Medieval Jainism

SR No.: 011082
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bhasker Anand Saletore
Publisher: Karnataka Publishing House
Total Pages: 448
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 27 MB

Page 381

362
MEDIÆVAL JAINISM teenth to the end of the sixteenth century A.D. The credit of turning the mind of the Kārkaļa rulers to the syād vāda doctrine goes to the Jaina gurus of Hanasõge. It was at the instance of Lalitakīrti Maladhārideva Bhattāraka of Hanasõge that king Vira Pāņdya, the son of Bhairavendra, caused to be constructed and set up the colossal image of Gomața at Kārkaļa, to which reference has already been made, on Wednesday the 13th A.D. 1432.Probably it is the same guru who is mentioned in another inscription dated Saka 1379 (A.D. 1457-8) which records a gift of paddy to the Hire Nemīśvara basadi at Hiriangaļi, one of the suburbs of Kārkaļa. In this record Lalitakirti is said to have belonged to the Kālorgana.2 The same guru was likewise responsible for the munificence of the merchants of Hiriangadi, who in A.D. 1475-76 built a mukha-manțapa to the Tirthankara basadi of that place.3
We may recount here the patronage given to Jainism by the queen Kāļala Devi in A.D.1530 mentioned in connection with the activities of women in Karnāțaka.+
But much of the importance of Kārkaļa was due not only to the patronage of its rulers but to the large-heartedness of its citizens as well. In Saka 1501 (A.D. 1579) some Srāvakas of Kārkaļa gave as a gift money for the study of the scriptures in the Ammanavara basadi at Hiriangaļi. Lalitakīrti Bhattāraka is said to have been the vicāra-kartā (superintendent) of the charities. This guru could not have been
1. 1. 1., XXIII, p. 119 ; E. C. I, p. 19 (rev. ed.); E. 1., VII, pp. 109, seq; 63 & 64 of 1901.
2. 70 of 1901. 3. 66 of 1901.. 4. E. C. VI. Kp. 47, op. cit. 5. 67 of 1901.