Jainism in Ealy Medieval Karnataka

Author(s): Ram Bhushan Prasad Singh
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 13

PREFACE
The present book has grown out of my Ph.D. thesis approved by the Patna University in 1972. It is the result of my researches into the religious history of the Jainas in Karnataka who dominated the political and cultural life of Karnataka for about one thousand years during the early medieval period. Based on an analytical study of literary and epigraphic sources, it attempts to explain the prevalence of image worship, tantrism, priesthood and ritualistic formalism which characterized Karnataka Jainism in the early medieval period. The book also seeks to examine the social and economic basis of Jaina monasteries in all parts of the Kanada region.
The work has been prepared under the supervision of my respected teacher Professor R. S. Sharma, farmer Head of the Department of History, Patna University. He was not only a competent guide for my research but has also been a source of inspiration and encouragement to me. He took pains to go through the entire work in its manuscript stage and made valuable suggestions on many points. Words fail me to express my indebtedness to him.
I cannot forget Dr D. N. Jha who first kindled in me the spirit of research in south Indian history and Dr R.N. Nandi who taught me the proper way to tackle the problems of religious history. Dr Jha also read the entire revised manuscript and suggested several improvements. I am also thankful to my teachers in the Department of History, Patna University who helped me in various ways. I acknowledge with gratitude the help and advice I received from many eminent scholars from South India, especially Professor T. V. Mahalingam, Madras University, Professor P.B. Desai, Karnataka University, Dharwar, and Dr G, S. Dikshit of the same University.
I will be failing in my duty, if I do not express my deep sense of obligation to Professor A.L. Basham, who found time to go through the typescript and wrote a foreword for it. My