Nirgrantha-2

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 87

H. Sarkar
Nirgrantha
some of the rock-shelters in Tamilnadu arguably dating back to the third-second century B.C. The seventh century, then, may be looked upon as the resurgence of Jainism in the Godāvari basin and it coincided with the conquest of the region by the Calukya monarch Pulakesi II, this was about A. D. 631. After annexing the area, he placed his brother Kubja Vişnuvardhana as the king to rule the conquered territorys. Kubja Visnuvardhana was the founder of the collateral branch of the Calukyas, known to the modern historians as Eastern Calukyas with their capital at Pistapura (Pīthapuram). We know that, in the Calukyan kingdom in Karnataka, Jainism had been in a flourishing state as evidenced by the Jaina cave-temple at Bādāmi (Cave IV) and at aihole (Mīnā basadi) (both c. late 6th cent. A. D.) as well as the Meguti temple (A. D. 634) at the last-noted place. Jainism, by analogy, and there is in fact sufficient evidence, also began to flourish in the newly established Calukyan domains in Andhradeśa. Kubja Visnuvardhana's consort Ayyana Mahādevī, for example, extended support to Jainism as is evident from her gift, as recorded in an inscription, to a Jaina temple, the Nedumbi vasati at Bijavāda, of the village of Musinikunda. The place may be identified with the present Vijayavādā in District Krishna, which has revealed the remains of a Jaina establishment as indicated by the presence of Jaina sculptures. It appears that the Nedumbi vasats was built by the queen herself. The Vijayavādā Museum has a figure of standing caturmukha image which might have once graced the sanctum of a sarvatobhadra shrine. Stylistically, the sculpture may be dated to the ninth century A. D. (plate 1). However nothing is known about the actual location of this Jaina establishment? The Krsnā basin is as fertile as the Godāvari delta where Vengi is situated and it.. is, therefore, no wonder that the Jaina settlements would come up all along the coastal belt. There is one other epigraph indicating Vijayvādā's importance as the centre of Jainism: The Masulipatnam inscription of Ammarāja 11°, which opens with the invocation to the god Visnu, records a charity to the Jaina religion. A Jaina pontiff (ācārya) is referred to as the preceptor of the two noblemen, Bhima and Naravähana II. This ācārya was the renowned Jayasena, bearing the surname Nāthasena and was the disciple of Candrasena. The record mentions that Jayasena was a master of all the śāstras and was well-versed in the Siddhanta (i.e. Jaina doctrine). He is said to have "attained proficiency in para-samaya" or the dogmas of other religious sects. The inscription also records the fact that ācārya Jayasena, bearing the surname Nāthasena, was honoured by śrävakas (Jaina lay followers), ksapaņakas (Jaina ascetics or yatis according to the Digambaras), Kșullakas (śrāvakas of a high order belonging to the ninth degree, the 11th being ailaka and the next higher order is muni or ācārya), and ajjakās or ajjikās (āryikās or nuns). Two Jaina temples (Jina-bhavanas) were constructed at Vijayavātikā (Vijayavādā) for the benefit of this celebrated Jaina ācārya. The king Ammarāja granted the village