Studies in South Indian Jainism

Author(s): M S Ramaswami Ayyangar, B Seshagiri Rao
Publisher: M S Ramaswami Ayyangar

Page 46

30 THE JAIN MIGRATION TO THE SOUTH. the first of a series of celebrated Digambara writers who acquired considerable predominance, in the early Rashtrakūt& period. Jain tradition assigns hin Saka 60 or 138 A.D.' Sravana Belgola Inscription No. 44 records some interesting accounts of Samantabhadra's activities. “At first, in the town of Patalipụtra," was the drum beaten by me." Afterwards in the Malava, Sindu and Thaka country, in the far off city of Kāńchi', arrived at Karhātaka, strong in warriors, great in learning, small in extent, I roam about. Oh! King: like a tiger in sport !” From the above statement of Samantabhadra, it is evident that he was a great Jain missionary who tried to spread far and wide Jaina doctrines and morals and that he met with no opposition from other sects wherever he went. Samantabhadra's 'appearance in South India marks an epoch not only in the annals of Digambara tradition, but also in the history of Sanskrit literature. He is also the author of an important Jain work Apta Mimamsa, the most authoritative exposition of the Syādvāda doctrine. After Samantabhadra a large number of Jain Munis took up the work of proselytism. The more important of them
Dr. Bhandarkar's Report on · Grinningham in his Ancient the Search of the Sanskril MSS. Geography identifies Thaka in 1883 & 1884, p. 320.
country with the Punjab.
6 The Räjävalikathe mentions • Patna on the Ganges.
Samantabhadra as having gone : To beat a drum, fixed in a to Kāñchi a number of times. central place in the city is a Kolhapur in South Mahratta peculiar form of challenge and country. invitation extended to religious ? Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. I, part disputants.
2, p. 406.