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20
Sallekhanā in Practice
further observed that the Jaina tradition holds the field and that no alternative account exists. Dr. Rice also accepts the view and says that "these events must be assigned to the date somewhere about 250 B. C." and that the inscription "unquestionably belongs to the earliest part of that era and is not certainly later than 400 A. D." Narasimhachar assigns about 600 A. D. as the era of the inscription.
Acarya Aristanemi was a great Acarya who had come to the South with many disciples. He was received by queen Kampita and the king Kindika. The Acarya went up the Katavapra hill, leaving the whole group of his gana. He gave up his food and became engrossed in pure meditation on the Self and attained perfection. He quitted his body and was honoured by the siddhas and vidyadharas. This inscription is of 650 A. D.
Upavāsapara (devoted to fasts) appears to have been an ascetic very much devoted to fasting. His spiritual Guru was Vṛśabhanandi. The former had conquered all his passions and had acquired great learning. He had achieved great renown. He perceived by his konwledge that his end was near. He adopted samnyāsana according to the prescribed rules on the summit of the mountain Katavapra (Chandragiri Hill) and attained celestial happiness by destroying all his Karmas. It is asserted with confidence that every kind of happiness can be acquired by penance. The inscription is dated 650 A. D.
Some of the inscriptions which record the observances of Sallekhana by certain ascetics and others are very brief and do not bear any date or year, though Narasimhachar assigns about 700 A. D. to them. One of them records the death of Nagamati, a female disciple of an ascetic of Chittür in Adiyār Nadu. Nāgamati appears to have been a nun, and she expired after observing the vow for three months. Chittur in Adiyar Nadu was within the jurisdiction of Pallava Kings.
5. Ibid., Vol. II, Ins. 75.
4. Ibid., Vol. II, Ins. 11.
6. Ibid., Vol. II, Ins. 2.
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