Reference to the Existence of Jainism in Bengal in the Varman & Sena Inscriptions
Summary
The article by Caitta Ranjan Pal examines the existence of Jainism in Bengal after the 7th Century A.D., focusing on the Varman and Sena inscriptions. The main argument is that Jainism was a living religion in Bengal during the Pala period, but faced hostility from the orthodox Varman and Sena dynasties. The author states that any post-7th Century reference to the Jainas is valuable because the history of Jainism in the province remains obscure. The Dohakosa of Saroja Vajra and its Commentary by Advaya Vajra, along with archaeological evidence of Pala School sculptures in districts like Rajshahi, Dinajpur, 24 Parganas, Bankura, and Purulia, prove that Jainism was one of the six popular religious orders during the Pala reign. The Varman dynasty, ruling the eastern part of Bengal at the end of the 11th Century A.D., introduced discord. The Belava Copperplate of Bhojavarman taunted votaries of non-Vedic sects. The term "nagna," interpreted by some scholars as targeting Buddhists, is argued by the author to be directed against the Jainas. This is supported by the administrative unit "Astagaccha Khandala" in the inscription, which likely housed a Jain community, and the term "Astagaccha," reminiscent of Jain Sangha divisions. The Bhubanesvar Prasasti of Bhatta Bhavadeva, minister of King Harivarman of the Varman dynasty, also contains phrases directed against the Jainas. After the Senas overthrew the Varmans and Palas, they continued anti-non-Vedic policies. Vijaya Sena, in the Deopara Prasasti composed by Umapatidhara, used Jain-like terms to describe his restoration of the Saiva religion. His son, Vallala Sena (c. 1158-1179 A.D.), expressed hatred for non-Vedic sects in the Dana Sagara, using the term "Nastikas" for them. The author discusses the terms "Nastika" and "Pasanda," arguing that "Pasanda" was a pejorative term used by Brahmanical writers to distinguish Jainas from atheists like the Carvakas, though some later Vaisnava writers used it for Buddhists. Laksmana Sena (c. 1158-1205 A.D.), more accommodating, granted land in his Tarpandighi Copperplate to a Brahmin near a Buddhist monastery and in his Govindapur Copperplate near a Lingadeva temple. The article concludes that by the 10th to 12th Century A.D., "Pasanda" in Hindu books and inscriptions of Bengal's Hindu kings most often referred to the Jainas.
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Conclusion
The Varman and Sena inscriptions reveal a significant shift in Bengal's religious landscape following the 7th century A.D., marking the decline of Jainism previously prevalent during the tolerant Pala era. The Varman dynasty actively opposed non-Vedic faiths, with the Belava Copperplate inscription explicitly directing its scorn at Jainas, evidenced by the geographical term "Astagaccha Khandala." The Sena dynasty, particularly Vijaya and Vallala Sena, furthered this orthodoxy, employing terms like "Pasandas" to denigrate Jainas in texts such as the *Dana Sagara*. However, the reign of Laksmana Sena showed a degree of accommodation, as his land grants bordered Buddhist monasteries, suggesting a nuanced, though still Brahmanical, approach. These epigraphic records are crucial for reconstructing the obscured history of Jainism in post-Pala Bengal, highlighting the transition from religious pluralism to orthodox Hindu dominance.