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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA
ordinate Mandalēsvara Sēna II of the Ratta family. We are next introduced to Mahaprabhu Nidhiga or Nidhiyama Gamanda, the headman of the village. A devout follower of the Jaina creed, he erected a Jaina temple at Koṇḍanūru and made a gift in its favour. The gift was received by Nidhiga's teacher Sridharadeva who belonged to the Balātkāra gaṇa of the Mula Samgha. This Śrīdharadēva was the second of the name in the line of preceptors whose account as enumerated in the epigraph is as follows. Gunachandra was an early teacher. His successive disciples were Pakshōpavasi (one who fasted for a fortnight) Nayanandi, Śrīdhara 1 and Chandrakirti. Chandrakirti seems to have had a co-preceptor named Śrutakirti. The former's disciple was Śrīdhara II. The latter had three disciples, Nemichandra, Väsupujya Traividya and Malayāļa. Vāsupūjya had a disciple named Padmaprabha. The administration of this region appears to have been placed under the direct supervision of Jayakarņa, a son of Vikramaditya VI, and the former is mentioned in the record in connection with the gift.
KALHOLI: This is another village in the Gōkāk taluk and its importance in our study lies on account of an inscription' found here describing the activities of the Jainas in this part of the country. The epigraph is dated A. D. 1204 in the reign of the Raṭṭa ruler Kārtavirya IV who was governing the Kindi province in conjunction with his younger brother Mallikarjuna from the capital Venugrāma or modern Belgaum. Chandaladevi, mother of these princes, was an ardent follower of the Jaina doctrine. She hailed from a family of chiefs who administered the tract of Hagaratage in the modern Hyderabad State. These chiefs claimed their descent in the Yadava lineage and were staunch supporters of the Jaina faith. Chandaladevi's parents, Rāja I and Mailaladevi, her brother Simha's wife Bhagaladevi and their son Raja II are praised for their devotion to the Jaina creed. At Kalpole or Sindana-Kalpole, which is modern Kalhōli, situated in the tract of Kurumbeṭṭa. Raja II constructed a shrine in honour of Santinatha and entrusted the same into the hands of his preceptor Subhachandra Bhaṭṭāraka. This teacher besides being called the high priest of the Santinatha temple is characterised as the regional pontiff (Maṇḍalacharya). With the approval of Mahāmaṇḍalēévara Kārtavirya IV some land was endowed to the temple which received various other gifts.
The epigraph contains a brief account of the spiritual lineage of the preceptors of Raja II. Śubhachandra Bhattaraka was the disciple of Nemichandra whose preceptor was Maladhari. Subhachandra again had a disciple named Lalitakirti. These teachers were renowned for their scholarship and asceticism and exercised considerable influence. They belonged to the Hana
1 J. B. B. R. A. S., Vol. X. pp. 220 ff.
