Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

Author(s): P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA
married Kamalaśrī, daughter of Samghasri who was a follower of the Buddhist doctrine. Kamalaśrī, however, was won over to the faith of her husband. But Samghaśri could not be persuaded so easily to disown his former faith in spite of the persistent efforts on the part of his royal son-in-law. Subsequently, Dhanada succeeded in his mission and brought his father in-law into the Jaina fold by establishing the superiority of the creed through a vision of the Charana-rishis who had attained perfection by following the path of Jina. But the conviction of Samghaśrī did not last long. He was again reconverted to the creed of Lord Buddha by the preachings of his teacher Buddhaśrī. One day Dhanada questioned Samghasri in the court as to what made him abandon the Jaina doctrine notwithstanding his conviction in regard to its superiority, brought home by the actual sight of the Charana-rishis soaring in the air. To this Samghaśrī retorted brazen-facedly that he had never seen them in his life. Enraged at this gross outrage of truth, the deities presiding over the city blinded Samghasri by knocking out his eyes. Their dire curse visited even the descendents of Samghaśrī, who were born blind for seven generations. On account of this calamity befalling the land, the country came to be known as the Andhaka Vishaya or 'the country of the blind'.
The occasion for the story is to illustrate the importance of the Vow of truthfulness, which is reckoned among the twelve minor vows whose observance is enjoined upon the lay followers of Jaina Law. Proceeding further the narrative gives a genealogical account of the original founders of the family. The Jaina king Yasodhara of the Ikshvāku lineage was ruling the kingdom of Anga in the age of the Tirthakara Vasupūjya. He repaired to the Vengi Mandala and attracted by its natural beauty settled there. He founded the city Pratipalapura and made it his capital. He had three sons, Anantavirya, Sridhara and Priyabala. But inspired by the ascetic ideals of the Jaina creed, none of them was prepared to govern the kingdom after their father. Priyabala, however, agreed to rule; but he died a premature death. Thereupon the minister of the state approached Sridhara who was performing penance on the mountain Rishinivasa. The prince was somehow prevailed upon to suspend his austerities and rule the kingdom till the continuation of his line was ensured.
Incidentally some interesting suggestions are thrown out in course of the narrative. Sriparvata or Srisaila which was originally known as Rishinivasa is said to have acquired the name on account of its association
1 According to the testimony of a large number of inscriptions and other sources the Jaina ascetics were generally mentioned as Rishis. So the expression Rishinivasa would mean 'the resort of the Jaina monks'. Thus in the opinion of the author of the story, Srisaila was already an abode of Jaina ascetics. Śridhara only lent his name to it by his eminence,