Jainism and Karnataka Culture

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

Page 87

#ISTORICAL SURVEY
55 reference, except in the report of Mr. Mangesh Rao, who copied them from a very old transcript entitled 'Ņudabidireya Šāsanagaļu' in the Oriental Library of Madras. To discuss their details, however interesting in themselves, would take us far beyond our immediate purpose. Gersoppa the Jaina capital is now in ruins, but contains monuments of unique value. A few relics from the place may be seen at the Indian Historical Research Institute, St. Xavier's College, Bombay. The estampages of some of the inscriptions there, although they are not quite distinct, indicate names like Mangarasa, and Harihara, which makes their age practically certain. One of them is from a Viragallu recording the death of a hero. In another the opening verse is clearly the usual invocation found in all Jaina inscriptions. It reads:
ಶ್ರೀ ಮತ್ಪರಮ ಗಂಭೀರಸ್ಮಾದ್ಯಾದಾಮೋಘಲಾಂಛನಂ |
ಜೀಯಾತ್ ತೈಲೋಕನಾಥಸ್ಯ ಶಾಸನಂ ಜಿನಶಾಸನಂ | May the sacred Jaina doctrine, the doctrine of the Lord of the worlds, be victorious; the supreme, profound syādvāda, the token of unfailing success'. The glory of Gersoppa as it was once is indicated by yet another inscription in the Muļbidre temple which speaks of it as having the beauty of the vermilion mark on the smiling lotus-like face of the woman Tuļuva country'. And the poet who composed the inscription asks :
ಇಂತಸವ ನಗರಿ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರದೇಶದೋಳ್ ' ಬಳಸಿರ್ದೊಪ್ಪುವ ನಂದನಾವಳಿಗಳಿಂ ಕಾಖಾರ ನೀರೇಜದಿಂ ! ಕಳಭೌತೋಜ್ವಲ ಸಾಲಕೊತ್ತಲಗಳಿಂದಟ್ಟಾಲ ಜಾಲಂಗಳಿಂ | ವಿಲಸದೂಪುರದಿಂ ಸುಹಮ್ಮಚಯದಿಂ ಶ್ರೀ ಜೈನಗೇಹಂಗಂ ||
ಚಲುವಂ ತಾಳಿದ ಗೇರಸಪ್ಪ ನಗರಂ ಕೊಂಡಾಡಲಾರ್ಬಲ್ಲರೆ | 280 Who can describe the charm of the city of Gersoppa in the heart of the Kingdom of Nagira full of beautiful places, resplendent towers, Jaina houses (basadis ? ) etc. ?'
Yet, Gersoppa was only a political rather than a religious centre. But its intimate connections with South Kanara, the 980 Ibid., p. 168. Ins. II.