Jainism and Karnataka Culture

Author(s): S R Sharma
Publisher: Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar

Page 53

HISTORICAL SURVEY
be built." There is also a Jaina cave towards the eastern end of the South face of the Mêguti temple where this inscription is found; and Fleet observes that was has been the case with most of the Jaina temples of these parts, it seems to have been afterwards adopted to the purposes of Linga worship."94 This conversion to Saiva use was the outcome of the Hindu revivalist movement, which, as in the case of the Tamils, was growing strong as years rolled on. We witness the same Hindu reaction in the territory ruled over by the Calukyas as well. Still, the Calukyas for a long time appear to have continued their patronage of Jainism, no less than that of other creeds, thereby justifying the proud title of Satyāśraya or 'Anchor of Truth, borne by several among them.
Jayasimha II is thus stated to have even had for his spiritual preceptor a Jaina teacher named Niravadya Pandita. And an inscription of Vijayāditya tells us that this king made a grant to Udayadeya Pandita, or Niravadya Pandita who was the housepupil of Sri Pūjyapāda and belonged to the Devagaņa division of the Mūlasamgha. Commenting on this passage Dr. Bhandarkar observes, “ If the Pūjyapāda who was the preceptor of Niravadya Pandita was the famous grammarian of that name, he must have flourished sometime before 618 Śaka, the date of Vinayāditya's death, i.e. about 600 Saka or 678 A.D. All that is known about Pūjyapāda and his relations to other Digambara writers is not inconsistent with this date."97 Vijayāditya's son Vikramaditya II, also repaired a Jaina temple and gave a grant to the Jaina Ācārya Vijayadeva Pandita : “Having embellished the Sankhatirtha Jinālaya of Pulikara and repaired the white Jinālaya at the request of the merchant Bāhubali, which was made for the purpose of increasing the worship of Jina,
93 Aibole Inscription of Palakesi II, Ibid. VIII, p. 245. • 94 Ibid., p. 237. 95 Bhandarkar , Early History of the Dekkan, p. 59; Bom. Gaz.. I ii, p. 191, 96 Floet, S. and 0.0. Inscriptions, Inc. Ant. VII, P. 112, 97 Bbändärkar, Karly History of the Dekan, P. 59.