CHAMUNDA-RAYA AND SRAVANA-BELAGOLA

5. INSPIRATION TO GANGA-RAJA AND

HULLA-RAJA

Among the ministers who made valuable and lasting contributions to promote Jaina religion in general and to enhance the sanctity of Sravana-Belagola in particular, the names of Chamunda-Raya, Ganga-Raja and Hulla-Raja are invariably grouped together. In fact, Inscription No. 345 at Sravana-Belagola mention them as forming the triumvirate of pre-eminent promoters of the Jaina faith. It means that the policy followed and the works undertaken by Chamunda-Raya for the cause of Jaina faith at Sravana-Belagola during the 10th century, were continued with vigour and zeal by Ganga-Raja and Hulla-Raja, the Hoysala ministers, during the 12th century.

Ganga-Raja, also known as Ganga, Gangana, and Gangaaypa was Military General and Chief Minister of the Hoysala monarch Vishnuvardhana (1108-1142 A.D.) From the time of his great grand father Nagavarma, who belonged to Kaundinya Gotra of the Brahmana Varna, the observance of Jaina religion wan an established family tradition, Ganga-Raja�s father Echa alias Budhamitra, who worked General and Minister to Hoysala King Nripakama, was a devout Jaina and a disciple of saint Kanaka-nandi of Mallur in Coorg area. Similarly, Pochikabbe alias Pochala-Devi, the mother of Ganga-Raja, was a staunch follower of Jainism, she made several religious endowments at Sravana-Belagola and other places and ultimately left this world in 1121 A.D., by the Jaina rite of �Sallekhana� on the same lines General Ganga-Raja and his talented wife Lakshmi-Devi continued their patronage to Jainism under the guidance of their saint preceptor Subha-Chandra Siddhanta-deva.

Ganga-Raja was a brave warrior and an able General. In scriptions Nos. 73, 125, 240, 251 and 397 at Sravana-Belagola give an eloquent account of Ganga-Raja�s achievements and even discribe him as a hunderd-fold more fortunate than the former Raya of the Gangas, that is, Chamunda-Raya. Through his superb military strategies Ganga-Raja inflicted crushing defeats on armies of Chalukya, Ganga, Chola and other enemies and thus paved the way for Hoysala supremacy. In appreciation of his valour and various benevolent activities, Ganga-Raja was awarded several titles which are mentioned in Inscription No. 118 dated 1120 A.D. as follows :

�Obtainer of the band of five great instruments; Maha-Samantadhipati : �Maha-Prachanda-Dandanayaka; Terrifier of his enemies; Purifier of his family; friend of the learned; A moon in raising the volume of the ocean of milk of the Jaina religion; A mine to the jewel perfect faith in Jainism; Taker of delight in gifts of food, shelter, medicine and learning�, Svamidroha-gha-ratta; i.e., a millstone to traitors of his lord; A foundation pillar for supporting the mansion of Dharma�.

Ganga-Raja was also a successful minister. How helpful he was to his lord is poetically described in an inscription thus: �As the thunderbolt to Indra, as the plough to Balarama, as the discus to Vishnu, as the spear to Subrahmanya, as the bow Gandiya to Arjuna, even so, does Ganga-Raja conduct the affairs of King Vishnu�.

In addition to his military successes and benevolent administration, Ganga-Raja has to his credit a number of religious activities which greatly increased the importance of Sravana-Belagola as a sacred place. In this respect Ganga-Raja is very favourably compared with Chamunda-Raya in an inscription at Sravana-Belagola in the following terms:

�The Kunda-Kunda line of the Mula-Sangha is the most ancient in the Jaina creed; and the promoter of that line is undoubtedly the General Ganga-Raja, lay disciple of Subhachandra-Siddhantadeva� Wherever he marched, wherever he was encamped, wherever his eyes reste, wherever his mind was attracted, there he had Jina temples made; and thus the country was everywhere brought through Ganga-Raja to the condition in which it had been in days of yore. After Chamunda-Raya he was the Chief promoter of the Jaina doctrine�.

