The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c31.286

v2.c31.286

The chronicles represent Jayasiṁha as a great builder. Amongst the numerous structures ascribed to him may be mentioned the temple of Rudra-mahākāla at Siddhapur and the great artificial lake Sahasraliṅga at Pattan.⁴ Both these works show Jayasiṁha to have been a devotee of the Śaiva faith. Bhagvanlal Indraji has shown that the attempts of Hemacandra and other Jain chroniclers to represent him as leaning toward Jainism have little foundation. The facts at our disposal rather point the other way.¹ Jayasiṁha, however, honoured Hemacandra and other Jain monks for their learning, and there are stories that he used to hold discussions between the rival sections of that religious fraternity.² According to the *Dvyāśraya* he established schools for the study of the *Jyotiṣa-śāstras*, *Nyāya-śāstras*, and *Purāṇas*, and he built a hundred and eight temples of Caṇḍikā-deva and others at the Sahasraliṅga tank.³ The same authority tells us that Kumārapāla the successor of Jayasiṁha started an era during his reign. This must refer to the era known as the Siṁha era the epoch of which is A.D. 1113-14. We have a Mangrol inscription of Kumārapāla dated in the 32nd year of this era. But the Atru stone-inscription, dated in the year 14 shows that the era was already in use during Jayasiṁha's reign. We must therefore conclude that Abhayatilaka, who completed the *Dvyāśraya*, committed a mistake in giving the credit for establishing this era to Kumārapāla. The institution of this new era is another evidence of Jayasiṁha's successful administration.