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JAINISM AND KARNĀTAKA CULTURE
India from Takka er Punjab in the North to Kānci, the capital of the Pallavas in the South. The legendary details of his life need not detain us, but the following challenge given out by him at Karhāțaka deserves citation :
"At first the drum was beaten by me (as a challenge to disputants) within the city of Pāțaliputra, and afterwards in the country of Mālva, Sindhu, and Takka (Punjab), at Kanci, and Vidića (Bhilsa ). I have now arrived at Karbățaka. Desirous of disputation, O King, I exhibit Śārdula-vikridita metre (lit. sporting of a tiger ). When the disputant Samantabhadra stands in the court, O King, even the tongue of Dhūrjați ( Siva ) who talks clearly and skilfully, turns back quickly towards the nape of the neck. What hope can there be for others ?"24 Commenting on this Mr. Rice observes, " It was the custom in those days, alluded to by Fä Hian ( 400 ) and Hieun Tsang ( 630 ) for a drum to be fixed in a public place in the city, and any learned man, wishing to propagate a doctrine or prove his erudition and skill in debate, would strike by way of challenge to disputation, much as Luther nailed up his thesis on the door of the church at Wittenberg. Samantabhadra made full use of this custom, and powerfully maintained the Jaina doctrine of Syādvāda ".25 Interesting corroboration of this is found in the instance of Vimalacandra who is said to have put up a notice at the gate of the palace of Satrubhayankara, challenging the Saivas, Pāśupatas, Baudhas, Käpälikas, and Kapilas to engage him in disputation.26
Samantabhadra's another well known work is the Ratnakarandaka-Gravakācāra or the Jewel Casket of Laymen's Conduct. We have elsewhere quoted a verse from this book relating to
24 पूर्व पाटलिपुत्रमध्यनगरे भेरी मया ताडिता
पश्चान्मालवसिंधुठक्कविषये कांचीपुरे वैदिशे । प्राप्तोऽहं करहाटकं बहुभटं विनोत्कटं संकटं वादार्थी विचराम्यहं नरपते शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् ॥
M. D. J. G. XXIV, Introd., pp. 64-70; Ep. Car. II Introd. pp. 83-4. 95 Bice, (E. P.). op. cit.. p. 26 26 Cf. Ep. Car. II Introd., p. 84