Supernatural power was also attributed to him; for it is stated that just as the river Godawari stopped flowing on account of the Jaina devotee Attimabbarasi, the river Kaveri, though it swelled and surrounded Ganga-Raja, did not touch him, thus testifying to the depth of his devotion to the Jaina faith.

Ganga-Raja made the following major contributions in the religious field to Sravana-Belagola.

(1) Construction of enclosure around Gommata image : Ganga-Raja built a heavy wall at some distance around the colossal image of Gommatesvara. This high solid wall built in 1117 A.D. has made the area around the image on the Vindhyagiri hill into a compact enclosure. By this wall the overall impressiveness of the image from a long distance is reduced to some extent. But it appears that the marvellous image of Gommatesvara needed such protection from the attacks of sectarian fanatics.

(2) Grant of Village Govindavadi : In inscriptions Nos 240, 251, ard 397 it is stated that Ganga-Raja, after his victory over the Chola feudatories a Talakad, obtained as a boon from the king Vishnuvardhana the village of Govindavadi and granted it for the worship of Gommatesvara.

(3) Erection of Sasana-Basti : It is recorded in inscription No. 74 that Ganga-Raja erected the Jina temple, Indirakulagrha, now known as the Sasana-Basti due to the inscription set up conspicuously at its entrance. The temple was built in 1117 A.D., in the middle of the Temple Sector area on the Chandragiri hill.

(4) Erection of the Kattale-Basti : It is recorded in inscription No. 70 that Ganga-Raja erected this temple for his mother Pochavva or Pochala-Devi. This temple is dedicated to Adinatha, the Ist Tirthankara, but it is popularly known as the Kattale-Basti, i.e., the temple of darkness, due to lack of sufficient light in the temple. The temple was built in 1118 A.D. in the middle of the Temple Sector area on the Chandragiri hill at Sravana-Belagola.

(5) Foundation of village Jinanathapura : Ganga-Raja founded a new village at a distance of about one mile to the north of Sravana-Belagola and named it as �Jinanathapura� in the year 1117 A.D. The village became famous for its beautiful Santinatha-Basti erected round about 1200 A.D. by Rachimayya, who was minister to Hoysala King Ballala II (1173-1220 A.D.)

(6) Renovation of temples of Gangavadi : Ganga-Raja restored innumerable ruined Jaina temples in all places to their former condition and thus converted the �Gangavadi into a sacred place like Kopana, situated near Hampi, the capital of Vijayanagara Empire. Inscription No. 124 at Belur says: �Whatever else might be said, the myriads of ruined Jaina temples restored and built again, and the many ways in which his unbounded gifts were made, caused the Gangavadi to shine like Kopana through Ganga-Raja�.

(7) Grant of Village Parama : From inscriptions No. 73 and 125 it is learnt that when Ganga-Raja, after his victory over the Chalukya army at Kannegal, presented to King Vishnuvardhana the stores and vehicles of the enemy captured in battle, the King, being pleased with his prowess, said : �I am pleased: ask for a boon�, whereupon Ganga-Raja asked for and obtained from the king the village of Parama and granted it to the Jina temples erected by his mother Pochala-Devi and his wife Lakshmi-Devi.

(8) Help in erecting Eradukatte-Basti : Inscription No. 130 states that Lakshmi-Devi, the wife of Ganga-Raja and a lay disciple of Subhachandra, caused the jina temple now known as the Eradukatte-Basti to be built in 1118 A.D. The temple is said to belong to the Pustaka-gachcha of the Desiga-gana of the Mula-sangha, The inscription further describes Lakshmi-Devi as Chelana in the worship of Jina, and as the lady of policy in business and the lady of Victory in battle to Ganga-Raya. This temple is dedicated to Adinatha, the Ist Tirthankara, but is popularly known as Eradukatte-Basti on account of the two stairs in the east and west of the approach to it. The temple is situated on the eastern side of the Temple Sector area on the Chandragiri hill.

