Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India
the ninth and tenth centuries from Katwa, Ujani, Mangalkota, etc. preserved in the Asutosh Museum, Calcutta, and Vangiya Sahitya Parishad Museum point to wide prevalence of Jainism in the Burdwan district.
Orissa
In Orissa, Jainism was known as far back as the eighth century BC.80 Tradition avers that the eighteenth tirthankara Aranatha is said to have received his first alms in Rayapura which is in all probability the same as Rajapura described in the Mahabhārata81 as the capital of Kalinga.82 The association of Pārsvanatha with Kalinga is alluded to in the Jaina texts, such as, the Kṣetrasamāsa, Kumbhakara Jātaka, Uttaradhyāyana-sutra, the Parsvanatha-carita of Bhavadeva Suri, etc. It is stated in the Kṣetrasamāsa that Pārsvanatha in course of his wandering visited Tamralipta (Tamluk in the Midnapur district of West Bengal) and Kopakataka (Kopari in the Balasore district of Orissa). The Parsvanatha-carita narrates the story of the marriage of Parśvanatha with Prabhavati after her rescue from the clutches of Kalinga Yavana. An abduction scene in the Räni-gumpha is taken to have represented this episode of marriage.
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The Jaina Karakandu-carita mentions the miraculous enthronement of Karakandu in Kalinga, while the Kumbhakara Jātaka and the Uttaradhyāyana-sutra describe him as ruling over Kalinga contemporaneously with Naggati (Nagnajita) of Ganadhāra, Durmukha (Divimukha) of Pañcala and Nami of Videha.84 The Uttaradhyayana-sutra significantly records that "these bulls of kings have adopted the faith of the Jainas, after having placed their sons on the throne, they exerted themselves as Śromanas." It thus shows that Pärśvanatha wandered over this region and initiated many people to his faith.
According to the legendary account Mahavira came to this state as a Parivrăjaka and propagated his religion to the people. The Jaina Haribhadriya-vṛtti informs us that the ruler of Kalinga was a friend of Mahavira's father; and he invited Mahāvīra to preach his faith.86 K.P. Jayaswal87 believes that Mahāvīra personally propounded his religion in the Kumāri hill of Kalinga. The representations of lion in the sculptures of various caves and on the several column further strengthens his view that the two hills were sacred to the memory of Mahāvīra.