Jinamanjari 1998 04 No 17

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 68

written Krodhi for Virodhi; even then the Saka year 1047 is definitely incorrect.
The present record further informs that when the prince Tailapa was ruling over Kandūrnādu in the year $. 1047, a certain merchant Bammisețți of the Vīrabalañjiga community, was said to have constructed a basadi for Lord Pārsva at Gangāpūra (line 22) after washing the feet of Mēghachandra Siddhāantadēva." It is further stated that the merchant guild endowed the basadi with certain levies collected from each shop and business transactions for the maintenance of the activities of the temple. Additional grants in the form of grain, ginger, oil and betel leaves etc. S were to have been made by Bammisetti himself and other merchants and residents of Gangāpūra, and as well as inhabitants of the neighboring villages,
While introducing a particular teacher, it was the common practice to mention the sangha, gaņa, gachchha to which he belonged. It is also observed that the terms gaña and gachchha are sometimes treated as synonymous. This practice was widely prevalent in Karnataka as well as in Andhradesa. Similarly, the present record introduces the illustrious mülasangha before introducing Mēghachandra. The mūlasangha seems to be the most predominant monastic order of Jain Church in South India, as it figures prominently in the Jaina epigraphs. In an inscription from Sravanabelagola (No.254) dated 1398 C.E., Arhadbali was said to have divided the mūlasangha into four subdivisions, viz., Sēņa, Nandi, Dēva and Simha. Besides, Kānūrgana was another branch of the mūlasangha. It arose out of the ascetic line of Kundakunda. The renowned Meshapāshāņagachchha might have been an off-shoot of Krānür or Kānūr-gana. In this illustrious gana and renowned gachchha hailed the preceptor Mēghachandra Bhattāraka who bore the epithet Siddhāntadēva (master Philosopher). Here, we may turn to the Govindapuram inscription of Mēdarāja dated 1129 C.E.'_where we come across for the first time the line of preceptors belonging to the_Kānūr-gana and Meshapāshāņagachchha. In that inscription, we are told that Bālachandramuni's disciple was Mēghachandra Bhasțāraka, whose pupil was Padmanandi. His disciple was again Mēghachandra Siddhāntadēva. A peep into the contents of the Kõlanupāk inscription dated 1125 C.E. also discloses the pedigree of the preceptors of _ Kānūr-gana.
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