(9)Help in erecting Santinatha Temple : Ganga-Raja encouraged his son General Boppanna to build a temple at Kambad Halli, a village situated at 11 miles away from Sravana-Belagola. Accordingly Boppanna built the temple and dedicated it to Santinatha, the 16th Tirthankara. The temple is popularly known as the Santisvara-Basti and it is thought that its construction work must have been completed after the death of Ganga-Raja.

(10) Help in the erection of a Temple at Sane-halli : Due to encouragement of Ganga-Raja, Jakkimavve, the wife of his elder brother, built in 1120 A. D., a Jina temple at Sane-hajji, a village situated about three miles from Sravana-Belagola. Since the temple is known as �Hale Basti�, i.e., old temple.

Thus General Ganga-Raja�s eventful career was fully devoted to the cause of the Jaina faith right upto the end of his life. From inscriptions No. 124 at Belur we learn that Ganga-Raja died in 1133 A.D., and that his son General Boppa erected the Parsvanatha-Basti, naming it �Drohagharatta-Jinalaya� after one of the titles of his father to his memory at Halebid, the capital of Hoysala empire.

Ganga-Raja�s tradition of extending support to Jaina religion-was ably continued by Military General and Chief Minister Hulla-Raja of Hoysala king Narasimha I (1142-1173) A.D. Minister Hulla-Raja also known as Hulla, Hullappa or Hulla-Mayya, had a unique distinction to serve in this high office to three Hoyala kings in succession. Hulla-Raja started his service as a minister under king Vishnuvardhana (1108-1142 A.D.), became Chief Minister under king Narasimha I (1142-1173 A.D.), and continued to work in that capacity under king Ballala II (1173-1220 A.D.)

Hulla-Raja was always held in high esteem by Hoysala Kings and people alike. It is stated in inscriptions that General Hulla-Raja was minister to the king as Brhaspati was to Indra : It is further stated of Hulla-Raja that he was cleverer than Yaogan-dhanarayana in the management of affairs and superior to Brhaspati in the knowledge of Politics. Further in regard to the protection of the Hoysala Empire, Hulla-Raja has been mentioned in the inscriptions as �Abhinava-Ganga-Raja�, i.e., modern Ganga-Raja.

Hulla-Raja belonged to a devout Jaina family, He was a lay disciple of saint Nayakirti Siddhanta-Deva and devotee of Mahamandalacharya Deva-Kirti. Like Chamunda-Raya and Ganga-Raya, Hulla-Raja also worked strenously as a promoter of Jaina faith. Hulla-Raja�s major contributions to Jaina religion as given in inscriptions, may be narrated in brief as follows :

1. He renovated Uppattayata�s Jina temple at Bankapura, which had gone to complete ruin.

2. He caused to be built as high as kailasa the completely ruined Jina temple of Kalavita at Bankapure.

3. He granted lands, purchased after payment of much goid, to provide for gifts to Jaina sages at the holy place Kapana or Koppal, near Hampi, the capital of Vijaynagar Empire.

4. He caused to be erected a splendid Jina temple, from the base to the pinnacle, the original holy place of Kellanagere, formerly founded by the Gangas, of which by lapse of time only the name remained.

5. He caused to be built five more Jina temples at the same place, viz, Kellangere.

6. He constructed the famous temple of Chaturvimsati-Tir-thankaras at Sravana-Belagola in the year 1159 A.D., King Narasimha I gave the name of �Bhavya-Chudamani-Basti� to this temple as he was very much impressed by seeing this temple and the king also granted for its upkeep the village Savaneru. The temple is popularly known as �Bhandari-Basti� since Hulla-Raja was also �Bhandari� or treasurer of king Narasimha I.

Thus this trinity of ministers, Chamunda-Raya, Ganga-Raja and Hulla-Raja, enriched the old traditions of Sravana-Belagola by their valuable and lasting contributions.