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Sallekhana in Practice
Siddanta Deva of the Sri Mula Sangha. She had won the hearts of people by her devotion. She was unequalled in beauty, in compassion and devout attachment to religion. She was generous in the distribution of the four kinds of gifts viz. food, shelter, medicine and learning (sastradāna). After adopting samnyasa, she went into deep meditation and reached the world of gods. On erecting the memorial to his wife, Ganga Raja performed great pūjās and distributed generous charities in commemoration of that event. It may be recalled that her mother-in-law had adopted the vow of Sallekhana. This only shows that entire family was deeply devoted to the Jaina religion and followed in practice all its best principles."5
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There is an inscription which refers to Jagadekamalla. Deva, the ornament of the Calukya line. Then follows a detailed description of Mudde Gowda who took the vow of Sallekhana. He was the disciple of Manikyasena Pańḍitadeva under whose supervision he observed the vow and earned infinite merit (1143 A. D.).76
Even though there is a lengthy inscription in praise of the Tirthankaras Nabhey and Mahavira, the Acaryas like Kundakunda and other, it states that Meghacandratraividya was the guru of Prabhacandra Siddhanta Deva who was "a full moon to the ocean of religious observances and free from salyas." He was a joy to the learned and faultless in every respect. He was the master of three jewels and had purified himself by his knowledge of the agamas. He was a patron of learning and a colleague of Viranandi Saiddhantika. He was comparable to the Gaṇadharas in learning and purity of conduct. The account of his death by Sallekhana is very brief. It merely states that the senior-most disciple of Meghacandra Deva well-versed in the lores went to heaven. There is also mention of the death of Macikabbe, the mother of Sāntalā Devi, praising Jina in her heart. Apart from these
75. Ibid., Vol. II, Ins. 48 (128). 76. Ibid., Vol. VIII, Ins. 125.
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