South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

MORE INSCRIPTIONS AT ABLUR

Adverting to ēkāntada Rāmayya, we may see how his achievements had passed into legend and were considered worthy of representation in sculptures by this time, that is to say, about half a century after his period.^[1] We may also note the significant fact that all these inscriptions are found in the temple of Sōmēśvara. This temple, according to the inscription E, was erected by Rāmayya himself. But it would be more reasonable to postulate that he was actually responsible for its main structure only to which additions might have been made subsequently. This surmise gains support from the testimony of other antiquities, tradition and literature. Besides the main shrine dedicated to ‘ the god Sōmēśvara, a liṅga, the temple contains two collateral shrines wherein are found two more liṅgas. They are known as ēkāntada Rāmayya and Agni Honnayya. It becomes evident from this that Rāmayya was consecrated here in the form of a liṅga after his demise. Agni Honnayya, as the tradition avers, was the beloved guru of Rāmayya, who backed him up in his disputations against the Jainas. He must be identical with Aggaṇiya^[2] Honni Tande hailing from Puligere, who figures in the Ragaḷe of ēkāntada Rāmayya by Harihara and also as Ponni Tande in the Abalūra-charitre, a Kannaḍa work of a late period.^[3] We are told in this work that the temple of Sōmēśvara was erected at the instance of Rāmayya by Śaṅkapāla who must evidently be Saṅka-gāvuṇḍa of the inscriptions, along with others, to celebrate the former’s victory.^[4] Sōmēśvara appears to have been the favourite deity of Rāmayya. His native place Alande was sanctified by this deity and this place is referred to as the ‘ town of Sōmanātha ’ in the inscription E.^[5] This fact is further confirmed by the Aland inscription of Yuvarāja Mallikārjuna, edited by me in this journal. It speaks of Alande as specially favoured by god Sōmēśvara.^[6] Again, according to the inscription E, Rāmayya worshipped the deity Sōmanātha at Huligere before he proceeded to Ablūr.^[7]

By the middle of the 12th century Karnāṭaka witnessed the upsurge of a great religious movement emphasizing the superiority of god Śiva and his devotion. Two eminent personalities, one in the south and the other in the north, were instrumental in bringing about this upheaval. These were ēkāntada Rāmayya of the Ablūr inscriptions and Basavēśvara, the founder of the Vīraśaiva faith. The Kalachuri usurper Bijjala II came into contact with both, incidentally with the former as narrated in the Ablūr inscription E, and directly, with long association ending in bitter antagonism, with the latter. In consequence of the zealous activities of the leaders of this Śaiva revival, Jainism, Buddhism, Pāśupata and other faiths prevailing in the land, received a staggering blow. A study of Harihara’s Basavarājadēvara Ragaḷe reveals that the genesis of the conflict between Bijjala and Basavēśvara was not in the alleged circumstance of the former being either a follower or supporter of Jainism. It is gathered from this work, the testimony of which deserves to be reckoned as authentic on account of its proximity to the scene of events, that

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^[1] It is of interest to note in this connection a parallel instance from the neighbouring province. With the ascendency of Śaivism the Jainas of the Tamil country were persecuted and the scenes of such persecutions are depicted in sculptures on the walls of the temple at Tiruvattūr in the North Arcot District (An. Rep. on S. I. Epigraphy for 1923, p. 4).
^[2] Aggaṇi is an epithet and it can be derived from Sanskrit agraṇī or arghyapānīya, both of which point to the respectable position held by Ponni or Honni Tande. Honni Tande literally means ‘Father Honni’ or ‘Honni’s Father’.
^[3] This work is of the nature of a Purāṇa recounting the exploits of Rāmayya in the legendary fashion. It is unpublished. Being popular, its recitations are held on ceremonial occasions among the Vīraśaivas of these parts. While at Ablūr I secured a manuscript copy of this work for study.
^[4] In the wake of Rāmayya’s victory conversions from Jainism to Śaivism took place on a mass scale, according to the Abalūra-charitre and the local tradition. It is interesting to observe that miniature terracotta liṅgas were unearthed in a large number in the locality some years back. One such was shown to me while at Ablur.
^[5] Above, Vol. V, p. 254.
^[6] Ibid., Vol. XXVIII, p. 36. Ibid., Vol., p. 255.