________________
102
Hampa Nagarajaiah
Nirgrantha
Ajita-tīrthakara-purana-tilakam, chap. 1, poem No. 60), and the same poem is
again quoted in an inscription [SII. XI-i. 52, 1007). 37.1. An inscription containing a khanda-kavya on Bāhubali, by poet Boppana-pandita
who bore the biruda sujanottaṁsa and a disciple of Adhyātmi Bālacandra-munindra who was a disciple of Siddhānta-cakreśvara Nayakīrty (EC. II (R) 336 (234). 12th C. pp. 186-89). A Mattebha-vikrīdita-vitta verse in this inscription narrates in brief that the emperor Bharata caused to be made near Paudanapura, an irnage of Bāhubali-Kevali. After a lapse of time, a world terrifying mass of inumerable kukkuța-sarpas having sprung up in the region near, Bāhubali obtained the name Kukkuteśvara. Thereafter that region became invisible to the common people, whereupon Cāmundarāya caused this colossus of Gommata at SB (ibid., 336 (234), lines : 8-10 and 16). Again inscriptions of number 425 and 547 also refer to him as Kukkuteśvara (Nagarajaiah 1996 : 28-30). Further, he is called 'Daksinakukkuteśvara' (Southern Lord of Kukkuțas (ibid., 481 (349) 1159. p. 297].
It suggests, by inference, that a Uttara (northern) Kukkuțeśa also existed. 37.2. Mahamandalācārya of Belgola-tīrtha, Nayakīrti-Siddhānta-cakreśa's lay disciple
Nāgadeva, the Pattana-svāmi of the Hoysala King Ballāla II, constructed a stone pavement and a dancing hall in front of Kamatha-Pārsva-basadi at SB (ibid., 457 (335) A. D. 1118]. Preceptor Nayakīrty was adorned with the lotus feet of the Lord of Jinas, the southern-Kukkuteśvara (Bahubali-Gommata) and embellished
by the temples of Kamatha-Pārsva-deva (ibid., lines : 28-29). 37.3. The companion of Dharanendra (wrongly believed in medieval times as his
consort), goddess Padmavati, is described as Kukkutastha in the Aparājitaprcchā (c. late 12th/early 13th cent. A. D.). The Rūpamandana (c. mid 15th cent.) introduces her as 'Kukkutoragastha'. The Acara-dinakara (A. D. 1412) refers to her as the one seated on Kurkkūţa-sarpa. The Trisasti-salākā-purusa-carita (c A. D. 1160-1170) describes that Kukkutasarpa is her vāhana (mount). A text, the Aștottara-sahasra-nāmāvali, mentions "Kukkuţoraga-vāhine namah,' and another text the Padmavati-devi-parāku (Slaudation', 'fullsome praise') pāhi-kukkuta-sarpa
lāñcana-yute (Nagarajaiah 1976, 162-63). 37.4. Etymology (kukkuta + isa/iśvara) and the meaning (kukkuta 'a cock', 'a wild cock")
are quite obvious. Albeit, in the context of the Nirgrantha mythology, this has a special meaning. Accordingly, kukkuţa-sarpa means a wild cock with a cobra head, a rare syncretic fusion of a cock and a serpent (ibid., pp. 138-41). Anthropological analysis of this totemic symbol may ultimately suggest both cobra-hood and kukkutasarpa were the totem of a particular Nāga worshipping tribe. U. P. Shah has discussed this point and rightly suggested that Pārśva had some connection with the Nāga
tribals [Dhaky (Ed) 1997 : 9, 35, 38). 37.5. Părśva, according to the Digambara āgamas, belongs to Ugra-vamsa. Ugra is a
synonym-variant of uraga, a process of metathesis also confirms this. Ugra is a
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