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10th anniversary pratishtha mahotsava
SPREAD OF JAINISM AND ROYAL PATRONAGE
By Dr Natubhai Shah
As spiritual progress was the goal of life for the Jains, disciple of Mahagiri, Kausambika was prominent in the
history did not seem to them to be of much famous city of Kausambi, the capital of Udayana whose importance. However, records of royal patronage, aunt Jayanti had become a Jain ascetic (Bhagavati existing inscriptions, art and architecture, literary and 1921: p. 1987). Suhasti's disciple Rohana was legendary sources have helped scholars to construct responsible for the Udumbarika branch, whose the history of Jainism. As India is a sub-continent with members included the Audambara tribe of Punjab, a history of many kingdoms, royal support was very suggesting that Jainism was firmly established in the important for disseminating the religion. Though Punjab in c. 250 BCE (Chatterjee 1978: p.38). The extremely variable, royal patronage aided the
branches derived from the other disciples Jain cause, and the fortunes of Jainism in a
of Suhasti such as Bhadriyika (Bhadrika India fluctuated over time dependent on the can
City), Kakandika (Kakandi Town), Sravastika rise or decline of royal patronage.
(Sravasti City), Saurastrika (Saurastra region) Parsvanatha, the twenty-third
and Madyamika (middle region) suggest that tirthankara, was successful in popularising
Jainism was well established in northern Jainism (the Nirgrantha religion) in different
India, Gujarat and Rajasthan from the very
early period. It is difficult to say when the parts of the northern India. Literary records suggest that he visited Kausambi, Saketa,
Jainism reached the southern peninsula. Kampilyapura, Malakappa, Mathura and
Anuradhapura, the capital of King Rajagraha (Chatterjee 1978: p. 35). After his liberation
Pandugahhaya in Sri Lanka, had a temple at Sammetsikhar, his disciples continued the task of
and a monastery built for Nirgrantha devotees in the disseminating his teachings of the fourfold restraints,
fourth century BCE (Ayyangar 1922: p. 33). This and before the birth of Mahavira the Nirgrantha religion
evidence and Bhadrabahu's travel to the south suggest was well established in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The
that Jainism reached southern India in its early period. parents of Mahavira and most probably the parents of Eastern India Buddha were adherents of this religion.
The eastern part of India includes provinces such as Mahavira travelled to Bihar, some parts of Uttar Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. When it came to gaining royal Pradesh, eastern India and Vitibhaya, the capital of support, Mahavira's birth into a ruling family gave him Sindhu-Sauvira in western India (Bhagvati 1921: many important connections. It is, therefore, not p.2234). Literary records suggest that King Udayana surprising that Jainism won royal support in the eastern of Sindhu Sauvira became a Nirgrantha monk and the part of the sub-continent. Even before Mahavira, religion reached the western coast of India during Parsvanatha had travelled widely in the east spreading Mahavira's time, and that Bengal accepted Jainism Jain teachings and creating many followers. Jain before Buddhism. (Chatterjee 1978: pp. 36-37). After ascetics established a solid rapport with local rulers and Mahavira's liberation his successors spread the religion the community with the result that, according to the throughout India and obtained a considerable royal Kalpa Sutra, Mahavira had over half a million followers support.
in his lifetime. It is not easy to trace the history of the spread
The monarchs in Bihar such as Srenika (or of Jainism, but careful study of the Kalpa Sutra Bimbisara), kunika (or Ajatsatru), Udayan, the rulers Theravali will give us some pointers towards the gradual of the Nanda, the Mauryan, and the Maitra dynasties spread of Jainism to different parts of India in the early were patrons of Jainism before the Common Era. period starting from the 4th century BCE. Among the However, periodic persecution caused the Jains to move four branches that originated with Godasa, a disciple out of Bihar to the south and west in two directions; of Bhadrabahu, and the three significant names: the first route was through Kalinga (Orissa) and the Tamraliptika, Kotvarsiya and Pundravardhamaniya other via Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain and Gujarat. In all were connected with the three well-known geographical these locations, early communities of followers and units of Bengal (Chatterjee 1978: pp.37-38). Among sympathisers of Jainism were strengthened by the influx the many branches that originated with Balisaha, a of new arrivals.
The spectacle of nation praying is more awe-inspiring than the explosion of an atomic bomb. the force of prayer is greater than any possible combination of man-controlled powers, because prayer is man's greatest means of trapping the infinite resources of God.
- Herbert Hoover, 31st President of USA
Jain Education Interational 2010_03
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