The Rashtrakutas and their Times c20.s2.20

c20.s2.20

We can get a glimpse into the life of the Jain Maṭhas of our period from our records. From the records of the early Kadambas (184) we learn that the Jains used to stay in one place during the rainy season, at the end of which they used to celebrate the well known Pajjushaṇa ceremony laid down in their scriptures. Another festival, lasting for a week, was celebrated from the 8th day of the bright half of Chaitra. This festival is still celebrated with great eclat on mount S'atrunjaya, (185) because Puṇḍarīka Gaṇdhāra, the chief desciple of Rishabhadeva, is stated to have obtained salvation with his 50 million followers on this day. (186) Both these festivals, which were common in the 6th century Deccan, must have been popular in our period too, since they are prescribed in the Jain scriptures and celebrated to this day.