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Sallekhanā in Practice
63
Padmavati of Humcha. An inscription in Shikarpur Taluka (No. 8 - A. D. 1080) refers to a grant to the temple of Jina. (2) Inscription No. 4 (1122 A. D.) of Shimoga and some others are important as they mention Muni Simhanandi Ācārya having assisted the Ganga Kings who patronised Jainism in part of the Mysore Territory known as the Gangawadi country. Besides, the lineage of the Acāryas of Krānūr-gana is given; Simhanandi, Arhadbali, Dāmanandi, Bālacandra, Meghacandra, Guņacandra, Gunanandi, Prabhācandra, Māghanandi, whose colleagues were Anantavīrya and Municandra. The di. sciples of the latter were Śrutakīrti, Kanakanandi Vādirāja, Madhavacandra and Balacandra. Prabhācandra's disciple Buddhacandra ( Introduction, Vol. VII, p. 15).
There are many inscriptions in the Sāgar Taluka which refer to the Sāļuva Kings who were Jainas and who had their capital in Sangītapura or Hadu-halli where there are still three Jaina temples, one of them having the idols of the twenty-four Tīrthańkaras and of Dharaṇendra and Padmavati. They built temples or encouraged the rich merchants like Padmanna-shetti to build them (Nos. 163 and 164). In Nagar Taluka, there is an inscription No. 46 (1530 A. D.) which is in praise of Vidyānanda-svāmi. He is famous as Vādi Vidyānanda who established the greatness of Jina in the Court of Sāļuva Deva Rāya and wiped out the other creeds. He supported the munis of Gerasoppa and held great festivals in sacred places like Kopaņa (i. e. Koppal), Belguļa of Gommața and other sacred places. There is a list of Jaina saints of the line, from which Vādi Vidyānanda descended.
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