Jain Journal 2004 07

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

Page 12

HAMPA NAGARAJATAIT:APROPOSOFHIMSA VSAHIMSA
service without sacrificing spiritual sap. The novel orientation was not intended to persuade a reluctant warrior or joining battle. The oecumenical positive approximation allowed the religious ambiguity to be sloughed off, and enhanced a more invigorated pluralism.
1.09.2. Once, Dadiga and Madhava, Ksatriya brothers in distress, approached ascetic Simhanandi leading the life of austerity at the outskrits of the city. Taking pity on the forlorn brothers, adept Simhanandi made them indulge in proper education, and blessed them with a boon, a sword and a kingdom. Mādhava, with all his might, struck the stone pillar which broke with cracking noise. Convinced with his power, prophet Simhanandi placed a coronet of the petals of Karņikāra flower, and blessed by scattering akşata, rice grains. Thus the saint with a pleased mind gave the Gangas a kingdom with a crest, a congnizance, making his piñca olim rajoharaṇa, peacock feather with broom, a lāñcana for them, furnished with numerous attendants, elephants and horses, and played the role of king maker. With matured consideration, Simhanandi not only promoted the Ganga kingdom, but probably initiated a neo-military concept in the Jaina Church which provided moral courage with all its spiritual sanction.
1.09.3. Contemplating on the historical significance of Simhanadi's charter, Professor Vasantha Kumari aptly writes : "It was only a change introuced with regard to ahimsā in practice and not in theory. Without this change, Jainism would have remained merely as an impuissant or as an act of myth like a king without 'might', or a religion without ‘many followers'. The political sovereignty of the Jaina rulers was thus made possible and military services and warrior profession received spiritual sanction. These changes helped the Jaina rulers to raise themselves to the trend of the period..... Thus the spiritual concept of ahimsā, the military concept of imperialism were amalgamated and the impossible was possibly achieved, which in fact, led to the political and cultural matrix of Jainism in Karnataka" Vasantha Kumari: 1991: 179].
1.09.4. Gangarāja, chief commander of the Hoysala army, and the crest jewel of perfect faith in Jainism, had imbibed to the core the moral-ethical code prescribed by Simhanandi ācārya. One of his