Airwadana Alpagyat Jinpratimana Lekh Vishe

Added to library: September 1, 2025

Loading image...
First page of Airwadana Alpagyat Jinpratimana Lekh Vishe

Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text:

This text, titled "Airwadana Alpagyat Jinpratimana Lekh Vishe" (About the Inscription of an Unknown Jin Pratima from Airwadana Village), by M.A. Dhaky, is an analysis of an inscription found on a Jain idol discovered in the village of Airwadana. The author begins by acknowledging the valuable work of Muniraj Jayantvijayji in discovering and deciphering Jain inscriptions, which have shed light on the medieval Jain history of Gujarat and Rajasthan. However, Dhaky notes that many of Jayantvijayji's published works focus on inscriptions from Abu and its surrounding villages, with less attention given to inscriptions from other locations, including the one from Airwadana.

Dhaky then re-publishes and discusses the inscription from Airwadana, emphasizing its historical significance.

The inscription itself reads: "ॐ सं० ११०७ फाल्गुन वदि ८ बुध दिने श्रीकक्कुदाचार्यगच्छे तचिवनेन विरातवा चैत्ये श्री वर्धमान श्रावकेण श्रीमूलराजगुरुराज्यचित्रक जंबसुतेन"

Key points of analysis and interpretation from the text:

  • Location: The inscription originates from the village of "Avirapataka gram," which is identified as the present-day Airwadana village.
  • Kakudacharya: The guru mentioned, Kakudacharya, is likely a monk from the Ukeshagachchha (Ukeshagachchiya Muni) because this name appears among the lineage of acharyas in that sect during the medieval and later medieval periods.
  • Vardhaman and Jamb: The shravaka (lay follower) who commissioned the idol is named Vardhaman, and he is identified as the son of Jamb.
  • Mularaja Connection: Jamb is described as a well-wisher (or perhaps involved in the governance) of the "great kingdom of Mularaja." This strongly suggests that this Mularaja is Solanki Mularaja I (reigned c. 946-995 CE).
  • Jambak Connection: If this Mularaja is indeed Solanki Mularaja I, then Jamb could very well be Jambak, the great minister mentioned in Hemachandra's Dvyashraya Kavya.
  • Historical Support: Dhaky cites a statement by the late historian Durgashankar Kevalram Shastri regarding Mularaja's council of ministers. Shastri mentions Jambak and Jehula in the Dvyashraya, noting that according to the commentator, Jehula was the minister and ruler of Kheralu. While the names might be debated, the positions are considered likely correct. Dhaky argues that the inscription's "Jamb" being the same as the "Jambak" mentioned by Hemachandra strengthens the likelihood of the name being accurate.
  • Further Connections to Sajjan: The text then delves into the Prabandhachintamani by Merutunga Acharya (a Nagendragachchhiya acharya, dated VS 1361 / 1305 CE). In this work, it is mentioned that after Siddharaja's conquest of Saurashtra (around 1115 CE), Sajjan, a Shriman (Shrimal) who was appointed as a Dandanayak (commander or minister), is also referred to as "Jambavanshaj" (descendant of Jamba). While there's a minister named Jamba associated with Vanaraja Chavda in traditions, Dhaky suggests that the "Jamb" from the Airwadana inscription, who was a minister of Mularaja, could be an ancestor of Sajjan.
  • Genealogical Reconstruction: Although the inscription doesn't specify Jamb's caste, the possibility of him being from the Shrimali caste is not ruled out. Considering Vardhaman's idol was made in 1051 CE, it's inferred that Jamb might have become a minister in the later decades of Mularaja's reign, and Vardhaman commissioned the idol in his old age. If two generations could be identified between Sajjan (appointed around 1115 or 1120 CE) and Vardhaman (1051 CE), a complete family tree of Sajjan could be established. The proposed lineage is: (Minister) Jamb -> Vardhaman (1051 CE) -> Sajjan (Dandanayak, 1115 or 1120 CE) -> Parashuram.
  • Significance: The inscription is deemed important because it sheds light on the ancestor of a well-known Jain family.

In essence, the article uses the Airwadana inscription to connect historical figures and periods, suggesting that the lay follower Vardhaman and his father Jamb, mentioned in the inscription, were part of the administrative machinery of Solanki Mularaja I and potentially ancestors of the notable minister Sajjan.