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THE JAINA GAZETTE patent that the image of Bahubali (at Sravana Belgola) itself must have first acquired the new name, whence and whereafter Camunda Raya got his new name as a reflex.
That Camunda Raya had the special name or title 'Raya' bestowed upon him by his king is amply borne out by the following references, each of which is of an earlier date than the 'Bhujavali-sataka'.
(1) The poet Ranna named his son Raya' after Camunda Raya (Ajita-purna, XII, 51, 53).
(2) Another protege of Camunda Raya, the Kanarese poet Nagavarman says in the 'Chandombudhi', a treatise on Kanarese prosody, that " his protector (i.e., patron) is one (who is called) 'Nrpa' and 'Anna', both of which are the titles of Camunda Raya, and of which the former is but a synonym of Raya, meaning 'a king,' and the latter 'an elder brother.'
(3) Inscriptions Nos. 73. 125 and 251 (all of 1118 A.C.) at Sravana Belgola have the following: "Is not Gangarajal a hundredfold more fortunate than the Raya of the Gangas (= kings of the Ganga dynasty) of yore ?" Here 'Raya' of course is Camunda Raya, who was the minister as well as general of three kings of the Ganga dynasty (i.e., the Western Gangas of Talakad), viz., Marasimha, Racamalla IV and Rakkasa Ganga.
(4) Inscription no. 345 (1159 A.C.) at Sravana Belgola also says: "If it be asked who at first were the promoters of the immutable Jina doctrine, only Raya (i.e., Camunda Raya), the excellent minister of king Racamalla......"
Moreover, Camunda Raya does not call himself 'Gommata' or Gommata Raya' in the three inscriptions on the colossus itself, which must have been, without doubt, engraved at his own instance, and which are as follows :
(i) No. 175._"Sri Camunda Raya caused to be made _" what and when is not stated (this inscription is in old Kanarese language and alphabet).
(ii) No. 176.—“Sri Camunda Raya caused to be made—"
1. This Gangaraja was the commander-in-cbief of king Vienuvardhana of the Hosals' dynasty, and also the builder of the enclosure around the colossus at Sravada Bolgola.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
