Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): Jyoti Prasad Jain
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 46

32
RELIGION & CULTURE OF THE JAINS
The latter part of the 10th century and the early part of the 11th saw the rise of numerous kingdoms all over India, which were generally designated Rājapūta. None of these royal Rajput families was avowedly Jaina, but, by and large, they were tolerant towards this religion and certain indiviual kings and chiefs, sometimes other members of their families as well, were zealous followers of Jainism. Gujarat, which produced Jaina monarchs like Kumārapāla, Jaina generals, ministers and the admirable builders of the world-famous temples at Mount Ābū, no less the versatile geniuses like Hemacandra, was one of the chief strongholds of this religion, followed by Malwa and Rajasthan. In the Deccan and the South, under the patronage of the later Cālukyas, the Kalacuris and the Hoysalas, Jainism maintained its position for long. With the growing influence of Vaişnavism and saivism, however, it gradually lost much of its importance in those regions. The imperial Colas and the Pandyas, who were bigotted Saivas, are said to have violently persecuted the Jainas, and in the Deccan the newly risen Lingāyata sect was no less instrumental in effecting a decline in the fortunes of Jainism. The age was marked by a triumphant revival of the so-called Hinduism, the disappearance of Buddhism from the greater part of India, and the entry of an alien element in the from of militant Islām into the political, social and cultural arena of India. It may be said to be creditable for Jainism that it succeeded in holding its own in the face of such heavy odds, although except in a few pockets here and there it generally began to be confined to the merchant and trading classes.
Thus, in spite of all misfortunes and setbacks, the Jainas, about the beginning of the 13th century, when Muslim rule was being established in northern India with Delhi as the capital, were still a well-organised ancient religious community, with a highly developed doctrinal and philosphical background and quite a rich cultural heritage including a vast and varied literature and