Old Bramhi Inscriptions In Udaygiri And Khandagiri

SR No.: 020516
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Benimadhab Barua
Publisher: University of Calcutta
Publication Year: 1929
Total Pages: 354
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 206

178
OLD BRĀHMI INSCRIPTIONS
under joint auspices of himself, his queens and others on the Kumāri hill for the resting of resident Jain saints.
The fourteenth year's record contains an account of how the king, in the fourteenth year of his reign, excavated a special cave for the residence of the recluses, ascetics and hermits from all quarters, caused stonepillars and shrines to be made with stone-slabs quarried out of best quarries, and set up ornamented pillars in beryl chambers at the cost of a huge sum of money.
The concluding paragraph which is but a long string of nicely woriled and choicest adjectives heaped upon the name of King Khāravela-siri is evidently a literary device to represent the sovran lord of Kalinga as the noblest type of kingly personality and the greatest and best of earthly warrior heroes. He is styled Khemarāja, the Lord of Security. He is styled Vadharāja, the Lord of Prosperity. He is styled Indarāja, the Lord of Kingly Power. He is styled Dhammarāja, the Lord of Justice. He is represented as a person who had the ripeness of understanding and judgment of the nature of what is conducive to human welfare. He is represented as a person gifted with special qualities; as one who honoured all sects and denominations; and as one who repaired all religious temples. He is represented as a descendant of a family of royal sages. He is represented as a great conqueror. He is represented as a most powerful king who maintained the prestige of his illustrious predecessors, who had the ability to protect his kingdom, and who secured services of the ablest and fearless ministers and officers. The Pāli Upāli-Sutta in the Majjhima-Nikāya goes to show that this mode of praising the acknowledged high personality or this exaggerated mode of bero-worship was Jaina, as will be evident from the following quotation :
The householder Upāli who happened to be formerly a Jain by faith is represented as saying to Nigaạțba-Nātaputta, the historical founder of Jainism, in praise of the Buddha in whom he subsequently took refuge :
Dhirassa vigatamohassa pabhinna-khilassa vijita-vijayassa | anigbassa susamacittassa vuddhasilassa sādhupaññassa || vessantarassa vimalassa Bhagavato tassa sävako' ham asmi
Tanhacchidassa buddhassa vitadhumassa anupalittassa āhuneyyassa yakkhassa uttamapuggalassa atulassa || mahato yasaggappattassa Bhagavato tassa sävako' ham asmi 11
1. Majjhima-Nikāya, Vol. I, p. 315. Upāli calls himself sävaka in the sense of " a lay disciple," which accords with Jain phraseology, and not with Buddhist,