Riwa Ke Katara Jain Mandir Ki Murtiyo Par Prashastiya - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text about the inscriptions on the idols of the Katra Jain Mandir in Rewa:

Book Title: Riwa ke Katara Jain Mandir ki Murtiyo par Prashastiya (Inscriptions on the Idols of the Katra Jain Mandir in Rewa) Author: Pushpendra Jain Publisher: Z_Jaganmohanlal_Pandit_Sadhuwad_Granth_012026.pdf Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/211862/1

Summary:

This text, authored by Pushpendra Jain, focuses on the inscriptions found on the idols within the Katra Jain Mandir in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

The introduction establishes Rewa as a significant city in the Vindhya region, historically the capital of the Baghel dynasty and later of the Vindhya Pradesh state before its integration into Madhya Pradesh. It highlights Rewa's growing importance due to developing industrial projects and its potential as a future industrial hub. The text also notes Rewa's educational and literary significance, with various institutions present, and its developing commercial influence.

The Jain community in Rewa is described as primarily trade-oriented. Due to limited business opportunities, their presence was not as prominent initially. It is mentioned that some of the older Jain families in Rewa originated from the Chhatarpur district approximately 150-200 years ago, possibly due to an uninvestigated event in Chhatarpur that caused the Jain community to migrate. The primary initial occupation of these families was textile sales and transactions, though more recently, they have diversified into grocery, general goods, and pharmacy businesses. Some are also employed in high positions in government service due to higher education.

Rewa has two Jain temples: one in Katra and another on Kila Marg. The Katra Mandir is approximately 200 years old and contains two altars. The first altar houses a large idol of Bhagwan Shantinath in the khasan (standing) posture, sourced from the village of Hilki in Mauganj. This idol, dated to V.N. 2441 (1914 CE), is imposing and lacks any inscription. A similar idol is found in the Digambar Jain Mandir in Satna, and these idols are held in high reverence by the Jain community.

The second altar of the Katra Mandir, though not as old as the temple itself, holds 32 metal, stone, and marble idols installed between V.S. 1694 (1637 CE) and 1955 CE. Among these is a brass Chauvishi (a plaque depicting 24 Tirthankaras). Crucially, many of these idols bear significant inscriptions that provide insights into the contemporary Bhattarak tradition (a lineage of Jain monastic leaders) and Jain family traditions. The author proceeds to detail some of these important inscriptions:

Inscription on the Brass Chauvishi: This is the oldest inscription found, dated to V.S. 1694 (1637 CE). It lists a lineage of Bhattaraks: Bhattarak Lalit Kirti, followed by Bhattarak Dharma Kirti (on his patta or succession), his putra (disciple/son in lineage) Sakalchandra Bhattarak Acharya Shri Padmakirti, and then Gunakarme on his patta. It also mentions devotees Raghoba and Ashadas of the Gachha Dhanmura, Khasall gotra, who were followers of Hajarat Shah Ugrasen. The inscription concludes with a dedication by the writer Hiraman. The lineage mentioned is similar to the Meru Prashasti (1224 CE) of the Chhatarpur Chauriya Mandir, with minor variations. The mention of Raghoba and Ashadas's gotra suggests this Chauvishi was installed by a devotee from the Paurapattanvayi lineage. It is speculated that Bhattarak Lalit Kirti mentioned here might be different from the 1861 Bhattarak of the Delhi seat.
Inscription on the Padmasana Parshvanath Idol: Dated to V.S. 1713 (1656 CE), this inscription also details the Bhattarak tradition and the lineage of the installers. It mentions the lineage: Bhattarak Shri Lalit Kirti, on his patta Dharmakirti Devju, on his patta Pt. Padmakirti Dev, and Pt. Sakalkirti, under the guidance of the Gurus. It identifies the installers as belonging to the Pauraptta lineage, specifically from the Ashtashakha family of Chopda village. The devotees mentioned include Grahakdas Chou. Phadn, Pt. Dwarkadas, Pt. Parsottam Sahu, Kapoorchand of Niroli, and others. The names of the artisans are also mentioned: Chaturansinha, Kamalkali, Jagole, and Ramachandra. The text notes that according to Nemchandra Shastri, Dharma Kirti lived between 1588-1625 CE, which aligns with the timing of Pt. Sakalkirti and the installation. However, complete information about Pt. Sakalkirti and Padmakirti is not available. This idol was also installed by a Pauraptta devotee from the Ashtashakha family of Chopda village.
Inscription on a Brass Manastambha (Column of Honour): This inscription is dated V.S. 1871 (1814 CE). While it doesn't detail the Bhattarak lineage, it mentions the name of Bhattarak Chandrapuri. The devotee's gotra, "Moor," confirms their Pauraptta lineage. The inscription also lists devotees Chaudhary Umravji and Chaudhary Kunwarju of Makhawali, associated with the Kauchhall gotra of Hata Ghivale, and the lineage of Acharya Kundkund.
Inscriptions on Two Idols from 1872: Although not fully detailed, these inscriptions mention the names Chaudhary Umrav, Madhu Kunwar, Bahadur Kunwar, and also Aman Singh.
Inscription on a Padmasana Idol: This idol only bears the inscription "V.S. 1568, Mul Sanghe, Vaishakh Sudi 9, Pranmati Shri Bhar."
Other Idols: Many other idols simply have the date and Samvat (year) inscribed on them.

The author then compares these findings with inscriptions from temples in Chhatarpur, noting that the installation period for idols in Chhatarpur ranges from V.S. 1102 to 1980. The inscriptions from Rewa (1694, 1713, 1871-72) are similar to those found on contemporaneous idols in Chhatarpur. This similarity leads to a hypothesis that the idols in Rewa might have originated from the Chhatarpur region. The author suggests that further archaeological and historical research would be beneficial in this regard.

The text concludes with a philosophical reflection on the human body and mind, emphasizing the vastness of our ignorance about our physical selves, let alone the subtle body or the soul. This section, however, appears to be a general philosophical observation rather than directly related to the inscriptions themselves.