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REVIEW AND RETROSPECT
895
Bhatkal sprang to eminence as a centre of Jainism from the beginning of the 15th century, particularly under the patronage of the chiefs of Hāduvalli or Sangitapura who were ardent followers of the faith. An epigraph of A. D. 1545 in the Pārsvanātha Basti records the erection of the said temple with its Mānastambha and various gifts in its favour by the wealthy and pious traders of the town as well as the queen Chennādēvi. We learn the following interesting facts from three inscriptions in Banda Basti, dated about A. D. 1556. This temple dedicated to Vardhamāna Jina was constructed by Nāraṇa Nāyaka, a general of the queen Bhairādēvi. Another dignitary named Timma Nāyaka had the shrine of Ratnatraya Basadi built in memory of his father. This was dedicated to the Jinas, Aranātha, Mallinātha and Munisuvrata. This chief is also credited with the renovation of the Chaturmukha Basadi built by Dēvarāya. Amongst other antiquities of this place worthy of note are the metallic representations of Panchaparamāshțhi, Padmăvatī, Nandiśvara and Brahmadēva,
We have known a few details about Padmaprabha Maladhāri through epigraphical and other sources. This teacher is commemorated incidentally in another inscription of the 12th century, which appears to be contemporaneous. The epigraph incised on the image of Vardhamāna, now worshipped as a Hindu idol, at Kammarchôdu in the Alur taluk of the Kurnool Dt. states that the image in question was reconsecrated by Chandavve, wife of the merchant chief Rāyara-setti, who was the favourite pupil of Padmaprabha Maladhāri.
Activities of the Jaina devotees at Chippagiri, another stronghold in the same taluk, are reflected in no less than twelve inscriptions of the place, belonging to the 13th century and later. In these figures a prominent teacher named Kõsanandi of the Dēsiya gana and Postaka gachchb4. Mādhavachandra is another teacher. A record of the 16th century there mentions Viśālakīrti of Ādavāni. Rāyadurg in the same district was a Jaina resort as late as the 14th century. The epigraph incised on the pedestal of a Jaina image here, which is evidently of Anantanātha Jina, speaks of its installation in A. D. 1355 by a local official named Bhögarāja at the command of the Vijayanagara king Harihara I. This dignitary was a lay disciple of Māghanandi, pupil of Amarakīrti, of the Nandi Samgha, Balātkāra gana and Sārasvata gachchha.
1 For details regarding the Jaina antiquities of Bhatkal see An. Rep. on Kannada Research
in Bomb. Province, 1939-40, pp. 29, 71–74, 81 and 90. 2 See above, pp. 159-160. 3 Madras Epigraphical Report, 1916, App. B, No. 560 of 1915. 4 An. Rep. on 8. I. Epigraphy, 1943-44 and 1944-45, App. E, Nog. 63-74 of 1938-39, 5 8. I. I., Vol. IX, pt. II, No. 404,
