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76 / The Later Gangas : Mandali-Thousand
If you do not give your wealth to the needy If you flee from the battle field Then your race will go to ruin
All the Gangas faithfully adhered to these aeonial commandments almost verbatem; they fought bravely and won many decisive battles, whole-heartedly approved the Jaina teachings, maintained sterling character, remained virtuous, followed vegetarianism, aimed at altruistic principles, distributed their wealth to the needy. A number of the Ganga charters go to approve that they are celebrated for their unswerving fidelity to the plighted word. They continued to include the cognomen Dharma-mahādhirāja and Satya-vākya or Nanniya Ganga to aver their guru the adept Simhanandi.
After the great Bhadrabāhu Śrutakevali ācārya, it is Sishanandi ācārya who as an apostle revitalised and opened a new vista to Jaina church in Karnataka, which assumed new proportions. The ācārya had a vision, a mission and an ambition. He had a large number of valiant and loyal royal followers who ably executed his sermon to achieve phenominal success. The charter of Purale village makes it clear that the adept Simhanandi was a native of southern country: Dakşina-deśa-nivāsi (Sh. 64. 1132. p. 67). He is one of the earliest of Jain pontiffs to envisage the importance of political strength to safeguard the religion also. With Bhadrabāhu came Candragupta Maurya, relinquishing his kingdom and accepted monkhood. But, Simhanandi came with a band of martial race and trained them not to renounce the world but to rule the kingdom ably, and they did fulfil the wishes of their preceptor.
The Mūlasangha, a dominant ecclesiastical institution, was established by Mahāvira, and Indrabhūti Gautama (Pk. Indabūi Goyama) was the first to hold its pontiffical chair. Later, apostle Bhadrabāhu first brought the Mülasangha to the south, and gradually it branched off into different gañas and gacchas. Once again the adept koņpakunda ācārya, one of the greatest of patriarchs, consolidated all the splinter groups that had branched off from
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