The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c10.s2.35

v1.c10.s2.35

Owing to the patronage of the ruling classes and the literary and religious activities of a number of famous monastic scholars, Jainism continued to be a strong rival of Hinduism during our period. Among the Rāṣṭrakūṭa emperors Amoghavarṣa I was a great patron of Jainism. He appointed Guṇabhadra, a famous Jain monk and scholar, as tutor to his heir-apparent Kṛṣṇa, extended patronage to a number of other Jain scholars, and gave grants to several Jain monasteries. His son Kṛṣṇa II and the latter's successor Indra III also continued to make liberal grants to the various Jain establishments. Baṅkeya and his son Lokāditya, who were the viceroys of Banavasi, were staunch followers of Jainism. Many of the contemporary Gaṅga rulers were also Jains, as were a number of Rāṣṭrakūṭa generals. To judge from the extent of the royal patronage and the output of Jain literature at this time, we may not be far wrong in assuming that about one-third of the population of the Karṇāṭak professed Jainism during our period. There were a number of Jain monasteries, which played an important part in popularizing the gospel of the Jina.