Jaina Shrines In India

Author(s): O P Tandon
Publisher: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Vovernment of India

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Introduction
the spread of Jainism. He was the disciple of Arya Suhastin and offered alms to Jaina monks. As Samprati was the Viceroy of Ujjain, the spread of the religion to Madhya Pradesh by about third century B. C. is established. According to Brihat Kalpa- surra Bhasya, Samprati is also credited with making the regions of Andhra, Dravida, Maharashtra and Coorg etc., safe for Jaina monks. Lohanipur (Patna) stone torso and Pärsvanātha in bronze at Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay, are regarded early Jaina images belonging to the Mauryan period.
The force of Jainism was in the western parts of India beyond Ujjain by about the second century B.C. Literary traditions credit Salisukha, brother of Samprati for this contribution in Saurashtra. Of course, the traditional association goes back to the times of twenty-second Tirthankara, Neminátha, who renounced the world in Kathiawar.
As far as South India is concerned, Jainism attained the status of a state religion during the rule of Ganga dynasty in about second century A.D. Many kings of this dynasty were great devotees of Jaina religion and made munificent grants to their temples, monasteries and other establishments. The Kadamba dynasty (fourth century A.D. onwards) also patronized this religion as is recorded in a number of inscriptions of this period. These epigraphical evidences reveal a wealth of information about the existence of various sects in Jainism and also about the practices of image worship. The Chera and the Chola dynasties in the South also extended their patronage to Jaina religion through grant of lands etc.
Journeying upwards again, Mathura in north India developed as a great centre of Jainism. The remains of structural activity as revealed by the excavations at Kankali-tila at Mathura, images of Tirthankaras, sculp- tural fragments depicting stories from the
lives of Tirtharkaras, architectural members and railing pillars with sculptures carved on them belonging to the period of Kushanas, all are evidences of the importance of the place. Numerous inscriptions throw ample light on the large following of the religion in this region.
Saurashtra (Gujarat) continued to feel the firm hold of Jainism in the early centuries of the Christian era. The find of a Tirthankara image belonging to Circa 300 A.D. and the fact that two councils were held at Valabhi in the fourth and fifth centuries provide ample evidence about it.
The Gupta rulers, maintaining rich traditions of religious toleration extended their help in numerous ways inspite of the fact that they had revived Brahmanism. Their rule known as the Golden period of Indian history allowed carving of images and construction of temples, etc. Ramagupta is known to have patronised three images of Tirthankara in Vidisa. During the regime of Harshavardhana, Jainism somehow survived in this part of the mainland but it spread out in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Central India also. The subsequent history of Jainism throughout the length and breadth of the country is a story of stabilisation during successive ruling dynasties, such as Pratiharas in north India, the Chandellas in Central India, the Haihayas, the Paramaras, the Kacchapaghatas and the Gohadavalas over parts of Malwa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. These dynasties ruled during ninth to thirteenth century A.D. In medieval period again there was a spurt in its various activities. The Rashtrakutas (808-88 A.D.) and the Chalukyas (940-1299 A.D.) added considerably to the splendour that was already there, particularly in the region of Gujarat. The people of this land have remained predominantly vegetarian due to popular belief in the Jaina ethics of ahimsa (non-injury). Abu, Girnar