________________
JAINISM IN INDIA
they built a large number of temples and shrines. Several temples built by Vastupala and Tejahpala are still standing. Of these those which can be definitely ascribed to Vastupala and Tejahpala now are the temples at Girnar and Abu. The present temple of Vastupala at Girnar consists of three shrines; Mallinatha the nineteenth Tirthankara is enshrined in the central, while in the shrines on the sides are Sumeru and Samet Sikhara. There are six inscriptions embedded over so many doors of this temple which give an idea of the religious activities of the two brothers. The temple at Girnar is said to have been built by Vastupala to increase his own merit and that of his wife Lalitadevi. The inscriptions then claim that Vastupala and his younger brother Tejahpala had by the year (V). S. (12) 76 erected one crore temples and renovated many old ones at great and renowned places of pilgrimage such as Satrunjaya, Arbudacala, and in prosperious cities such as Anahilapura, Bhrgupura, Stambhanakapura, Stambhatirtha, Darbhavati, Dhavalakka and many other places. Of these only at Abu the temple of Tejahpala can be definitely identified. The temple is dedicated to Neminatha, the twentysecond Tirthankara and was built by Tejahpala for increasing the
eligious merit of his wife Anupama devi and their son Lunasimha (Lavanya Simha). There are thirtytwo inscriptions in this temple of which three relate to the erection of the main temple and contain historical information of importance while the rest are small ones recording that Tejahpala in the years following the erection of the temple (V. S. 1287) did not cease to enlarge and embellish the sanctuary which he had created. These small inscriptions are engraved on the lintels of several cell shrines in the corridor of the temple and record the erection of those shrines, or of images of Jinas and Tirthankaras, by Tejahpala for the religious merit of the various members of his family, amongst whom was also included Tejahpala's second wife Sri Suhadadevi.
These are the two temples-one at Girnar and the other at Abu which we know to have been definitely built by the two brothers. There are other temples notably at Satrunjaya which are said to have been built by Vastupala and Tejahpala but these have been renovated to such an extent that in the absence of any epigraphic record, it is not possible to identify them with any certainty.
It has already been told that the literary sources ascribe to Vastupala and Tejahpala a large number of temples and other public buildings. It is said in the Tirthakalpa that their public works extended to Sri Saila in the south, Prabhasa in the west, Kedara in the north, and Banaras in the east. It is further claimed that the two brothers spent eighteen
crores and ninety lacs on Satrunjaya, twelve crores and eighty lacs on Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
