Jaina Temples of Western India

Author(s): Harihar Singh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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Faina Temples of Western India
records of his feudatory chiefs. The Kiradu stone After Kumārapāla the royal patronage to inscription of A. D. 1152 states that Mahārāja Jainism seems to have ceased. According to Jaina Alhanadeva gave security to animals on the sacred tradition, Ajayapāla, the successor of Kumārapāla, day of Sivarātri and on the 8th, 11th and 14th days persecuted the Jainas and destroyed their temof both the fortnights in three cities.388 Another ples. 348 However, Jainism did not lose its footinscription of the reign of Kumārapāla records that hold in Gujarat; the generous activities of the Pūņapākşadeva ordered his subjects to refrain from merchant princes like Vastupala, Tejapāla and killing any animal on the Amavasyā, i. e. the last Jagadū were enough to compensate the loss. Among day of the dark fortnight, and on other special the merchant princes the names of Vastupala and days.984 Though the records of Kumārapāla him- Tejapāla stand pre eminent. The Jaina tradition self do not make mention of amāri', it was not a credits them with the building of a large number partial measure, for Hemacandra positively says of Jaina temples.349 The veracity of the tradition that even the Hindu gods could not be offered any is also attested by a contemporary inscription, which animal sacrifice 336 This statement of Hemacandra records that they had by the year 1219 A. D. built gets support from the later chroniclers also. The one crore temples and repaired many old ones at Prabandhas indeed say that the sacrifices were for- renowned places of pilgrimage such as Shatrunjaya bidden on the occassion of the Durgapūja.836 and Arbudīcala, and in some prosperous cities like According to the Duyasraya, even hunting and fow. Anahilapura, Bhrgupura, Stambhatirtha, Darbhaling were also stopped.337 Kumarapāla also gave vati. Devalakka and many other places.350 No up the idea of confiscating the property of a child. doubt the epigraphical record exaggerates their less man, 838 and banned drinking, gambling and deeds, it can hardly be denied that they w certain other vices like the sports of betting on builders. The temples built by them still stand to pigions and cock-fights.339
their credit at Abu and Girnar, and due to the Apart from these measures, Kumärapäla showed construction of these magnificent temples their his great zeal for Jainism by erecting Jaina temples names are pronounced with great respect to this at different places. Hemacandra credits him with day in Gujarat. Vastupāla's devotion to Jainism the building of only two Jaina temples, namely the is manifested also in that he visited holy Jaina Kumāravihāra enshrining Parávanātha at Anahila- places like Shatrunjaya and Girnar, 367 and establipātaka and the Pärávanatha temple at Devapat- shed Taina libraries (Bhandaras) at Anahilavāda, tana.840 But elsewhere Hemacandra mentions Stambhatirtha and Bhrgukaccha,352 that almost every village maintained a Jaina temple.841 Apart from making reference to the After the death of Vastupāla and Tejapāla, Kumāravihāra at Anahilapāțaka, 342 the Prabhāva Jagadu, a merchant prince of Kutch, continued kacarita reveals that Kumārapāla erected 32 small their religious activities by erecting temples to vihāras, installed an image of Neminātha in the Tirthankaras and by making pilgrimages to holy Tribhuvanavihāra, built a Jaina temple at Shatru- Jaina places.853 But his most charitable work was njaya, and finally adorned all the main places with his services to humanity during the time of a severe the Jaina caityas.343 The number of Jaina temples famine which lasted for three years (1256-58 built by Kumarapala as given by Merutunga is A.D.).354 This meritorious deed of Jagađu, in which still greater. According to Merutunga, he built he was inspired by a Jaina monk, must have eleva1440 temples distributed all over the country,344 ted the position of Jainism. Pethada was another He also built the Jholikāvihāra at Dhandhukā,345 Jaina merchant who erected temples to Jinas. 365 and restored the Säligavasahikä at Cambay.848 As stated above, of the two Jaina sects the Kumārapāla also made pilgrimages to the holy Svetāmbara Jainism has got the upper hand in Jaina sites like Shatrunjaya and Girnar.347 The Gujarat, as all the Jaina temples of our period beAjitanātha temple at Taranga built by Kumārapāla long to this sect. As Jainism does not believe in still stands intact and is indicative of high state of any creator of the universe, all the Jaina temples Jainism during this period.
are dedicated to one or the other of the 24 Tirthan.