The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c32.27
The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c32.27
- Language
- English
v1.c32.27
From there Ramanuja proceeded to Mysore. It seems that the prevailing religious faith in the old Karnataka country was Jainism. According to an inscription on the summit of Indragiri at Sravana-Belgola, the Jains came to Mysore in an immigration from Ujjayini (Ujjain), under the leader Bhadra Bahu, in order to escape a dreadful famine ². The colossal monolithic statue of the Jain Saint Bhujabalin, that crowns the rocky hill, is a dumb witness to the preaching of Ramanuja; for it was erected between 977 and 984 A. D. by Chamundaraja, the minister of the two Ganga Kings, Narasimha II and Rachamalla II ³. Many conversions were also effected by his exhortations and disputes in the Karnataka country. One of the converts seems to have been King Vitthala Deva (1104-1141)¹. The Sri Rangha Mahatmya, that seems to refer to this period, states that Ramanuja "with his disciples visited the 108 Tripetis (Tirupatis or temples to Tirumal), and disputed with opponents. He taught the Vaishnava creed with great success, visited many places, and at length returned to Seringapatam"².