Jinamanjari 2000 04 No 21

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

Page 17

of Karnataka, Kavirājamārga was the first on many fronts like grammar, poetics and prosody, geographical boundary of Karnataka and its people; and dialects of Kannada language.
Śrivijaya also wrote Candraprabhapurāṇa
the first Jaina purāṇa in Kannada language, and Raghuvamsapurāņa - earliest poem in Kannada on the theme of Rāmāyaṇa based on the material from Kaviparameśți's Vägartha Samgraha (c. 8th C. E.), a biography in Sanskrit of 63 great men of Jaina mythology.
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Poet Asaga (C. 9th C. E.), a contemporary of Śrivijaya, was another noted Jaina genius of the times. According to the statement of Jayaklrti's Candõnusasana (C. E.. 935) - a Sanskrit work dealing with Kannada metres - Asaga has composed five Kannada kavyas of which Kumara-sambhava was most celebrated.
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Ugrăditya (C. E. 770-840), a pupil of Śrinandi and a confrere of Lalitakirti composed Kalyāṇa-kāraka a medical work at Ramagiri, the modern Rāmakonda in Viśākapatņam district. He visited the court of Amōghavarśa to deliver discourse on meatless diet and vegetarianism for health and spiritual progress.
NrpatungaAmoghavarśa, referred as Jaina Asoka of the Rastrakūta empire, was a pupil of exalted Jinasena-II. He was a faithful follower of Jainism. "The king Amōghavarśa remembered himself to have been purified that day when the luster of the gems was heightened in consequence of his diadem becoming reddish by the dust-pollen of Jainasena's foot-lotuses appearing in the stream of water-like lustre flowing from the collection of the brilliant rays of his nails" [Uttarapurāṇa].
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1
Amōghavarśa was a child of 14 years when he ascended the throne of an imperial dynasty. Having grown and nurtured in the learned Jaina matha, he was sensitive and sagacious, but pious, possessing an independent spirit. He had appointed Gunabhadra as the preceptor for his son Krishna-II. He originated the ritual of the Jaina monasteries at Banavāsi. The Ganita-sara-samgraha of Ācārya Mahavira graphically describes king's initiation to Jainism. The king himself had authored Prasnottara-ratna-mālikā in Sanskrit.
Amoghavarsa shines like a polar star on the firmament of the Raṣṭrakūta kingdom. He had a long innings of over three score and more years, sufficient to irk his son Krishna-II. The prince could not wait any more to succeed to the throne, lost his patience and came out openly claiming his legitimate right to the throne. For an aged father this was too much to swallow. Paradoxically, for the over grown and long awaited son, this was the question of now or never. Thus, peculiar situation of the prince revolting against the crown would have been fatal but for the timely intervention of Bankeya of Cellaketana family a Jaina dynasty who stood firm by the king like Olympus. Bankeya alias Bankarāja, with his political wisdom tactfully handled the aggravated and complex situation; and bridged the gulf and saved the prestige of both the king and the prince. Bankeya, Duke of Banavāsi, was amply rewarded by the overwhelmed emperor who showered bounties. The modern Bankapura town in Dharwar district was named after him. The emperor formally renounced the throne and spent time in practicing Jain tenets. Later, Lokate alias Lokaditya, son of Bankey, was made
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