Jain Journal 2000 04

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

Page 28

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXIV. No. 4 April 2000 devout Jains, noted scholars and connoisseurs of art and literature. When Jinacandra, preceptor of their family and ascetic of great fame, passed away, Mallapa and his brother commissioned poet Ponna (C.E. 965) to author Santipurāṇa, biography of Tirthankara, for the merit of
monk Jinacandra.
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Attimabbe strictly adhered to the principles enunicated in the gospel of Jina. She helped the scholars, creative writers, singers-both vocal (gāyaka) and instrumental (vādaka), story tellers, reciters, dancers, actors, soldiers, the destitute and orphans. She founded an amazing figure of 1501 Jaina temples and distributed 1500 images of Jinas, 1500 gold coated glittering lamps, 1500 festoon, 1500 gong and bells to ring while worshipping the god and 1500 mandasanas, wooden chests for placing Jina-pratimas. She got 1000 copies of Santipurāṇa re-copied on palm-leaf and distributed freely to the householders. She also patronised Ranna (C.E. 993) a major poet of the period who composed Ajitapurana, biography of Ajitanatha Tirthankara. Thus she earned the title of 'Dana-Cintamani-Attimabbe' from the Calukya emperor.
Tailapa (973-97) was the lay votary of the adept Jinacandra-muni and his son Satyāśraya Iṛivabedanga (997-1008) was a lay pupil of Vimalacandra panditadeva. Uninterrupted assistance continued during the reign of these two emperors, father and son, who evinced personal interest. After usurping the Rāṣṭrakūṭa kingdom and establishing his own dynasty, Tailapa and his son continued Malkhed as their residence and Jaina officers, who were under the hegemony of their predecessor's rule, in different cadre and hierarchy were continued to serve the new monarchy. Surprisingly most of the crucial and consequential bureaucracy had Jainas. Besides, the Calukyas had emerged to the Imperial status with the support of Jaina community and Jaina friars. Śāntivarma, one of the governors of Tailapa, founded a Jina sanctuary at Saundatti and dedicated it to Bahubali Bhaṭṭāraka, in C.E. 980. At Mulgunda, Kereyamma a subordinate, erected a monlith mānastambha in front of Jaina shrine, in C.E. 977. King Tailapa, while camping at Rodda, near Pavagada, in C.E. 992, granted land, completely exempted from all taxes, to the Jaina temples of Kogali and the endowment was entrusted to Gaṇadhara Bhaṭṭāraka, chief of the Kogali diocese.
Tailapa honoured Ranna, poet-laureate and polyhistor, with the title of 'kavi-cakravarti' (poet-emperor) and presented him with 'Madanavatāra' a parasol of rarity. Till then such an unique distinction was awarded only to Puniseya Maruļadēva the Ganga prince, son of Būtuga and son-in-law of Kṛṣṇa-III, the Rāṣṭrakūṭa soverign; again, all the three of them being Jainas.