Maharashtra Ke Jain Shilalekh - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Maharashtra ke Jain Shilalekh" by Vidyadhar Johrapurkar:

This article, "Jain Inscriptions of Maharashtra," by Dr. Vidyadhar Johrapurkar, serves as a humble tribute to the revered Acharya Shri Shantisagarji, whose revival of the ancient Jain monastic tradition in the 20th century had a profound impact on the Jain community. The author fondly recalls meeting Acharya Shantisagarji in 1954 and credits the Phalton Jinavani Jirnovdhar Sanstha for its commendable work in propagating knowledge in his memory.

The article then delves into the historical evidence of Jainism in Maharashtra, presenting a chronological overview based on epigraphic findings:

Early Period (Pre-Christian Era to Satavahana Dynasty): While the definitive history of Maharashtra begins in the first century BCE with the Satavahana dynasty, Jain traditions mention interactions between Acharyas like Padalipta and Kalkacharya with Satavahana kings. Until recently, the extent of historical truth in these accounts was uncertain. However, an inscription discovered in a cave near Pala village, Pune, approximately three years prior to the article's writing, has confirmed the presence of Jain monks (Shramanas) in Maharashtra during the Satavahana era. This inscription, considered the oldest Jain inscription in Maharashtra, bears the first line of the Pancha Namaskara mantra and mentions Acharya Indrarakshita as the motivator for the construction of the cave and a water reservoir.
Post-Satavahana Period (Vakataka and Chalukya Dynasties): Jain inscriptions from the Vakataka and subsequent Chalukya periods in Maharashtra have not yet been found. However, several inscriptions from the Chalukya period exist in Karnataka.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty: The Rashtrakuta dynasty later held sway over the region. Numerous Jain inscriptions from this dynasty have been found across Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Two significant copper-plate inscriptions from Wazirkhad near Nashik are highlighted. These inscriptions describe how the Rashtrakuta emperor Indraraja, on the occasion of his coronation in 915 CE, gifted villages for the upkeep of Jain temples named Amogha Vasati and Uriyamma Vasati to Jain Acharya Vardhamana. The name "Amogha Vasati" suggests it was likely built under the inspiration of Emperor Amoghavarsha, Indraraja's great-grandfather. Brief inscriptions from the 9th-10th centuries have also been found in the Jain caves of Ellora, mentioning Acharyas Naganandi and Deepanandi, and some of their disciples. One inscription from Ellora, dating to the 13th century, after the Rashtrakuta reign, praises a gentleman named Chakreshwar for the construction of a cave temple. The article also mentions the erection of the colossal statue of Lord Gommateshvara on Vindhyagiri Hill in Shravanabelgola in Karnataka during the late Rashtrakuta period, with a brief inscription in Marathi stating, "Shri Chamundaraje karaviyale," which is considered one of the oldest Marathi inscriptions.
Later Chalukyas of Kalyani: Following the Rashtrakutas, the Chalukyas of Kalyani ruled Maharashtra. An inscription from 1071 CE, found in Tadkhel village near Nanded, during the reign of Emperor Bhuvanekamalla, states that the commander Kalimayya and Nagavarma made offerings of land and gardens to the temple called Nigalanka Jinalaya. Another inscription from 1078 CE, found in Akkalkot near Solapur during the reign of Emperor Tribhuvanamalla of the same dynasty, describes the donation of land etc., for a Jain monastery.
Paramaras of Malwa and Shilaharas: An inscription found in Kalyan near Mumbai mentions a donation made by Yashovarman, a feudatory of King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty of Malwa, to the Jin temple of Kalkaleshwara. A Kolhapur inscription from 1115 CE indicates that Gandaraditya, a king of the Shilahara dynasty (feudatories of the Chalukyas), entrusted the rights of two villages to his feudatory Nolamba. The epithets given to Nolamba, such as Samyaktva-Ratnakara and Padmavati Devi Labdhvaraprasad, suggest he was a follower of Jainism. Another Kolhapur inscription from 1135 CE details the construction of a Jin temple by the feudatory Nimbadeva and donations made by the community of Veerbalanj people to Acharya Shruthakirti. An inscription in the famous Mahalakshmi temple of Kolhapur also mentions the construction of a Jin temple by feudatory Nimbadeva and mentions Acharya Maghanandi.
Yadava Dynasty: An inscription from 1142 CE, found in the cave temple of Anjaneri near Nashik, belongs to King Seunachandra of the Yadava dynasty. It describes certain donations made for the Chandrapraha temple. An inscription from around 1154 CE was found in Multanpur near Dhulia, which bears the name of Acharya Vijayakirti of the Punnata Gurukul. Two inscriptions from Patur near Akola, dated 1188 CE, are currently in the Nagpur Museum and mention Acharyas Dharmasena and Maniksen. On the door of the Jin temple in Shirpur, also in the Akola district, there is an inscription from the 12th-13th century, with a somewhat unclear date, that mentions the Antariksha Parshvanatha temple.
Post-Muslim Rule (13th Century onwards): With the establishment of Muslim rule in Maharashtra at the end of the 13th century, most subsequent inscriptions are found on the pedestals of idols and on the samadhis (tombs) of Acharyas. Their number is quite significant. The article notes that there are over two hundred Jain temples in Maharashtra, and almost every temple has some inscription on its idols. While inscriptions from places like Nagpur and Karanja have been published, the inscriptions from most other locations remain unpublished.

The author emphasizes that these inscriptions provide invaluable information about the Acharyas and lay followers who were present in the region during the medieval period. He mentions that he had made an initial attempt to study these epigraphs from a historical perspective in his work titled "Bhattarak Sampraday." He suggests that further research and compilation of all the idol inscriptions from Maharashtra would be beneficial. The inscriptions mentioned in this article can be found in the "Jain Shilalekh Sangrah" published by Manikchandra Granthamala, Bombay (now Varanasi), of which four parts have been published and the fifth is in press.