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śramaņa, Vol 56, No. 7-9/July-September 2004
It is clear that Jainism in south India, was in a good condition during the time of Chinese pilgrim. It we believe on Siṁhal texts Dipavarsa and Mahāvarsa, the inhabitants of South India were quite familiar with the tenets of Jaina religion. The Sangama text like Silappadikārama and Buddhist epic Manimekhalai already mention the presence of Jaina religion in remote part of south India. During the time of Huen-tsang, Cālukyas under the leadership of Pulakesina II were ruling over a larze part of south India. We come to know from his famous Aihol inscription that Jaina followers were respected and honoured. The poet Ravikīrti who is credited to have composed this inscription was a devout Jaina. He was probably associated with the Yāpanīya sect of Jainism. This inscription opens with the invocation of Jina. like Cālukyas almost all the dynasties flourished during this period were tolerant and had soft-corner for Jaina religion. The kings of Kadamba and Ganga dynasties were foremost in this pious cause. They created an amicable atmosphere in which Jainism could flourish in the coming centuries.30
To sum up, during the visit of Huen-tsang in the first half of the seventh century A.D. Jainism was prevalent more or less from North-West to Bay of Bengal and even in the south India. From the accounts of Huen-tsang and other contemporary sources, we come to this conclusion that Jainism was loosing its base in northern India while it was in a flourishing condition in western and southern India. References : 1. Beal, Samual, Si-yu-ki, Buddhist Records of the Western world,
reprint, Delhi-1981 (Motilal Banarasidas); Part I, P. 3-4. 2. Ibid, P. 55. 3. Ibid, P. 143. 4. Ibid, P. 144-45. 5. Ibid, P. 55-56, Fn. 198. 6. Ibid, P, 143, Fn. 69. 7. Vienna Oriental Journal, P. 80 (referred to in A Comprehensive
History of Jainism, A.K. Chatterjee) Vol. I, P. 98.
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