Jain Journal 2000 01

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

Page 36

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXIV, No. 3 January 2000 The Gangas, along with the Kadambas of Banavāsi, were the earliest known dynasties to build several celebrated basadis, mentioned in inscriptions. They first constructed the āyatanas of wood, mud, bricks and finally of stone. Konganivarma Mādhava (C.E. 35075) had found a small kingdom of his own and commissioned a caityālaya in wood on the hillock near Shimoga, which in course of time was renovated and rebuilt in stone.
The earliest brick temples founded by the Gangas were at Perbolal, Uranür, Noņamangala and Pērür (Kolar Dt) in fourth century. Mādhavavarma-III (C. 440-69 C.E.) on the advice of his preceptor Viradeva, proficient in Jaina doctrine, granted wet-land under the big tank, a garden and the village Kumārapura to the basadi at Perboļal, free of all imposts. This temple was in the fold of the Mulasangha abbatial monks.
There were two Jaina shrines at Uranür, constructed in 4th cent. C.E., by the followers of Candranandi, a local pontiff, Evāni Adiga! had built one temple. King Avinita made a great of village Cennalkarani, 1/4 of Kārşāpaña and customs duty of the place. These Jinālayas were attached to the diocese of Nonamangala olim Jayamangala Jaina monastery.
The Ganga kings continued to be bulwarks of Nirgrantha creed and obviously Jainism gathered momentum. Simhavarma's 22nd regional year is equated with Saka 380 (C.E. 458) in the Lokavibhāga, a Nirgrantha surrogate canonical text of the monk Sarvanandi (C.E. 458). Nandavva, the king's favourite courtesan, had spiritual insight and unequivocal faith in the teachings of Jina. She also commissioned a Jaina temple at Pērür. She purchased an estate garden and entrusted it, free of all hindrances to the above basadi Simhavarmarāja, aparamour of Nandava, to mark the auspicious occasion of his 18th victorious year, granted wet-land under the tank at Pērür to the basadi
On the advice of his friar Vijayakirti, king Avinīta made a grant of wet-land and a dwelling to the Arhadāyatang, built by the mother of Simhavisņu, a Pallava king commissioned the basadi for the prosperity of her husband Simhavarman-II (C.E. 436-60) and for the augmentation of her own merit.
Avinīta (469-529) edowed the village Badanaguppe and other gifts to the illustrious Srivijaya Jinālaya. The donee was Candanandibhațāra, a pupil of Gunanandibhațāra of Kondakunda anvaya. A charter describes Avinīta Ganga as bearing the foot-point of the supreme Jina fixed as a rock of mount Mēru on his heart. During his reign, the influence of Jainism in the Gangavādi-9600