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JAINA CELEBRITIES IN THE VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE 383 Candraprabhaśat padi in Saka 1500 (A.D. 1578).1
What an abiding influence the efforts of the early Vijayanagara monarchs must have had in bringing the various communities on the platform of mutual goodwill and sympathy, and of especially inculcating the spirit of toleration in the minds of the Jainas and the Hindus, is seen from the writings of Padmarasa, the talented son of the scholar Padmaņoopādhyāya. Padmarasa wrote the Sringārakathe in the Candranātha basadi of Kelasūru alias Cchatratrayapura in Saka 1521 (A.D. 1599). In this work Padmarasa, who was the disciple of Bhattākalanka, and who traced his descent from Brahmasūri Paņạita, who was well versed in the Jaina śāstras, logic, and grammar, praises Siva, Pārvati, and Ganesa at the beginning of his work. Evidently Padmarasa, like Mallinātha Sūri Kolācala, was an exceedingly broadminded and generous writer.
To the year A.D. 1600 may be assigned six authorsVardhamāna, Hamsaiāja, Devottama, Pāyaṇavrati, Śringārakavi, and Brahmakavi. The versatile Vardhamāna was the disciple of Davendrakīrti. He belonged to the lineage which had produced the celebrated Vādi Vidyānanda. It was he who composed the Pañcabasti record which we have utilized in connection with our remarks on many of the Jaina gurus of the mediæval times. The fact that this record contains verses in Sanskrit and Kannada shows that Vardhamāna was well versed in both the languages.3 Haṁsarāja was also called śringārakavi, and his guru was also styled Devendrakirti, but probably hailing from Śravana Belgola.
1. Kavicarite, II, pp. 303-4 ; M. A. R. for 1913-14, p. 58. 2. Kavicarite, II, pp. 315-316. 3. E. C. IV, Nr. 36, pp.146-150; Kavicarite, II, pp. 316-317.
