Jainism in the Inscriptions of Odisha (Introduction)

The value of inscription as a source of early Indian history has been widely recognized. It acts as an important source for the reconstruction of the political and cultural history of the Indian subcontinent from the 3^rd century BCE to late medieval period. The inscriptions are very authentic medium to record the historical truth in its multiple dimensions. In the absence of any chronological recorded history of our past, Indian inscriptions are the real archives of the annals of its ancient history, the contemporaneous witness of the events and of the men. They supply important date bearing on the chronology, geography, religious system, affiliation of families, dynasties, taxes, land tenures, customs, manners, organizations of society, language and system of writing in ancient times. With the discovery and study of numerous inscriptions, important data have been brought to light, various missing links have been established and fresh information are added. The inscriptions are found in different materials viz. rock surfaces, walls of natural or artificial caves, pavements, pillars, slabs, statues, reliquaries, wooden pillars, copper plates, bricks, pots, shells, ivory plaques as well as on perishable materials like palm leaf, bhuj patra, textiles and paper. It includes the languages of Indo-Aryan, Dravidian and even non-Indian languages. D.C Sircar^[1] mentions that there is no aspect of life, culture and activities of the Indians that is not reflected in the inscriptions. It is an important source for reconstructing Indian history in many ways^[2].

They are as follows:-

1. It throws light on the life of the Sovereign and the people whom they ruled.
2. It strengthen the missing link of any dynasty know from other source.
3. It helps to locate the cities of ancient places.
4. Important events like war, victory, constructional activities, religious practices, donations etc.
5. Important information about political, economical and administrative aspects of the then period. Even it provides name of the officers and their designations.
6. It throws light on commercial and trade activities of the period.
7. The religious faith, tolerance or bigotry, endowments and charities etc.
8. The genealogy of the king and their royal epithet.

The discovery of inscriptions in different nooks and corners of Odisha are unquestionably widening our knowledge about the historical facts that happen in the past in relation to this holy land.

However, the darkness of about nine hundred years of Odishan history from the circa 3^rd century BCE to circa 6^th century CE have been lighted only with the discovery and decipherment of some important inscriptions^[3] which are as follows-

1. Ashokan rock edict at Dhauli and Jaugada (c. 3^rd century BCE)
2. Hati-Gumpha inscription of Kharavela (c. 2^nd -1^st century BCE)
3. Minor Brahmi inscriptions in different caves at Udayagiri (c. 1^st century BCE)
4. Bhadrak inscription of Gana (c. 3^rd century CE)
5. Sitabhinji fresco painting inscription(c. 4^th -5^th century CE)
6. Asanpat Siva image inscription(c. 5^th century CE)
7. Sumandala copper plate of the time of Prithivivigraha Bhattaraka (c.6^th century CE)
8. Soro copper plate of Maharaja Sambhuyasa (c. 6^th century CE)
9. Kanasa copper plate of Lokavigraha (c. 6^th century CE)
10. Jayrampur copper plate of the time of Gopachandra. (c. 6^th century CE)
11. Stone and terracotta inscriptions from different excavation of Buddhist sites in Odisha ranging from the 3^rd century CE to the 11^th century CE.

On this background, without the inscription, the study on Jainism in Odisha is meaningless. It is well known that the historicity of Kharavela and his patronage towards the Jaina religion was traced only after the discovery of Hati-Gumpha inscription^[4]. Thus, Hati-Gumpha inscription along with other inscriptions both earlier deciphered and the newly reported are discussed here. They are as follows:-

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

D.C. Sircar, Indian Epigraphy, Delhi, 1965, pp.1-23.

[2]:

Ibid.

[3]:

H.H. Routray, “Early Inscriptions of Orissa”, un-published M.Phil thesis of Utkal University, 2000, pp.1-4.

[4]:

K.P. Jayaswal, “A Note on Hatigumpha Inscription,” JBORS, Vol.IV,1918, pp.96-98; R.D Banerji, “The Hatigumpha Inscription of Kharavela”, Epigraphia Indica (EI), Vol. XX, No.7,1929-30, pp. 71-81; R.P. Mohapatra, Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, Dilhi,1981, pp.251-259; N.K. Sahu, Kharavela, Bhubaneswar,1984, pp.311-346; S. Agrawal, R KH RAVELA, Cuttack, 2000, pp.5-19.