Jaina Monuments of Andhra

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

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Jaina Monuments of Andhra
children at the time of learning their alphabets, is originally a Jain formula. Later on 'Om Namah Sivayah' was prefexed to it. It is a wellknown fact that the earliest of the Kannada poets, Pampa and Ponna who were credited with the composition of Jinendrapurana and Adipurana in Kannada, belonged to Andhradesa.82 Pampa's brother, Jinavallabha (10th century A.D.) had several honorofic titles like 'SakalaKalapravina', Bhavya-ratnakara, Vachakabharana and Gunapakshapatin. But, the literary work of Jinavallabha except the Kurkyala inscription which extols the eminence and pious deeds of Jinavallabha, of 10th century A.D. is known to us.83 Another Jain, Atharvana is known to have translated the Mahabharata into Telugu. Malliya Rechana, who was known as 'Sravaka-bharana' (i.e. an ornament of the Jain community) is known to have written ‘Kavijana srayam' in Telugu metre with the help of Vachakabharana i.e. Jinavallabha. This is confirmed by the Kurkyala inscription which informs that Jinavallabha who flourished in 10th century A.D., possessed the title Vacakabharana. Thus Malliya Rechana becomes the first writer in Telugu and not Nannayya who is hitherto considered as Adikavi (i.e. the first poet) in Telugu literature. Unfortunately, all this Jain literature perished because of prevailing conflicts between Jains and Virasaivites. The only big work Jinendrakalyanabhyudayam lies unpublished in Sravana Belgola; but only a few verses are known from Padmakavi's Jinendrapuranam.84 The Jains showed interest in learning. Some of the Jain centres of Andhra functioned as centres of education. At Rayadurgam in Anantapur District, are found sculptural representation of students and teachers with Vidyapithas before them.85 Scholars are of the opinion that it was a big centre of education or a university. Such centres of education should have produced important literary works.86 Among such works, Kundakunda-charya's Samayasara, Pravachanasara. Niyamasara and Panchastrikayasara, Padmaprabhamaladharideva's commentary Tatparvavritti on Niyamasara of Kundakunda, Ugraditya's Kalyanakaraka and Somadevasuri's Yasastilaka are indeed worthwhile.
Coming to art and architecture, the Jains are known to have taken their due share in the development of arts in the country. Here, it must be noted that Jainism was a running mate of Hinduism and
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