Jainism and Karnataka Culture

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

Page 55

HISTORICAL SURVEY
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or minister under Arikesari, who was a descendant of the early Calukya Kings, but at this time was a tributory of the Rāṣṭrakūtas." He further adds, Arikesari's court was at Puligere (Lakṣmeswar), and it is in the especially excellent Kanarese of this capital that the poet claims to write." The date of the Jaina or Pampa Bhārata is given as 941 A.D.108
The Raṣṭrakūța domination lasted for a little over two centuries, from 754-974 A. D. 104 They too were, some of them, great patrons of Jainism, as we shall see in the next chapter. But for the sake of continuity of our treatment of the Calukyas and their relationship with Jainism, it is better that we trace the history of the family to its very close. It is rather difficult to account for the sudden revolution in the religious policy of the Calukyas when their power was again restored by Tailapa II about 974 A.D. It is alleged that the Cālukya rulers beginning with Tailapa II persecuted the Jainas.105 But it was possible that this was due more to political causes rather than to religious. Day by day the Saiva opposition to Jainism was growing strong in the country. The Raṣṭrakūtas were undoubtedly patrons of Jainism. Hence, as in the case of the Colas about the time of Sundara Pandya's conversion, it was easy to mix up religion with politics; and Śaivism, in its dynamic condition, was a ready handmaid for the politically ambitious and revolutionary Calukyas. The story is an exact replica of that told about the conversion of the Pandya king. It is related of Jayasimha III, grandson of Tailapa, that he was converted to the Vira-Saiva creed owing to the influence of his wife Suggaladevi. Thenceforth he is supposed to have persecuted the Jainas. The Basava Purana states that Hottalakere or Pottalakere contained as many as seven hundred basadis or Jaina temples and 20,000 Jaina ascetics. Devara-Dasimayya the guru of Suggaladevi, wife of Desinga, despoiled the Śrāvakas and induced Desinga to
103 Rice (E. P.), Kanarese Literature, p. 30.
104 Smith, Early History of India, p. 39,
105 Cf. Vaidya, Mediaeval Hindu India, 1, p. 409,
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