History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s6.21

v3.c41.s6.21

It remains to describe how Jainism declined in Āndhra where it had been established since the days of Khāravela when Digambara Jains came to it from Bihar directly. From the monogram by B. Seshagiri Rao attached to the above-mentioned treatise, it appears that local tradition and Kaifiyats show that Jainism was overthrown by the rising power of Śaivism there also. Āndhra Rajputs, Pūsapātis and others, stood for the Vaidic religion. The Eastern Chālukyas later patronised Śaiva poets one of whom Nannaya translated the Mahābhārata into Telugu and added support and strength to Śaivism. This Śaiva revival was further strengthened under the Eastern Ganges who were Śaivas in the beginning. The Kākatiyas of Warangal were also Śaivas and persecuted the Jains more rigorously. Lastly "the worsting of the Jains by Ganapatideva of Warangal when they were defeated in disputation with Tikkana, author of the Telugu Mahābhārata (?) is more famous and is described in a poem in the Oriental Manuscripts Library in the Madras Museum" (p. 28 ditto).