Jainism in Rajasthan

Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 44

va JAINA MONKS AND STATESMEN
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JINAVALLABHASŪRI: The next great Jaina saint is Jinavallabhasūri, who was the follower of Chaityavāsi sect in the beginning. At Pātan, he got an opportunity to study the scriptures under Abhayadevasūri, the saint of Vidhimārga. As a result, he gave up the Chaityavāsī sect and accepted Vidhımārga. At his directions, his followers constructed the Jaina temples known as Vidhichaityas.
At this time, the followers of the Chaityavāsi sect were powerful in Mewar. With a view to diminishing their influence, Jinavallabhasūri left Pātan for Chitor, where he converted a large numbe of people to Jainism and celebrated the consecration ceremony of several images and temples. From Chitor, he came to Dhārā. The King invited him to his palace, where he listened to his religious discourses He was so highly pleased with his extraordinary poetic talent that he offered him a Jāgīra of three villages and a handsome present in cash. He did not accept esther of them but requested that the king should grant two parutthadrammas daily from his customs house for the maintenance of two Kharatara temples.
From Dhārā, Jinavallabhasűri came to Vāgada, where he addressed large gatherings He also came to Nagaur where the installation ceremony of Nemijinālaya was performed under his supervision As he converted several people to Jainism, it was natural for him to form many Gotras.1
JINADATTASŪRI: Jinadattasūti is one of the great Jaina monks, who propagated Jainism in Rajasthan. He was born at Dhavalakapura in 1075 A.D. in Hümbada caste His parents were Vādhiga and Vāhadadevī. His early name was Somachanda. His dīkshū Guru was Vāchaka Devabhadragani, and he was given the name of Somachandra Muni. Being impressed by his extreme austerities and genius, Dharmadevopādhyāya made him Achārya at Chitor in 1112 A D. and named him Jinadattasūri.
Jinadattasūri was widely respected even by the Rajput rulers of Rajputana and Gujarat for his learning and piety. The Chālukyan rulers Karņarāja and his son Siddharāja respected him. Jinadattasūri was a contemporary of Arņorāja Chauhāna of Ajmer, who honoured the Āchārya by visiting him at his own place and by granting his followers a suitable site for a big Jaina temple. He converted a large number of people to Jainism
1. Kharataragachchha Brihadgurvävalı & Aitrhäsrka Jarna Kavyasamgraha, pp. 14-6.