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Significance of New Inscriptions from Koppala, Karnataka
11.2. These friars were master exponents of Nirgrantha philosophy. Through their austerity, simplicity, and transparent character they commanded instant respect. They inspired their devotees by thought, word, and deed. Most of the monks mentioned in these memorial columns were the preceptors of the Ganga rulers.
11.3. Among the holymen mentioned, the following were outstanding pontiffs of those times Abhayanandi pandita, Ajitasena muni, Ganda-vimuktadeva, Gollācārya, Maladhari-deva, Maunibhaṭṭāraka, Meghacandra, Nayanandideva, and NemicandraSiddhantadeva; also Padmanandi-Siddhantadeva, Śrīdharadeva, Indranandideva, Siddhasena-Bhaṭāra, Trikāla-yogi, and Tribhuvanacandra Bhaṭāra. More, indeed considerable information à propos of the spiritual pedigree of these ācāryas, is available from other inscriptions, particularly from Śravanabelagola.
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11.3.1. Some of these friars are either confrères or contemporaries or belong to the successive generation as teacher and disciples. Among them only a few were the pontiffs of Koppala diocese.
SALLEKHANA OF SOMADEVA-SŪRI
11.4.
Till today the exact date and place of the death of Somadeva sūri of the Yasastilaka fame and of Gauda Samgha (eastern India) was not known. But Koppla inscription No. 34 has supplied this information; following is the summary of that incomplete inscription :
'Vādībha-Pañcănana' was a teacher to poets and to the emperor. A terror to the disputants was Mahendradeva, a disciple of Nemideva, whose disciple was the famous Somadeva-sūri. Victory to Somadeva who with his prudence became the emperor of logicians. Even Kṛṣṇarāja (Rāṣtrakūta Kṛṣṇa III) had praised Somadeva (-suri) who was also the preceptor of Nolambāntaka (Mārasimha-deva II, son of Būtuga II).
11.4.1. Somadeva was conversant with poetry, dramaturgy, natya-săstra, and grammar. He was a king among poets; never before and never after, a talented person so deserving as Somadeva existed. Tarkikacakravarti Somadeva-panditadeva passed away at Koppala in the year 984 C. E.
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