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CRITICAL TIMES
281 A fervent disciple of siva, Ekānta Rāmayya after visiting all Saivite holy places, came to 'Puligere. Here he was inspired by the local deity (god) Somanātha to wage a crusade against Jainism. Rāmayya, therefore, went to Abbalūr, a stronghold of Jainism. On the Jainas maintaining the superiority of the anekāntamata over Saivism, Rāmayya challenged them by saying that, as a proof of the superiority of his own creed, he would cut off his own head but with the aid of Śiva regain life. The Jainas on hearing this promiscd to embrace Saivism, if he succeeded in carrying out his wager. And they wrote on an ole (palmyra leaf) to that effect. Forthwith Rāmayya had his head cut off, and given as an offering to śiva. In seven days' time Rāmayya regained his head. He then routed the Jainas, and broke their images, at which they complained to the king Bijjala (A.D. 1156-A.D. 1167). The king sent for Rāmayya who showed him the written promise of the Jainas, and who once again challenged that, if they demolished their seven hundred basadis, he would again perform the same feat he had once done, and (in seven days' time) regain life. The Jainas were afraid to take up the challenge. But king Bijjala gave Rāmayya a Jayapatra (certificate of victory) granting along with it certain specified villages to Rāmayya's deity Somanātha of Puligere. The fame of Rāmayya then spread to the Cālukyan court, and king Someśvara IV (A.D. 1182—A.D. 1189) likewise granted the village of Abbalūr to the same deity. Likewise the Kādamba king Kāmadeva (A.D. 1181-A.D.1203) granted the village of Mallavalļi to the same god.1
1. E. I., V. p. 245; Kavicarite, I. pp. 297-298. See also Ramaswami, Studies, pp. 114-115; Moraes, Kadamba-Kula, pp. 252-254.
