– Nitin H.P.
Executive Director
www.jainheritagecentres.com
Highlights
- A Grants Inscription – also called as Dana Shasana.
- Mentions about Jain rituals, services & festivals that were performed during that period – Hâlu-dhâre – anointing an idol by milk, Ashtàhnihâ, Jïvadayâshtami, Srïpanchami.
- Provides information about Suparshwanath temple’s construction and 4 grants made to the temple.
- Inscription belongs to the period of Saluva kings who ruled over Nagire Rajya i.e. current Gerusoppe.
Location – In the premises of the ruined Sri Suparshwanath Temple at Bastimakki in Bhatkal taluk of Uttara Kannada District in the state of Karnataka, India.
Type of Inscription – A Grants Inscription – also called as Dana Shasana.
Period of Inscription – 1538 A.D.
Script of Inscription – Middle Kannada (Nadugannada), 75 lines inscription engraved only on 1 side of the slab.
Structure – It is a huge lofty structure of 30 feet high and is a fine specimen of Ganga workmanship; on its top is found the image of Sarvahna Yaksha.
Dimension – Height 5′, Width 3’.
Summary of the Inscription’s Content
This is a composite record mentioning about 4 grants. After paying a tribute to Jina’s order, this record invokes the blessings of Supârsva Jinésvara on Krishnaraya.
It introduces in the succeeding stanzas stating the two royal brothers of Nagire named Saluva Devaraya and Sangiraya and their sister Padmalamba who were born in the lineage of the king Mavarasa who had flourished at Nagire.
Then a reference is made to Mahamandal?svara Krishnaraya Odeya who impressed the heart of Padmambika, by ruling over Haiva, Tulu, Konkana and other kingdoms. However, nothing is mentioned as to whom he succeeded and how.
Construction of the temple
In the next line it is stated that Narasana-adhikari of Settibali, son of Sanninayara installed the image of Suparisva-Tirthesvara i.e. Tirthankara Suprarshwanath, at the Chaityalaya constructed by him at Kannana-bahra and made a grant.
The Saka years quoted in the record are current years.
List of Grants mentioned in the inscription
First Grant – The date of this grant is Saka 1461, Vilambi, Jyeshtha, bahula 3rd Thursday, this corresponds to Thursday, May 16, A.D. 1538. On the date specified in 18, of Madiyuragadde-hittalu (Madiyura – is the name of a place, gadde – means paddy fields in Kannada, hittalu – beans backyard of a house in Kannada) together with the land granted by Bhaîradevï yielding 208 mudis (mudi – is a means of measure. One mudi means 25 to 35 Kgs) of paddy as well as 30 silver coins for conducting regular worship of the deity and performing the charity for feeding the ascetics visiting the temple. This grant was to come in to force from the date of the Deepavali festival of the Târana-Samvatsara.
Second Grant – The date of this grant is the lunar month of Adhîka-Jyeshtha which corresponds to Friday, May 17, A.D. 1538. This grant of this record relates to Bhairu Heggade, son of Maniya Sangunâyaka. He renovated the Basti (Basti means a Digambar Jain temple, this is a term used in Karnataka) and made a gift of 25 mudis of wet land for defraying the expense of 101 mudis of rice required for conducting the services of Hàlu-Dhàre (Hàlu-Dhàre – it is anointing the Tirthankar idol with milk), offerings and feeding in the temple in his name. This is also said to have come in to force from the date of Deepavali festival of the Târana Samvatsara.
Third Grant – The date of this grant is Dhatu Asvayuja bahula 14, Friday, this corresponds to Friday, October 24, A.D. 1516. Itwas made on the date specified in 1-40 when Mahamandal?svara Saluva Immadi Devaraya-Odeya was governing Nagire-rajya and Haive, Tulu and Konkana countries It consists of 18 mudis of wet-land granted by the chief together with ail proprietary rights, and exempt from the usual taxes etc, to Sangunâyaka (son) of Sannappanayaka of Honnavara, in turn endowed it to the basti with a view to providing for the details of service specified.
Fourth Grant – It was a gift to the same basti of a land yielding an annual income of 72 mudis of paddy made by Holeya-baliya Satananayaka for providing for the worship and daily feeding of the Jaina monks, after purchasing it with the price paid into the royal treasury (bhandara) from Mahamandal?svara Krishnadevaraya-Odeya, the Governor of Nagire, Haîve, Tulu and Konkana countries. This grant is said to have come in force from the date of Deepavali festival of Vilambi Samvatsara.
Here, the record makes the mention of Sannigauda’s son-Deni as having provided for the Hàlu-Dhàre of the God of the same basti, in the name of his father.
The services and festivals mentioned in the record are
- Hâlu-dhâre (Lines 25, 68, 70, 73 etc.)
- Ashtàhnihâ (Line 25)
- Jïvadayâshtami (Line 25)
- Srïpanchami (Line 73)
Reference:
Karnataka Inscriptions – Volume 1 – Published 1941