Jinamanjari 1999 09 No 20

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

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There are eighty-six caityas speard over Sonagiri. Caitya # 60 is in the form of “Meru” and is known as Pisanhari or Chakkiwala temple. Caitya # 59 is dome shaped and has large minarets situated in foue corners and small ones in between. Caitya # 52 is of ancient type and is associated with two miracles. There is a tank which is shaped much like a coconut in a rock, and a rock called “Bajni shila" which, when hit with some force, makes the sound of a bell. On the flattened surface of the hill, there is a caitya dedicated to Candraprabha, the eighth Jina. The idol is 12 it high, and cut out of the rock -- the characteristic feature of the sculpture being datable to the period of the 5th - 6th century C.E.
Historocity of the Sonagiri Name
The ancient janapada of Avanti is presently situated in the district of Nimar of the Vindhya mountain region. The Vindhyacal stretches from Bihar to Gujrat and covers a distance of about 700 miles long. Its branches have been spread over Bhelsa, Chandei, Kolaras, Gwalior, Guna, Sardarpur, Nimach, Sagar and Shajapur. Gopagiri in Datia is one branch of Vindhyacal, and Sonagiri is a part of this secion and situated over a granite formation.
The Vindhyacal has been identified by scholars with that of the Vijayārdha mountain as described in the Jain texts, and it is said to have many parts with names such as Narendra, Nalaya, Sahayalya, Shaktiwan, Rikshgawan, Vinolya and Pariyatra. Because Sonagiri was the place of the Jainas for their meditation in early times, it was known as Sramanagiri (Abode of the Jainas). The village, at the foot of the hill, which is presently called as Sanawal is another derivative of Sramaņacal (Hill of the Sramaņas).
Sonagiri in Puranic Accounts
According to Puranic literature, Sonagiri is situated at the end of Nishad. In the Mahabharata story of Nala Damayanti, Nala was the king of Nishad and Damayanti was the daughter of Bhima, king of Vidarbha. Nala was a contemporary of King Rituvarna of Ayodhya. Nishad has been equated with the modern Narwar, also known as Nalpur, which adjoins Sonagiri.
Another account comes from the story of King Sridatta and Queen Vijaya of Ujjain. The couple were saddened by the fact that they did not have a son. Once, two ascetics named Adigata and Prabhagata came to Ujjaini where they received alms from the royal couple. After attending to the ascetics, the couple expressed their concern of not
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