Balatkara Gana
Encyclopedia
Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh is an ancient Jain monastic order . Mula literally means the "root" or the original order.Mula-Sangh has been the main Digambar Jain order. Today the Digambar Jain tradition is synonymous with Mula Sangha. The great Acharya Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh...
. It is often termed Balatkara Gana Sarasvati Gachchha.
Until the beginning of the 20th century it was present in a number of places in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. However all its seats in North India became vacant in early 20th century. It only survives at Humbaj
Humbaj
Humbaj is a small village located in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is famous for being home to an ancient temple of Goddess Padmavati, and to the Humbaj Matha , an important institution of the Jain community...
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, which is its ancient seat.
The Bhattaraka
Bhattaraka
A Bhaṭṭāraka is the head of traditional Jain institutions. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
seat at Humcha was founded in the 8th century AD, during the reign of Jinadatta Rai, founder of the ruling dynasty of Santar. In 1048 AD, the Mahamandaleshwara Chandarayarus made a donation to a Bhattaraka of Balagara-gana at Balligame near Banavasi in present-day Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. Thus, the Bhattaraka seat at Humcha
Humbaj
Humbaj is a small village located in Shimoga district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is famous for being home to an ancient temple of Goddess Padmavati, and to the Humbaj Matha , an important institution of the Jain community...
(or Humbaj) may be one of the oldest of its kind. The current Bhattaraka Srimad Devendrakeerthi Bhattaraka Maharaj has supervised 31 pratishthas outside of India.
Balatkara Gana arrived in North India in the 13th century as attested by inscriptions at Un (Vikram 1218), Ahar (Vikram 1228) and Hoshangabad (Vikram 1271.
There exists a chronology (Pattavali
Pattavali
A Pattavali is a record of a spiritual lineage of heads of monastic orders. They are thus spiritual genealogies. It is generally presumed that two successive names are teacher and pupil...
) of the north Indian tradition the early part of which was composed during the time of Bhataraka Prabhachandra II. Early part of the chronology is supported by a 13th centiry inscription associated with the building of the Kirti Stambh
Kirti Stambh
Kirti Stambh or "Tower of Fame" is situated at Chittorgarh fort in Rajasthan, India. The 22 metre high tower was built by a Bagherwal Jain merchant Jijaji Kathod in 12th century. It is a seven story intricate structure with a cramped stairway of 54 steps and is full of figures from Jain...
of Chittore.
The disciples of Bhattaraka Prabhachandra founded several branches and sub-branches in several regions of India.
North India Branches
Prabhachandra (1318–1368) is regarded to be the first Bhattaraka of DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
(see Jainism in Delhi
Jainism in Delhi
Delhi is an ancient center of Jainism, home to over 165 Jain temples. Delhi has a large population of Jains spread all over the city. It has had continued presenece of a Jain community throughout its history, and it is still a major Jain center....
) who reigned during 1318-1388. His pupil Padmanandi (1368–1418) had three disciples.
- Sakalakirti (1420–1475), first Bhattakra of IdarIdarIdar is a city and a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located about 30 km north of Himatnagar and 25 km from Gujarat's border with Rajasthan...
lineage. - Devendrakirti, who had two disciples:
- Vidyanandi, who founded the Rander-SuratSuratSurat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
lineage. - Tribhuvanakirti who founded the ChanderiChanderiChanderi चंदेरी شندرئ is a town of historical importance in Ashoknagar District of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is situated at a distance of 127 km from Shivpuri,37 km from Lalitpur,55 km from Ashok Nagar and about 45 km from Esagarh It is surrounded by hills southwest of...
lineage.
- Vidyanandi, who founded the Rander-Surat
- Shubhachandra (1418–1450), whose disciple Jinachandra (1450–1514), both Bhattarakas of Delhi, had three pupils:
- Ratnakirti, founder of NagaurNagaurNagaur is a city in the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Nagaur District. The Nagaur city lies about midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner. It was founded by the Naga Kshatriyas.- History :...
lineage of 26 Bhattarakas into 20th century. - Prabhachandra II, who had two pupils:
- Dharmachandra, founder of Chittore/AmerAmerthumb|right|[[Satellite]] [[image]] of the [[Rhine]]-[[Meuse river|Meuse]] [[river delta|delta]], showing the Amer The Amer is a river in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant...
/JaipurJaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
lineage - Sumatikirti, founder of Gwalior lineage. A branch of this later managed Sonagir until 1974.
- Dharmachandra, founder of Chittore/Amer
- Ratnakirti, founder of Nagaur
The dates for the Bhattarakas of Delhi were computed by Dr. Jyotiprasad Jain.
Pattavalis (pontifical genealogies)
There exist several pattavalis of Mula Sangh-Balatkara Gana-Saraswati Gachchha.- By Dr. Hoerncle, published in Indian Antiquary, 1891, 1892 . This is from Nagaur.
- Amer-Jaipur Pattavali, given by Siddhantacharya Phulachandra Shastri (referred to as Ujjain Pattavali).
- Gwalior-Bateshwar Pattavali, given by Pt. Jhammanlal Jain Tarkatirtha.
The pattavalis give the following segments
- Bhaddalpur, Dakshin Desh (South country) or Malwa, 26 Acharyas
- UjjainUjjainUjjain , is an ancient city of Malwa region in central India, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River , today part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative centre of Ujjain District and Ujjain Division.In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini...
, 18 Acharyas - Baran (Near Kota), 12 Acharyas
- Gwalior (or Chittor and Baghera), 14 Acharyas
- AjmerAjmerAjmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
(From Vishalakirti to Prabhachandra, the last Acharya) - DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
(Bhattarakas Prabhachnadra, Padmanandi, Shubhachandra and Jinachandra
Because of occasional shifting, some of the monks may have lived in different places at different times, causing some disagreements in the pattavalis.
Three inscriptions describing the construction of Kirti Stambha of Chittor have been found that mention Vishalakirti-Shubhakirti-Dharmachandra thus conforming the names going back to 13th century.
See also
- Kirti Stambha
- Mula SanghMula SanghMula Sangh is an ancient Jain monastic order . Mula literally means the "root" or the original order.Mula-Sangh has been the main Digambar Jain order. Today the Digambar Jain tradition is synonymous with Mula Sangha. The great Acharya Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh...
- BhattarakaBhattarakaA Bhaṭṭāraka is the head of traditional Jain institutions. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
- AcharyaAcharyaIn Indian religions and society, an acharya is a guide or instructor in religious matters; founder, or leader of a sect; or a highly learned man or a title affixed to the names of learned men...
- Jainism in DelhiJainism in DelhiDelhi is an ancient center of Jainism, home to over 165 Jain temples. Delhi has a large population of Jains spread all over the city. It has had continued presenece of a Jain community throughout its history, and it is still a major Jain center....