Jainism in India

Author(s): Ganesh Lalwani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 56

LAINISM IN INDIA
ghata dynasty. Another inscription found at Bayana at a distance of 80 miles to the north of Devkund and dated V.S. 1100 mentions of Vijayapala. This also contains the geneology of the Jaina merchant Rsi and Dahar who were brothers. In the Jayasa line there was a rich merchant named Jasuka who was a devotee of the Jaina faith and wellknown for his equanimity. His son Jayadeva was no less spiritual and he had from his wife these two sons, Rsi and Dahar, who were successful in amassing a huge fortune. The former Rsi was awarded the title of sreșthi by king Vikrama and the latter Dahar had constructed this beautiful temple with a high crest with the collaboration of other śrāvakas like Kukeka, Suryata, Devadhara and Mahicand. Even king Vikrama had extended his patronage by agreeing to protect the temple, to arrange for daily worship and reconstruction from time to time.
In the Gwalior state there are many places which have produced many old things of the Jainas and the Hindus. Of these more important are Velsa (Vidisa), Besnagar, Udayagiri, Badoha, Baro (Badnagar), Mandsaur, Naravara, Gyaraspur, Suhaniya, Gudar, Bhimpur, Padmavati, Jora, Canderi, Murar, etc. Of these we shall throw some light on Udayagiri, Naravara and Suhaniya.
Udayagiri–In the district of Velsa there is an ancient place named Udayagiri. At a distance of four miles from Velsa in a hill there are rock-cut temples, the first and the twentieth one being dedicated to the Jaina Tirthankaras. In the latter there is installed the image of Parsvanatha, and an inscription which goes back to 425-26 A.D. during the reign of the Gupta kings.
Naravara--Alternatively called Nalagiri or Nalapur, this is an old historical place. Its history must have been connected with that of the Gwalior Fort. The fort at this place contains many Jaina images of which at least four have escaped the ravages of time. These contain inscriptions which go as far back as 1213 to 1348 A.D. These images are all in white marble. The city has good Jaina temples and a community of the Jainas. In the adjoining villages, traces of the past glory of the Jainas are still to be detected.
About three miles from Naravara, there is a villag: named Bhimpur. Here lived Jaitra Simha, a Jaina noble of the court of king Asalladeva of the Jajjayela dynasty. He had constructed a huge Jaina temple and installed a huge inscription of about 60 to 70 ślokas, each containing
23 couplets. This inscription is still preserved in the Archaeological