Jaina Corpus of Koppala Inscriptions X rayed

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 47

28 / Jaina Corpus of Koppaļa
Jinna: A connoisseur of Koppaļa
Jinna, the nonpareil copyist of Dhavalā Tika, a Sanskrit commentary on Satkhandāgama. The primordial canonical text in Prakrit, of the adept Virasenācārya, was copied by a certain Jinna of Kupaņa. Virasena, of Pancastūpānvaya, completed his commentary in C.E. 816. Perhaps for the first time it was again copied in C.E. 1113, at the Arhat Pārśva caityālaya of Bannikere (Sh. dt. tk). The above temple was caused by the pious lady votary Bācaladevi, consort of Bhujabala Ganga Permmādideva, mahamandalesvara of Mandali-Thousand [EC. VI-I (BLR). Sh. 97. 1112-13. pp. 106-08]. Dhavala-Tikā was copied for Subancandra Siddhānti, the chief abbot of the Bannikere diocese. The copyig of the holy agama text was an act of śāstra-dāna by Devamati (Demati, Demavati, Demiyakka are the other popular aliases), sister of both Laksmimati and Būcana, wife of Cāmunda, the royal merchant, motherin-law of the Mandalinād chief Bhujabala Ganga Permmādideva, and mother of Ganga Mahādevi, queen consort of the Mandali nād chief (ibid, EC. II (R) SB. 160 (130). 1121. p. 101 ibid, SB 82 (73). C.E. 1118 pp. 64-65].
In the colophon (of the plam-leaf manuscript) of the DhavalāTikā, Jinna, the felicitous copyist, has breifly recorded an autobiographical note in three verses (a utpalamāla vrtta and two kandas). Jinna belongs to Kupana, the famous town: “Jinna, lustre to the ocean of his clan, thriving well as an excellent mirror for the learned faces, a bee at the lotus feet of Jina who is worshipped by Indra, the cheif of gods in heaven” - thus, the entire terrestrial world is profusely praising Jinna, the man par excellence in following the code of Manu (vrtta verse). Jinna, a worshipper of the lotus feet of Jina, a sea of humility, having pleasure in giving charities, follower of the best path, always keeping a distance from women folk, donor of things useful to public affairs [Kanda verse No. 1]. Varuna, the god of waters, merrily places on the neck of Bhārati alias Sarasvati, the garland necklace, choosing only the best of pearl from the ocean. Similarly, Jinna also writes the alphabets like a wrapper for the neck of the goddess of learning (Kanda verse no. 2).