Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

Author(s): Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 16

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
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Karimnagar district. This is confirmed by the Parbhani plates issued in 966 A. D. by his son Arikesarin III, which state that the village of Vanikațupulu was granted by him to Somadevasūri for the repairs and upkeep of a temple called Subhadhāmajinalaya built by his father Vadyaga in the capital city of Lembulapāțaka, identified with the village of Lemulavada or Vemulavāda mentioned above. Close to it was the prosperous town of Gangadhārā where Somadeva says he composed his romance. The manner in which he refers to this town in the colophon to the work would seem to indicate that it enjoyed the bountiful patronage of the reigning chief Vadyaga or Baddega.?
Lembulapāțakas figures also in the Vemulavāda pillar inscription of Arikesarin II, which records a grant of land in a corner of the city for the maintenance of a Sun temple built by Peddapārya, a high official (tantrapāla) in the service of the ruling chief. Three other temples dedicated to Śiva (Rājeśvara, Baddegeśvara and Nagareśvara) are mentioned in the record, which shows that the place was a stronghold of Saivism. Even today Vemulavāda is an important centre of pilgrimage in Telingana.
Arikesarin II seems to have been a follower of the orthodox religion, but he was catholic in his sympathies, as shown by the fact that his court poet Pampa was a Jaina and wrote on Jaina themes. His son and successor Baddega came under the influence of Somadevasūri, who is described in the Parbhani plates as being held in great esteem and veneration by kings and powerful feudatory chiefs. He not only built a temple in the capital for the great teacher but seems to have adopted the Jaina creed under his guidance. It is noteworthy that the Parbhani inscription issued by his son Arikesarin III opens with a verse which extols the glory and the beneficent mission of the Jaina faith.
5. Rao op. cit., p. 216; VENKATARAMANAYYA op. cit., p. 45. 6. This and some other villages are said to exist almost under the same names in
Sirsilla tāluk of Karimnagar district. Rao op. cit., p. 223. 7. Pt. Premi's manuscript gives this portion of the colophon in a more correct form
than the printed edition : श्रीमद्वद्यगराजस्य लक्ष्मीप्रवर्धमानवसुधारायां गंगधारायां. RAO (op cit., p. 223) says that Gangadhārà still exists under the same name near Vemulavada. I am informed by Dr. B. Rama Raju of Hyderabad that it is in Jagtiyal taluk of
Karimnagar district, ten miles from Vemulavada. 8. The Parbhani plates and the revised text of the Vemulavāda pillar inscription of
Arikesarin II in Rao op. cit. have -pataka. The text of the latter record repro
duced by VENKATARAMANAYYA (p. 91 ) has -vätaka. 9. Several Saiva temples are shown on the site plan of Lemulavāda village in VEN
KATARAMANAYYA'S monograph.