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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA nanda. Meagre though this information, it is based on epigraphic evidence and thus helps us to extend our vision on both sides.
Even to the present day, Malkhôd is supposed to be the headquarters of a line of Jaina gurus who wield some influence among the Juina community of these parts. Though divested of much of their former dignity, they have preserved some traditions. It would be useful to examine them carefully with a view to glean any possible links for the pontifical history of Maļkhēd. We-may note with great relief in the first instance that the Maļkhēd gurus are addressed by the term Balutkāraguņa. This expression undoubtedly is a corruption of the designation Balatkāra gana. Reading through this tradition we can surmise that the present gurus of Malkhôd are the spiritual descendants of the line of teachers who belonged to the Balātkāra gana. As Balātkārı gaņa formed part of the Mūla Samgha and Kondakunda anvaya and was associated with the Sarasvati gachchha, we can fill in these details also in the account of their lineage.
The present line of Mulkhēd gurus claims its foundation by the pontiff Abhinava Nēmichandra Siddhäntukirti Bhattāraka. But surprisingly enough, their pattāva!i commences with the preceptor Vidyānanda Svāmi. The pattāvaļi of the Malkhēd gurus in my possession was taken down as it was recited by a priest of the Nēminātha temple at Malkhēd some twenty years ago. As the priest was not a well-educated person, one might doubt its autlienticity. So its accuracy is not beyond question. The succession of teachers may not be reliable and many names might have been conveniently left out. Inspite of my thus being conscious of its deficiencies, I have to use it in the present discussion; because it is the only source so far available to me on the subject. The list of the Malkhēd pontiffs according to the pattāvaļi runs as follows: The sequence of names may not necessarily denote direct succession in all cases. 1 Vidyānanda Svāmi; 2 Nõmichandra Siddhāntakirti; 3 Buddhisāgara; 4 Mantravādi Dēvēndrakirti; 5 Danda Dēvēndrakīrti ; 6 Chandrakīrti; 7 Mahondrakirti; 8 Śrīdhanakirti; 9 Dēvēndrakirti; 10 Rājēndrakīrti ; 11 Ratnakirti.
The preamble to the pattāvaļi contains the formal prasasti of these teachers, which may be recorded here. It is thus: Nija-ghatikā-sthāna-DilliMalayādri-Vijayanagara-Varāmga-Pațța-Pombuchcha-Chatarvidha-siddha-simbasanādhiśvara.' Here the place-name Malayādri stands for Malkhôd. The other items in the prasasti have been commented upon at some length earlier in Part I. Vidyānanda Svāmi is referred to in the pattāvali as SrimadAbhinava-Gajapati-Vādi-Vidyānanda-Svāmi. In another version of the praśasti
1
I bave discussed elsewhere the significance of the expression Siddhasimhásada and suggested its Jaida association ; vide p. 195 above. It is however not unlikely that the conception is influenced by the Tantric cult wherein prominence is given to the Siddhas For the Tantrio influence on Jainism, see Jaina Iconography, pp. 183-84.
