Medieval Jainism

Author(s): Bhasker Anand Saletore
Publisher: Karnataka Publishing House

Page 10

PREFACE
When we met at Hampe (Vijayanagara) in December 1936 to commemorate the (traditional) date of the foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire, a few well-wishers desired that I should undertake the study of the Jainas under the mediæval Hindu monarchs. I agreed to their proposal but it was only some months later that I could give the subject a concrete shape. Only two scholars deserve special mention in regard to the history of the Jainas in southern India-Mr. M. S. Ramaswami and Mr. Seshagiri Rao, whose excellent essays I have utilized in some places in my work. But I have followed an altogether new line of enquiry. Jainism is studied here from a non-religious standpoint; and the conspicuous part played by all sections of the people-kings, feudatories, nobles, priests, citizens, and women-is described with the aid of contemporary historical records. It will be seen from the following pages that the connecting link in the history of pre-Vijayanagara and Vijayanagara Jainism was the great Vijayanagara House. And so far as the religion itself is concerned, we may note that far from being a bundle of metaphysical beliefs, it was a faith that added in a large measure to the material prosperity of the land. It was not my intention to exhaust all the aspects of the subject. On the other hand, I have deliberately concentrated on some particular phases of the question, leaving others to those who may care to work on them.
Notwithstanding many limitations, it is pleasing to observe that the old Jaina spirit of helping the cause of learning is