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JAINISM THROUGH AGES
Dr. Kamini Gogri
Samprati was a Mouryan Emperor who was Grandson of faith. Major parts of Maharshtra were ruled by various Emperor Ashok and disciple of Jain Acharya Suhasti. dynasties like Kadambs, Rashtrakuts, Chalukyas, Ratts, According to Nishithvisheshchurni, Samprati had sent his Kalchuris, Shilahars, Yadavs and others in different periods. men to various regions including Maharashtra to make a All the dynasties mentioned above had affiliation with way for Jain monks to wander.
Jainism. Pratishthan (also known as Paithan) in Aurangabad Kadambs were supporters of Yapaniya sect of Jainism. district of Maharashtra was a great center of Jains. A lot of Kadambs built many Jain temples. They ruled from Banvasi incidents related to Jains and Jainism happened in this city. in Karnataka. According to one tradition, it was the birthplace of the Rashtrakuts: According to A.S. Altekar, Jainism was famous Jain Acharya Bhadrabahu. In 2nd century BCE this the religion of masses in the period of Rashtrakuts. city became capital of Satvahan kings, who were originally Shivlilamrut, a Marathi religious book of Hindus supports from Andhra Pradesh. According to Kalakacharya's story, this fact.This book mentions that the people of all classes on request of the Satvahan King, the Acharya changed the and castes were following Jainism in the period of Adi date of Paryushan by one day. After it a festival called Shanakaracharya. This book also mentions that Adi Samanpuja was being celebrated in Maharashtra. The King Shanakaracharya, the famous reformist of Vedics, visited is mentioned as Param Shravak i.e. the best follower of the city of Kolhapur, where he had a conflict with Jains of Jainism.
Kasar caste. Interestingly, Kolhapur is still a stronghold of Jnaneshwari, the famous sacred book of Maha Kasar Jains. rashtrian Hindus mentions Jain monks. This book was Rashtrakuts ruled from Malkhed (Manykhet) in written by the famous saint Jnaneshwar in 13th century. present day Gulbarga district of Karnatak. They ruled over
Many Jain scholars of Maharashtra wrote various a wide region including entire south India and up to Malva books in Marathi language on Jainism, in the period of 14th in north. Rashtrakut King Indra Il built the famous caves of to 18th century. Before that period, Jain literature was Ellora, situated in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. 4 written in Maharashtri Apbhransh language. Some of the out of the 34 caves there belong to Jainism. Another famous Jain scholars were Mahakavi Pushpadant, Chimna Rashtrakut King Amoghvarsh was a staunch follower of Pundit, Meghrai, Kamraj, Mahichandra etc.
Jainism and a disciple of Jain Acharya Jinsen. Another Jain Many words, phrases and idioms in Marathi language Acharya Mahaveer of this period was a famous show that Jainism was an influential religion in mathematician. Mahaveera-charya is called one of the 10 Maharashtra.
great ancient mathematicians of the world. Amoghvarsh's The Bhattarak Tradition
successor Krishna II was pupil of Jain Acharya Gunbhadra. Bhattaraks, a type of Jain ascetics, have a special place Gunbhadra compiled last five chapters of Jinsen's in Jains of South India. The Bhattarak tradition primarily incomplete Uttarpuran. Indra II, the last king of this dynasty flourished in Karnatak. Later this tradition got a place in took vow of Sallekhana, the Jain way of death. Maharashtra also. There were four major seats of Jainism flourished in the period of Rashtrakuts all over Bhataaraks in Maharashtra. The Jinsen Jain Math at Nandani Deccan and during this period many Jain scholars wrote in Kolhapur district, the Laxmisen Jain Math of Kolhapur, their masterly works. In this period, the education system Vishalkeerti Jain Math of Latur and Karanja Jain Math. All of masses was in the hands of Jain monks. these seats have a history of several centuries. The Chalukyas: The first capital of Chalukyas was at Kundal Bhattaraks did a good job for Jain community in the decline in present day Sangli district. Ruins of Chalukyan forts are period of Jainism. The first two Jain seats are still in found in the town of Kundal. Kundal is a pilgrimage center existence, while latter two are closed.
of Jains and there are cave temples on the hill near Kundal. Jainism and Royal Dynasties in Maharashtra
The Chalukyas were supporters of Jainism. According to As you know, Jainism was a prominent religion of several copper plates and rock inscriptions, their family Kshatriya (Warriors) community in India. The most of the religion was Jainism. Chalukyas migrated to Badami and royal families in Maharashtra also were followers of this ruled from there for about two and half century. A branch
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