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222
The Unknown Pilgrims
viśistadvaita,250 was considerable throughout the South. King Vişnuvardhana of the Hoyśaļa dynasty was converted to Vaişnavism and subsequently his descendants in the same dynasty adopted that dharma.251
Directly the monarchs, princes, officials of state and generals ceased, though without showing hostility, to take an interest in the Jaina dharma or to popularise its doctrine or promote its worship by gists of land or moncy for the erection of temples, shrines and images, the Samgha gradually subsided into being a minority group which, without losing its fervour in the faith, found itseld turning inwards again and exercising less impact on local society. This state of affairs continued during thc following centuries. It must be added that this progressive decline was also duc later on to a considerable animosity towards the Jainas on the part of the viraśaivas or lingāyats, which resulted, it is thought, in a conversion of Jainas to that religious sect. The samgha, now very reduced in numbers, found itself less and less able to see to the prescrvation of its temples, of which many now fell into ruins, or to make inventories of the manuscripts held in the bhandāras, which were of inestimable value, especially those located in the headquarters of the Bhattārakas.
However, a flame still burns, the hearth-stone of glowing faith at Śravana Belgola has never been extinguished. High up on the summit of the hill Bāhubali continues to bear witness to the dharma, teaching it simply by his presence there, not only to Jaina pilgrims, but to pilgrims of all religions and nationalities.
c) The great Munis
While the much venerated statue of Bāhubali illumines the beholder by its very presence, numerous valuable written works bear witness to thc profound thinking of the learned munis and poets of the region, their concern to clarify the doctrine and their literary productivity between the first centuries of our era and the XIIth.
250 1.e. višişțādvaita: (the doctrine of) qualified non-dualism.
251 Cr. Deo, 1956, p.129; Saletore, 1938, p. 79.
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