Book Title: Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs
Author(s): P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Previous | Next

Page 266
________________ 240 JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA Verse 2. Praise of Jakaladevi: she is pure, faithful and virtuous like Sită and Parvati, and fascinating like the arrow of Cupid. Verse 3. The Chalukya sovereign took a solemn oath that he would divert her from her vow (observance of the Jaina practices); but lo, he failed. Was it not a trifle to her, even this crowning achievemet of preserving her faith? Such is Jakaladēvi. Lines 17-19. Thus she is the Guardian Angel, as it were, of the Jaina Doctrine by virtue of her shielding the Jaina tenets, the Fairy of Fame in the campaigns of the Chalukya Emperor and the Goddess of Victory in subduing the pride of the overbearing hostile kings. Lines 19-22. One auspicious day when it so chanced through her good fortune that a certain trader brought an image of Lord Mahu-Manikya and was paying his compliments in her presence, the Chalukya Emperor made his appearance on the scene. Impressed by the sight, he looked at her face and said: Verse 4. "This image of the Jina is peerless in beauty. He is the traditional tutelary deity of your house. Do you install this image in the township of your authority. It will ever be a source of inspiration to the followers of your faith!" Thus instructed by the Chalukya overlord she installed the imagea monument of her virtues. Lines 24-33. She caused to be constructed over it a magnificent temple, a model for others to imitate. Then she prayed her family teacher, Indrasena Bhattaraka, the favourite and foremost disciple of Mallishēņa Bhaṭṭaraka, of the Dravila Samgha, Sōna gana and Malanura anvaya, to receive an endowment duly assigned by her for its maintenance. Lines 33-35. On Monday, Phalguna su. 10 of the Srimukha samvatsara and the 18th year of the Chalukya Vikrama Kala she entrusted the gift into the hands of the teacher after laving his feet with due ceremony. Lines 35-15. The endowment consists of 21 big mattars of cultivable land, a garden upon and a houses near the Jaina temple. Lines 42-50. This charity is to be scrupulously protected and properly maintained by the local officials and the higher authorities of the state. No taxes or levies are to be imposed upon and collected from it. Lines 51-58. Exhortation to the future rulers to preserve the dharma. Imprecation on the violaters. Nagarjuna Pandita, a source of delight to the Goddess of Learning and a bee in the lotus feet of Lord Jina, composed this record. May auspiciousness and glory attend this!

Loading...

Page Navigation
1 ... 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495