130

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

ya, the carpenter of the giants, at Rāvana's re quest, was the sculptor.

In the name Śrāv an a Belligola is crystallized a story of bygone days. “Châ m und a rāya, after having established the worship of this image, became proud and elated at placing this god, by his own authority, at so vast an expense of money and labour. Soon after this, when he performed, in honour of the god, the ceremony of Pan châ m r it a Sn an a (or washing the image with five li quids—milk, curds, butter, honey, and sugar), vast quantities of these things were expended in many hundred pots, but, through the wonder ful power of the god, the liquor descended no lower than the navel, to check the pride and vanity of the worshipper. Chāmundarāya, not knowing the cause, was filled with grief that his intention was frustrated of washing the image completely with this ablution. While he was in

this situation, the celestial nymph Padmavati, by order of the god, having transformed herself in to the likeness of an aged poor woman, appeared, holding in her hand the five amritas in a Belliya gola (or small silver pot) for washing the statue, and signified her intention to Chá m und a rá y a, who laughed at the absurdity of this proposal for accomplishing what it had not been in his power to effect. Out of curiosity, however, he permitted her to attempt it: when, to the great surprise of the beholders, she wash ed the image with the liquor brought in the little silver vase. Ch film und a rāya, repent ing of his sinful arrogance, performed a second time, with profound respect, his ablution, on which they had formerly wasted so much valu able liquids, and washed completely the body of

[May, 1873.

historical records are fully supported by the tes. timony of monuments and inscriptions, the latter of which are exceedingly numerous in the South and West of India. Most of these are very modern -none are earlier than the ninth century. An exception is said to exist in an inscription on a

rock at Belligola, recording a grant of land by Chāmunda Rāya to the shrine of Gomatisvara, in the year 600 of the Kali age, meaning the Kali of the Jains, which began three years after the death of Warddhamăna. This inscription, therefore, if it exists, was written about fifty or sixty years before the Christian era.

But it is not clear that

any such record is in existence, the fact resting on the oral testimony of the head Pontiff at Bel ligola: even if it be legible on the face of the rock it is of questionable authenticity, as it is perfectly solitary, and no other document of like antiquity has been met with.”

The following account of the history of this place is taken trom the local “Sthala Purāna”:— “Chāmunda Rāja, king of Dakshina Madurá, and the descendant of Jaina Kshettri Pandu, set out with his family, escorted by an army of infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, with a view of visiting the god Gomatesvara (500 bilu high) at Pädaná-pură, and the 1254 other gods in the smaller temples scattered through out the surrounding country. En route he

came to Śrāvana Belligolā Kshettra, having heard a good deal about the god Gomateşvara (18 bilu high). He repaired the ruined tem ples, and among other ceremonies had that of sprinkling the god performed. He appointed Sid dhântâchārya as Guru of the math, to conduct the daily, monthly, annual, and other proces sions.

He established in the math a chattram

where food, medicine, and education were pro

Padmävati's hand. Srácana (Šrámana) is the

vided for pilgrims. He appointed men of his caste to receive with due respect the devotees and pilgrims of all three castes who should resort to the place from Dehli, Kanakadri Svi

title of a Jain Sannyasi, and as this place is the principal residence of these Sannyasis the peo

midagiri Ujjayantagiri, Jayanagara, &c. For

the image.

“From that time this place is named after the silver vase (or Belliyagola) which was held in

this purpose certain villages, giving an annual

ple call it Srávana Belligola.” It is difficult to fix the date of the statue.

tapura Sudhāpura, Păpăpuri, Champápuri Sam

If

the inscription exists which is referred to in the following extract from H. H. Wilson's Works (Vol I. p. 332), then would the date be B.C. 50 at least, for that is the year when the king granted the land:—

revenue of 196,000 pagodas, were made over to

the temple.

He fixed Šilā Śāsanas in the four

directions in the Chaitra month of the year Vibhava–605 of Kaliyuga, or the 1215th year after the death of Wardhamānasvämi.

This

endowment was maintained by his descendants for 109 years.

“The conclusions founded on traditionary or

• As. Res., vol. IX. p. 266; and conf. Buchanan, Mysore, &c. vol. III. p. 410,-ED