Jinamanjari 2000 04 No 21

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

Page 44

Jains had held positions of importance as ministers and officials in the kingdom, and a few eminent scholars were in the royal court.
Ministers Santiah and Dodda Śāntiah.
Padmarasa in Bujabali Carita and Devacandra in Rajāvali Kathāsāra make reference to the Jaina minister Santiah. He was the minister of Raja Wodeyar. Minister Santiah, according to Devacandra, was said to have saved princess Mahādēvi of Bettadapura. She was the mother of kijng Rāja Wodeyar.
Following the death of Santaiah, his son Dodda Santaiah became the minister of Raja Wodeyar. During the period, the king was stated to have caused the construction of the prakara around the basadi on the Kanakagiri in Maleyūr, and made land grants on the occasion. The Kanakagiri deity was the family god of Dodda Santaiah.
Dodda Santiah was stated to have commanded a small troop to Śravaṇabelgola to maintain law and order on the occasion of mahāmastakabhiseka, once in twelve year event of the grand anointement ceremony to the monolithic statue of Bahubali. In absence of no further details about him, it is evident that Dodda Śāntaiah must have had active role in the military ventures which Raja Wodeyar had under taken in order to assert his position over the kingdom of Mysore.
Visālāksa Pandita was the Prime Minister of Cikkadevarāja Wodeyar. He held the position from C. E. 1673 to 1686. During this period, he caused a basadi dedicated Jina Mahāvira at Srirangapatna, Wodeyar older capital. According to Devacandra, this new basadi was built near the existing Adinatha basadi. This basadi was stated to have survived for nearly one hundred years But, no trace of this basadi exists today.
Viśālākśa Pandita like his predecessors was stated to have renovated the dilapidated basadis in the kingdom, and also presented a ratha (chariot) to Śravanabelgola matha. The most significant part of his religious work was that he performed the mahāmastakābhiseka ceremony at Śravanabelgola His act of piety created a deep imprint on the Jaina community of the time, and he was bestowed with the title 'Jaina kula rathna bhusana'. In recognition of his services to the kingdom and people, the king granted him Echaganahalli village near Mysore. The charter of this grant, engraved on a stone that was placed on the four boundaries of that village, also confirms the hereditary rights of the village to Viśālākśa Pandita, his sons, grand sons and descendants.
Viśālākśa Pandita was the last in the list of Jaina ministers in the history of Southern Jaina Karnataka.
Śrikanta Puttaiah was a prominent personality of the Jaina community who lived during the period which covered the reign of Cikkadevaraja Wodeyar (C.E.16721704) and Krishnaraja Wodeyar-I (C.E.1713-1731). He hailed from Hassan and wielded considerable influence in the royal court, especially during the reign of Cikkadevarāja He was said to have been the sangha nayaka (leader of the community) of the Jainas, probably of Hassan area. According to Poet
Anantakavi - author of Gommatesvara Carite - Puttaiah was stated to have caused the manastambha in front of Pārsvanatha basadi, a prakara around the basadis For Private &4ersonal Use Only