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The Contribution of Karnataka To Jaina Literature & Culture
Dr K. Krishnamoorthy, Dharwad The early historians of Indian literature and culture have more often than not neglected the substantial contribution of the Jainas. Even when the contribution is surveyed, sketchily though, by scholars like M. Winternitz, no attempt is made to assess the magnitude of the contribution of the Jainas regionwise. Though many of the Jaina Tirthankaras were born in the North, it is an indisputed fact that Jainism in the historical period was patronised by kings of Karnataka in the South, more than any other region. Most of the prominent rules of the Ganga, Calukya, Răstrakūta, Western Cälukya, and Hoysala dynasties were active promoters of Jainism. For no less than eight centuries, (400 to 1200 A.D.) Karnataka saw the development of Jaina literature and culture not only in the medium of Sanskrit, but also Prakrit, Apabhrajnsa and old Kannada. It is no wonder then that like the colossal statue of Bahubali which makes Sravana-Belgola a holy place of pilgrimage in Karnataka to the Jainas up to date, the equally impressive achievements of eminent Jaina Ācāryas in several literary and cultural fields-like literature, grammar, religion, philosophy, poetics, lexicography, porosody, architecture, sculpture, painting, music etc. await yet to be studied closely. In the space of this short paper, what is attempted is only a very broad indication of some of the most outstanding works, especially in Sanskrit, which might be deemed as the signal contribution of Karnataka to Jaina literature and culture. Even such a short survey is rendered possible now, thanks to the new publications brought out in the last two or three decades by premier learned bodies like the Bharatiya Jnanapith.
Among the Jaina pontiffs who receive first and foremost mention by almost all Jaina writers in Karnataka is Samantabhadra who is the author of several works including Apta-mīmāṁsa. His field of activity lay mainly in the South, round about Kanchi (according fifth) to legendary accounts) and his date is generally regarded as the fifth century after the Christian era. It is because of his irresistible influence that the Digambara tradition of the Jainas took deep root in Karnataka.
According to a constantly repeated epigraphic tradition, the kings of the Ganga dynasty starting from Madhava held the ascetic Simhanandi in the highest regard as the carver of their royal fortune. It is virtually certain that Pujyapada or Devanandin was the religious preceptor of these kings in the period 450 to 500 A.D. He systematised for the first time the tenets of Jaina philosophy by writing his celebrated commentary, Survārthasiddhi on Umāsvāti's Tattvarthadhigama-sūtra, It begins with the oft-quoted prayer to Jina,
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