābha Kavi in Jinadattarayacarite (17th century A.D.), Anantakavi in Belgolada Gommatteśvaracarite (1780), Devacandra in Rājāvalikathāsāra (1840), and Stalapurana of Srabanabelgola (1820) have afforded some matters of historical interest.
Jinadattarāyacarite
Prince Jinadatta is described as the son of the King Sahakara of Uttara Madurai, who marrying a new wife, develops an aversion to his son who becomes a voluntary exile. During his wanderings he founded the city of Pomburchcha or Humcha in Karnataka where he establishes a kingdom by the grace of Goddess Yaksi Padmāvati. Reference to this is also made in the inscriptions.
As King Pandya and Vira Pandya of Dakshina Madurai were his maternal uncles, Jinadattarāya later marries their daughters. When his father king Sahakara dies, Jinadatta establishes an United Kingdom of Pomburchcha and Madurai and rules happily upholding the Jaina faith.92
The story of Jinadatta and his relations with Dakshina Madurai also finds a reference in Devacandra's Rājābalikathāsāra. 93
Anantakavi while describing the magnificent city of Dakshina Madurai that was flourishing in the Jaina atmosphere also states that the King Rachamalla and his minister Chamundaraya were ruling over Dakshina Madurai protecting Jina Dharma.94