Jinamanjari 2000 04 No 21

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

Page 19

Kannada Poets Pampa, Ponna and Ranna are considered as Jina-samayadipakas' and 'ratnatrayas.' Pampa (C. E. 941) had his laureateship in the court of Arikesari-II, King of Vemulavāda branch of Cāļukyas - a feudatory of the Rāstrakūtas. Pampa and Ranna started their carrier as soldiers and ended up as great epic writers of the age.
Pampa, the greatest of Kannada poets, has composed two epics in campu style, immortalizing Kannada language. In Vikramārjuna Vijava, he has compared his patron king Arikesari, with that of Arjuna of Mahābhārat. He has abridged the story of Rśabha in 16 cantos in his Ādipurāna, borrowing the theme from Jainasena's work of the same name.
Ponna, another celebrity of the epoch making age, was a poet laureate in the court of Krishna-III who conferred on him the title of 'kavi-cakravarti' (king of poets). He has written Bhuuanaika Rāmābhyudaya - a laukika kavya and Santipurāna, an agamika kāvva. Emperor Krishna and two Jaina brothers - Mallapa and Punnamayya from a family of warriors were his pa a direct disciple of Indranandi, a Jaina patriarch in Manyākhēța.
Cāmundarāya, one of the greatest patrons of Jainism, took up the cause of his faith towards the last decade of his life. Till then, he spent most of his time on the battle field, participating in a number of successful wars in favor of his over-lords, the Gangas and the Răstrakūtas. He befriended Ranna, a famous literature of his times, and translated, in an abridged form, the entire Mahāpurāņa of Jinasena and Guņabhadra. He completed Trişasti-Laksaņa-Mahāpurāņa, also known as Camundarāyapurana in C. E. 978. He has also written Cäritrasāra in Sanskrit, and Vira-Mārtānda in Kannada, which is not extant.
The history of Jainism of Rāştrakūta period will not be complete without a reference to the Gangas, who ably and faithfully assisted their overlords. Though they had crossed swords initially, they soon realized the importance of moving together to foster the greater interest of the state. They had a common faith to serve. Because of their joint efforts, Jainism attained the status of a state religion. With their marriage alliances, men and women of both the houses liberally patronized Jaina temples and monasteries throughout the kingdom. In the hours of political crisis they stood by each other, even at the cost of their precious lives. Mahāmandalēśvara Butuga, his sons, daughters and four wives all extended maximum support to the glory of Jinadharma by constructing Jaina temples at different places like Annigere, Puligere (Laksmesvara), Naregal, Koppaļa, Hungunda, Kogaļi and Sravaṇabeļgo!a.
Subhatunga Indra, father of Dantidurga had commissioned a Jinalaya in Vadner in Nasik district of Mahārāştra and Amõghavarşa, who granted a village and lands for the Jaina temple commissioned by Bankeya in C. E. 860 at Konnur in Dharwar district. He also made a grant of land for the Nāgulabasadi whose pontiff was ācārya Nāganandi. The king also founded a basadi at Candanapuri in Nasik district. In C. E. 902, noble Bittayya commissioned a basadi at Bandaļike in Shimoga district, and Lõkațeyarasa, governor of Banavāsi under emperor Krishna-II, made gift to the temple. In C. E. 915, Indra-III donated two villages to it. Feudatory Prithvirāja founded a Jinendra bhauana at Savadatti in Belgaum district during the rule of Krishna-II. In C. E. 925, Nāgyya
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