Book Title: Jain Legend Vol 3
Author(s): Hastimal Maharaj, Shuganchand Jain, P S Surana
Publisher: Hastimal Maharaj Shugan C Jain P S Surana
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tradition. In general we can infer that this first stage of Bha raka tradition existed from V.N. 640 to V.N. 880-82.
During 220-227 AD, c rya Simha Nandi imparted many types of knowledge and skills to two princes namely Dadiga and M dhava (R ma and Lak ma a) of k atriya lineage and made them experts. These two princes with the active support of crya Simha Nandi established Jain
Dynasty in South India. An analysis of the activities of crya M gha Nandi leads us to infer that he was a Bha raka of Y pan ya congregation.
The second stage of Bha
raka tradition
Towards the later part of 9th century V.N., Bha rakas started mobilising, organizing and making their own groups / followings stronger. For this they started living permanently in a temple, organize education in Jain doctrine of young devotees of that area. They further started influencing their devotees with their knowledge of mantras, instruments or implements (yantras), rituals (tantras) and medicine etc. Due to the worldly desires and their fulfilment, the devotees started surrounding and getting attracted to these Bha rakas. Further due to the strong educational background and attainments coupled with extra ordinary miraculous powers of the Bha rakas, even the kings and royal families started becoming their followers. The kings in turn kept on extending royal patronage to these Bha rakas as well. By getting honours bestowed by kings, they became the holy teachers of royal families (R jaguru). This further enhanced their influence amongst common laity leading them to build grand Jain temples complexes having educational institutions to impart education on Jain doctrine, philosophy and gained control over other educational institutions imparting formal education in social, political, literature etc. Graduates of all such educational institutes did some exemplary works in their respective fields of sociology, literature, religion etc. This was the second stage of the Bha rakas tradition which started around V.N. 784. Earlier c ryas during this stage of development used to live naked but in later stages they started wearing clothes as well around Vikram era 13" century.
The chronology of c ryas of this stage of Bharaka tradition is available starting with c rya V ra Sena's (V.N. 1300) teacher,
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