Jainism and Karnataka Culture

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

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JAINISM AND KARNATAKA CULTURE
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Pandya, son of Bhairavendra of the Lunar Race, caused the image of Bahubalin to be made. " "39 From it we also learn that Lalitakirti of the Panasogêvali of the Deśigana was the guru of Vira Pandya. Another inscription at Karkal speaks of the construction of the Caturmukha-basti by Immadi Bhairarasa of the family of Jina-Datta. 140 This family was once very powerful at Paṭṭipombucadripura or Humca near Simoga in Mysore, ** The conversion of Viṣṇuvardhana and the expansion of Lingayet power in the South gradually drove them west into Tuļuva. That Jainism was mostly prevalent over the ghats about this time is also indicated by the history of the Cangalvas of Coorg. " Dr. Samasastri observes that these were Jainas from the 11th to the 15th centuries. In 1013 Cangalva Pilduvayya made a grant to the Jainas for feeding the poor. The Sripala-caritra and Jayanṛpa-carita ascribed to Mangarasa also make it clear that this minister of Cangalva Vikrama was also a Jaina. Tradition says, these Jaina rulers of Kalahalli came from Dwārāvati together with five to six hundred Jaina families and settled in Coorg. Their capital was Piriyapatna (Beṭṭadapura) and the annual revenue of their territory is said to have been 48,00,000 varahas.*** Their priests were of Pansôgê or Hanasôgê (Hottage or Pustakagachcha) who were also the priests of the Bairāsu Wodeyars. Thus the rulers of Kanara and the rulers above the 'ghats were intimately connected, both by religious and family ties. Echappa Wodeya of Gersoppa, as well, appears to have married a daughter of the last Bairāsu Wodeyar of Karkaļa. 246
$39 Hultzsch, Jaina Colossi in South India, Ep. Ind. VII, p. 109. 240 Ibid., p. 110
241 Rice, Mysore and Coorg I, p. 371.
942 Sturrock, op. cit., pp. 61, 188.
243 Rice, Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions, pp. 141-42. 244 Shamasastri, Mysore Archaeological Report, 1925, pp. 15-6. 1 Varaha = Rs. 4
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245 Bice, op. cit., p. 142 Coorg Inscriptions, Ep, Car I. p. 18 Hultzsch, op. cit., p. 110.
246 Rangacharya, Inscriptions of the Madras Presidency I, p. 166.