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MEDIÆVAL JAINISM solve. It was during such a period in its history that Vijayanagara stepped forth as the protector of Jainism, and enabled it to continue its useful existence for centuries to come.
In early times, as the reader must have gathered from the foregoing pages, it was Jainism that had more than once recreated political life and thereby made it possible for the Hindu dharma to consolidate its position. Now in the middle of the fourteenth century A.D., it was the turn of the Hindu dharma, first, to regain its own vitality, and, then, to repay the debt it owed to Jainism by coming to its succour. And the champions of the Hindu dharma, as the monarchs of Vijayanagara undoubtedly were, did this by laying down a policy of toleration which was unparalleled in the history of the land. The introduction of such a policy, however, was not an innovation of the rulers of Vijayanagara. To the Hindu monarchs of the south, especially of Karnāțaka, toleration was a vital principle and not a matter of political expediency. It was their most precious gift to humanity. The early monarchs of Karnāțaka as well of the Tamil land had bequeathed to the rulers of Vijayanagara a noble tradition. We have ample instances to show how the Gangas, the Western Cālukyas, and the other kings of Karnāțaka and of the Tamil land, notwithstanding their Hindu propensities, gave munificent grants to Jaina institutions, and treated the Jainas and the Brahmans in an impartial manner. The Jaina leaders theinselves reciprocated this in an admirable way. The great name that is met with in this connection is that of Cāmunda
1. The intolerance shown to the Jainas in the days of Tirujñānasambandhar was an exception. The Tamil kings, especially in the Sangham age, were noted for their liberal views. Ramaswami, Studies, p. 46.
