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Jaina Inscriptions related to the Ratta Chieftains
Pinal Jain
The Rattas were chieftains of Veņugrāma in modern Belgaum and of Sugandhavartī which is also located in the same region. According to J.F. Fleet the Rattas were first raised to the position of chieftains by Rāştrakūţa ruler Kṛṣṇarāja II. Ratta chief Pệthvirāma was subordinate of Krşñarāja II but his grandson, śāntivarmā was a subordinate of Cālukya king Tailapdeva II and his successors down to Senā II continued to be subordinate of the Cālukya dynasty.' Here we will consider inscriptions relating to the Rattas of the period corresponding to their subordination to the Rāștrakūțas and the Cālukyas. It is significant that during the whole period they remained devoted to Jaina worship. Inscription no. II2.3 is on a stone slab built into the wall, located at the left side of a Jaina temple at Saundatti in Parasgarha Taluka of the Belgaum district. The emblems on the top of the stone are as follows- in the centre, a seated figure of Jinendra; to the right of it, a crooked knife, a cow and calf above it; and to the left, the Sun with the Moon above it. In this inscription the grant of six nivartanas (a measurement of land) in the village of Mulgunda, belonging to Sugandhavartī, is made by king Kaņņa. It also mentions about Pșthvīrāma, during the reign of Krşņarājadeva (Krşņa II, Rāșțrakūța ruler) built a temple of Jina in the village of Sugandhavarti and allotted eighteen nivartanas of land to it. Pịthvīrāma is also described as the beloved of goddess of bravery, a very thunderbolt to the mountains to the hostile chieftains, the Sun of the white lotus which were learned men, the best of good warriors and the granter of all the wishes of his servants. Inscription no. III4 records that king śāntivarmā, having washed the feet of Bāhubali Bhattāraka, alloted to the Jaina temple that he had built in Sugandhavartī one hundred and fifty mattars of land. The inscription appreciates the ascetics of Kandaragaņa. It says about Ravicandra-svāmī that kings bowed at his lotus feet. About sage
