Jaina Corpus of Koppala Inscriptions X rayed

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 43

24 / Jaina Corpus of Koppaļa
A clear preference for prose is obvious, though some inscriptions contain verses of academic excellence.
Except four (K. 20, K. 32, K. 14, K. 34), all other epigraphs are in Kannada language. The distinct preference for Kannada to Sanskrit is quite understandable. These charters were composed at a time when Kannada had gained importance as an official language. Its diction is simple and narrative in style, retaining some of the archaic forms of words and syntactic structure.
9.
All the epigraphs are in Kannada script. Most of the records belong to the period of the Cālukyas of Kalyāņa, who have clearly made known their affiliation to Nirgrantha church.
10.
Almost all the personalities described are devout Jainas who breathed their lost by observing the rite of sallekhanā.
11.
The inscriptions are all post obitum (niśidhika) of either a monk, a nun or a laity, male or female. This fresh information has a stronger and relevant bearing on the history of the later Gangas.
Some Jaina Tirtha kşetras, epicentres of the medieval Karnataka are listed in an inscription; K. 51 of A.D. 1204 (p. 129-30). They are Kolatūr, Lokkigundi, Kupana olim Kopaņa, Bankāpura, Hüli, Kogaļi, Murgunda, Soge, Battakere, Hänugal, Navilgunda, Be!goļa, Bandaņikāpura and Purikara. There are corroborative evidences approving the statement of this epigraph, that all of these places were recognised Jaina seats.
13.
The inscriptions provide a glimpse of the concept of the laity.
14.
These records also confirm that the friars and nuns, after learning and understanding the teachings of the tirthankaras, the Jaina prophets, devoted to preach and establish their master's message (Jinavāņi and Jinaśāsana) in spirit and letter. Thus, by living in deference to the teaching, the monks