Jain Journal 2002 07

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

Page 49

Dr. B. K. Khadabadi: Contribution of Jainism
Jainism kept on accommodating itself to the age and environment, gradually became the dominant religion of the land for nearly 12 centuries (200 A.D. to 1300 A.D.) and guided the fortunes of some of the most powerful royal families ruling over it, besides being the creater of new kingdoms like the Ganga and the Hoysala. It is enough, at this context, if we only remember the words of advice extended by Acarya, Simhanandi to the Ganga Kings, Dadiga and Madhava That if they the kings failed in what they promised, if they did not approve of the Jaina Sāsana, if they seized the wives of others, if they ate honey and flesh, if they kept relationship with the low, if they gave not their wealth to the needy and if they fled from the battle-field, then their race would go to ruin' (Kallūraguḍḍa Stone Inscription, 1122 A.D.).
The percolative process and cumulative effect of all such contributive efforts and endeavours of Jainism through centuries, it may be observed, have made the people of Karnataka (comparatively) less violent, more tolerent, accommodative and vegetarian, as we find them so even today.
Mahārāṣṭra
Now when we think of Maharashtra, there stands before us rather a different picture of the Jaina contribution to the culture of this area. Though the advent of Jainism from the North to South was in two streams, owing to the peculiar geographical situation and prior political picture of Maharashtra, neithter of the streams could enter into it directly.
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But today we find that South Maharashtra, leaving aside the western coastal districts, is rather densely populated by the people of the Jaina community, mostly the Digambaras (with some Shwetambaras carrying from outside area and settling in cities), who are agriculturists in large number and some merchants, traders and others. For this, there are some interesting reasons the southern belt of the present Maharashtra was formerly a part of Karnataka under the Śilāhāra and Rāṣṭrakūta kings and the Jaina therein naturally were Kannadigas. Later after the battle of Talekota (1565) near Bijapur in North Karnataka, between the Adilshahi power and the Vijaynagar regime, when king Rāmarāya was brutally murdered, that area came under the Adilshahi regime.