Mahavira and his Teaching

Author(s): C C Shah, Rishabhdas Ranka, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: Bhagwan Mahavir 2500th Nirvan Mahotsava Samiti

Page 409

392
H. D. SANKALIA
expression'. In another, the image is dedicated to arahamta.2 At Pabhosa, the cave is meant for the Kaśś piya arahamta.3
At Udayagiri, Orissa, there is a definite invocation to Arahamta and all Siddhas. And this, like Mathura, is a well accepted Jaina cave. In the next record from the same place, the cave is excavated in honour of Arahamtas.
Besides the occurrence of the full expression Namo Arahantānam in a context which is undoubtedly Jaina, the word arhat occurs 8 times, the word spelt as arahat 4 times,? ārahat twice, 8 ārahāta' and ārahat once.10
In the first group (arhat), twice it stands for Jina (37), and Nandiāvarta (47) respectively, whereas in records 59, 74, 76, 94, 83 and 103 there is an invocation to arhat or arahat, and that too in a context which leaves little doubt that a Jaina Tírthankara is meant.
No. 96 refers to the worship of Arahat.
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Thus out of 35 occurrences of the word arahat and arahamta five cases are directly invocations to Arahat, exactly as in the Pāle inscription; and in another group of six cases also there is an invocation to Arahat; in two instances (96, 110), the donation is for the worship of Arahat (Jaina Tírthankara); in two cases (37, 47) the word stands for Jina. 1. Ibid., No. 116.
Ibid., No. 112. Ibid., No. 904. Ibid., No. 1345.
Ibid., No. 1346. 6. Ibid., No. 37, 47, 69, 74, 76, 83, 959. 7. Ibid., No. 59, 94, 96, 103.
Ibid., No. 78, 102. 9. Ibid., No. 78. 10. Ibrd., No. 110.