The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c31.410.6

v2.c31.410.6

But there is also evidence to show that though influenced by Jainism he never formally gave up his traditional Saiva faith. Even the Jain writers admit that he worshipped Someśvara and rebuilt the temple of that god at Somnath.³ In the Veraval stone-inscription, which records this fact, he is called *Māheśvara-nṛpāgraṇīḥ*,¹ in A. D. 1169, only a few years before his death (c. 1174 A.D.). Most of his inscriptions begin with invocations to Śiva; and it is significant that not a single inscription has yet been discovered where he invokes any Jain deity. The Jain chronicles record stories of Brāhman hostility to the influence of Hemacandra at his court. In these quarrels, the Brāhmans, we are told, always came off second best, and were often saved from the wrath of the king by the merciful intervention of Hemacandra. But there is reason to suspect these stories of the king’s partiality to Jainism. The *Rās-mālā* for instance records a story in which the Śaiva saint Śaṅkara Svāmī brings about the death of Hemacandra and induces Kumārapāla to massacre the Jain monks and become his disciple. It is evident that Kumārapāla accepted some of the principles of Jainism. But it is doubtful whether he was really sincere in his acceptance of its tenets. It is not unlikely that his leanings towards Jainism had a material object in view, the winning of the support of the powerful and wealthy Bania corporations, who were predominantly Jain.