Jain Journal 2005 01

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

Page 21

120
JAIN JOURNAL: VOL-XXXIX. NO. 3 JANUARY.. 2005
"The image shows the great master seated beneath the Dhātaki tree practising the 'exposure to all weathers' austerity when Meghakumāra (Cloud Prince) attacked him with a great storm. The serpent king, the Nāga Dharanendra, spreads his hoods above Pārsvanātha's head and his consort, the Nāgini Padmāvati, holds an umbrella over him."
Though Jainism did not flourish very much in the age of Imperial Kanauj (750-1000 A.D.) for the lack of royal support in the north, it, however, received royal support in the south during the period of the Chāpa dynasty in the first quarter of the ninth century. In fact, the Chāpa rulers were the patrons of Jain religion. According to the Jaina Prabandhas, Vanarāja Chavdā was installed on the throne at Aşahilapāțaka by his Jaina guru Sī'aguņasūri. Vanarāja's prime minister was a Jain merchant named Champā. Another merchant prince Ninnaya by name built a temple of Rşabhanātha at Anahilavāda. Vanarāja consecrated the idol of Pārsvanātha in the temple of pascasāra-caitya built by him. The rulers of the Chāpa dynasty also built many Jain temples.
From the Bappabhattisūricaritra, found in the Prabhāvakacaritra (SJS, pp 85 ff), we come to know that the Pratihāras (from the second quarter of the eighth century to the tenth cent. A.D.) were also the chief patrons of Jain religion. Vatsarāja of this dynasty also consecrated a golden temple of Lord Mahāvīra at Kanauj, and at Gwalior he also installed an image of Mahāvīra.
Without going into details, it is better that we give below in a tabular form the images of the twenty-four Tīrthankaras found in different centuries at different places of India : S.N. Tīrthankaras! Period Century | Names of Musuem
the places Rsabha / Caulukya 860 Akoța, Gujrat Baroda Adinātha
A.D. Cedi 11th Tripuri, Madhya Indian A.D. Pradesh
Museum,
Calcutta Gābadavāla 12th | Mahet, Gonda,
A.D. U.P.
6.
Bhattacharya, ibid. Introduction, pp. XV - vi.