Jaina Corpus of Koppala Inscriptions X rayed

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 36

Koppaļa through ages/17
Attimabbe, the best of persons in tenth century, who rendered marvellous acts of merit for the propoganda and protection of Nirgrantha church (Ajita Purāṇam, canto-12, verse-9]. Brahmaśiva (C. 1170 A.D.), another poet-laureate in the Cālukya kingdom, states that Śankaraganda built nonpareil Jaina temples at the town (Koppa!a) that made the silver mountains dwarf [Samaya Parikşe, canto-l, verse-37).
Daņņāyakana basadi, a temple built by the general, near the modern Danakana (an abridged version of the nomen Daņņāyaka) bavi, a dilapidated well full of stone walls. If this well and walls are excavated and dismantled, it is definitely going to yield further fresh material. Regarding Pārsvanātha basadi, it should be noted that, two of the Jina-Pārsva images of Koppa!a are preserved in Salar Jung museum of Hyderabad [MAR. 1916. p.83; Krishnamacharlu, C.R: 1935: No. 9]. Of the two, the one with an inscription engraved on its pedestal, has Arhat Päráva in the centre in Kāyotsarga, dismissing the body posture, and in the aureola (tiruvāci, nimbus) going round the image are represented 23 other Tirthankaras in miniature; and in the lower portion are the jinasāsanadevas, the two attendent figures of Dharaṇa on the right and Padmāvatidevi on the left. There are two cauris on both side of Pārsva Jina, a seven hooded canopy and above it a triple umbrella, (SK. chatra-traya; Ka. mukkode), symbolising the Arhat as the supreme master of the three world.
Regarding the nomen of Timambarasiya basadi, there is a different reading; while giving the boundaries of a gift entrusted into the hands of the aruvadimbar, the sixty elders, the record refers to lands belonging to the basadi of Attimabbarasi (AREP 1963-64 No. 381. p. 94]. In which case, early reading of P.B. Desai [Sāsana Paricaya, No. 18 vide K. 81 in Koppaļa Säsanagaļu: 1998-A: 178] stands corrected. The corrected form of Attimabbarasi stands to reason in the sense that Attimabbe lived not too far away from Koppaļa. She lived at Lakkundi near Koppaļa and constructed an astonishing figure of 1501 temples at different places [SII. xi-i, 52. 1007]. Hence it is but expected that she built a basadi at Koppaļa, the Ādi and mahā-tirtha, and endowed
it.