The Dhavala manuscripts containing the sacred Jain preachings which reached Shrvanabelagola, after more than 800 years, from Moodabidri, being worshipped during the Saraswathi Mahapooja on Friday at the Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations.
Shravanabelagola, Feb 17, 2006: History was created at the temple township of Shravanabelagola on Friday when the original Prakrit manuscripts of the Dhavala scriptures, containing the root teachings and commentary pf Agamas, the Jain holy sayings, reached Shravanabelagola from Moodabidri for the first ever time, where it was kept preserved for 800 long years.
And when three Kannada volumes of these sacred Jain texts were released to the world in the presence of the original manuscripts on the occasion of the Mahamastakabhisheka it was a moment to cherish – for world peace rooted in the principle of non-violence, for Kannada language and life, and for Jains of South India, who had been made to feel inferior all these years after their North Indian counterparts had managed to work on a Hindi version of the same scared text decades earlier.
Shravanabelagola pontiff Swasthishri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, who nine year old penance is paying off in stages, was an elated man on Friday and yet humble and disarming charming in his humbleness. A true devotee of Goddess Saraswathi, the more than 800 year old leafs containing the Dhavala granthas penned using a special ink in Prakrit, was taken to the Panchakalyana Mantapa in a grand procession.
Moodabidri pontiff rode an elephant carrying the original manuscripts of the basic Dhavala text with him while the rest, all preserved in long wooden boxes, were carried in the giant silver chariot.
Shravanabelagola pontiff and the 246 monks and nuns, including 14 acharyas who are gracing the Mahamastakabhisheka, went on foot.
Once at the Panchakalyana Mantap, the elephant carrying the Moodabidri pontiff and the basic Dhavala text was brought right up to the dais and while the remaining manuscripts were brought to the dais in a silver palanquin. Amidst chanting of Jain hymns and devotional songs to Goddess Saraswathi, Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar along with the Shravanabelagola pontiff and others placed the manuscripts in front of the Samo-Sarana deity and Jinavaani.
When the Kannada volumes of Dhavala was released after the mahapooja to Goddess Saraswathi with music and dance by the young dancers of Bharatheeya Nrutya Shala, Hassan, to a repertory choreographed by the Shravanabelagola pontiff himself, it was a moment to cherish. “Our Hindi brothers were having a chip on their shoulders all these years and now you in Karnataka and South India can feel equally proud,” Shravanabelagola pontiff was emotional.
Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar released the 7th volume of Dhavala in Kannada and revolutionary muni Tarun Sagar released the first volume of Jaya Dhavala. When Shravanabelagola pontiff requested Moodabidri pontiff to release the first volume of Mahadhavala, the respect and love Moodabidri pontiff has for his guru Swasthishri Karmayogi Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji of Shravanabelagola was evident for one and all. The Moodabidri Swamiji fell at the feet of Shravanabelagola Bhattaraka and released the volume only after the Shravanabelagola Bhattaraka had sanctified it further by touching it.