Jaina Monuments of Andhra

Author(s): G Jawaharlal
Publisher: Sharada Publishing House Delhi

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Jaina Monuments of Andhra
gana to which Chandraprabha belonged, was popular in the Western Deccan where Kubja-Vishnuvardhana acted as Yuvaraja35 before he was appointed as governor of Vengi. Therefore it is quite likely that Chandraprabha accompanied his royal disciple to Vengi. Afterwards, he became the preceptor of the queen Ayyanamahadevi, wife of Kubja Vishnuvardhana. Kubja Vishnuvardhana's leanings towards Jainism are also known from the Kolluru Kaifiyat36 which informs that in the early years, several Jaina-rajas viz., Jayasimha, Malladeva, Somideva, Permadideva and the Vengi King Vishnuvardhana ruled over Andhra.
During the time of Vishnuvardhana II (A.D. 673-683), Jainism received royal patronage. This is confirmed by the recently discovered three copper plate grants in Peddapurappadu of East Godavari district. 37 They register a gift of land to the teacher Shri Kanakanandiacharya who belonged to Yapaniya-sangha by Sri Vishamasiddhi (i.e. Vishnuvardhana II) for the maintanance of Jain temples, situated in Kokandiparru (modern Kakinada, East Godavari district) Turangu i.e. the area around Turangesvara temple near Kakinada and Koyyuru (modern Kovuru near Kakinada East Godavari district). For the first time, we know from these plates that Vishnuvardhana II had leanings towards Jainism. Further, they furnish information about the existence of Yapaniya sangha in the East Godavari district as early as 7th century A.D.
Afterwards during the reign of Vishnuvardhana III, the village, Musinikonda previously gifted to the Jaina basadi, was renewed.38 This shows that the king Vishnuvardhana III, had leanings towards Jainism. In the reign of Vijayaditya, successor of Vishnuvardhana III, the Rashtrakuta influence gradually increased over Vengi and Vishnuvardhana IV (A.D. 771-806) gave his daughter, Silamahadevi in marriage to the Rashtrakuta king Dhruva. It was under Vishnuvardhana IV that Ramatirtham in Vizianagram district was developed into a sacred Jaina centre of learning.
AMMA II (A.D. 945-970) son and successor of Chalukya Bhima II, was the greatest benefactor of Jainism among the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. Though he was styled as Paramamahesvara, his family