Jain Journal 2000 04

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

Page 41

HAMPANA : THE RĀȘTRAKŪTAS AND JAINISM
197 successful wars in favour of his over-lords, the Gangas and the Rāstrakūtas. But when he and his immediate masters, the Ganga chiefs, could not save the sudden collapse of the Rāștrakūța dynasty, Camundarāya wisely bid adieu to political life and turned all his faculties towards religious life. He befriended Ranna, a famous litterateur of his times, and translated, in an abridged form, the entire Mahāpurāņa of Jinasēna and Guņabhadra. He completed TrisaștiLaksaņa-Mahāpurāna, also known as Cāmundarāyapurana in A.D. 978. He has also written Caritrasāra in Sanskrit and Vira-mārtandi in Kannada, but the latter work is not extant.
Cāmundarāya was a follower of Ajitasenācarya and Nemicandrācārya, two eminent ascetics of his time. He had two other aliases of Rāya and Anna. He constructed a huge and magnificient Jaina temple on the smaller hill at Śravanabelagola which was named after him as Cāmundarāya basadi But the greatest feat of his life's achievement is the commissioning of 58' huge monolith collossal of Bāhubali on the crest of bigger hill at Sravanabelagola in A.D. 981, which has been rightly considered as one of the wonders of the world. This heralded a new trend in Jaina art and architecture.
The history of Jainism of Rāştrakūta period will not be complete without reference to the Gangas, who ably and faithfully assisted their overlords. Though they had crossed swords initially, they soon realised the importance of moving together to foster the greater interest of the state. They had a common faith to serve. Because of their joint efforts, Jainism attained the status of a state religion. With their marriage alliances, men and women of both the houses liberally patronised Jaina temples and monastries throughout the kingdom. In the hours of political crisis they stood by each other, even at the cost of their precious lives. Mahāmandalesvara Būtuga, his sons, daughters and four wives all extended maximum support to the glory of Jinadharma by constructing Jaina temples at different places like Annigere, Puligere (Lakşmēśvara), Naregal, Koppaļa, Hungunda, Kõgaļi and Sravanabelagola.
Rāștrakūta Šubhatunga Indra, father of Dantidurga, had built Subhatunga Jinālaya in Vādnēr in Nāsik Dt. Amõghavarsa founded Amõghavasati Jainmandir at Candanapuri (Nasik Dt) for which later in A.D. 915, Indra-III donated two villages. Amoghavarşa also granted a village and lands for the Jaina temple at Konnur (Dharwar Dt) constructed by Bankēya in A.D. 860 and a grant of land for the Nāgulabasadi to its ācārya Nāganandi. Mahāsāmanta Prithvirāja founded a Jinendra bhavana at Savadatti (Belgaum Dt) during the rule of Krsna