Karnataka - Ashoka 's Swarnabhoomi

With the dawn of historic period, Karnataka which was conquered by Nandas was included in the empire of Ashoka. It is significant that Ashoka appointed a governor to look after the Karnataka administration. It is more significant that Ashoka issued more than twenty inscriptions in Karnataka itself. This large number of inscriptions concentrated on Karnataka has baffled the scholars. It shows the fascination of Ashoka towards the golden land of Karnataka

Buddhist emisaries sent to Kannada Speaking Regions

Sona and Uttara to Suvannabhumi ( Modern Raichur Gulbarga), Mahadeva to Mahisamandala (modern Mysore), Maha Dharaiarukkhita to Maharattha (Lata area of Maharastra from where Rastrakuta originate), Itakkhita to Vanavasi (Banvasi, Karnataka) and Dhammarakkhita to Aparanta (Konkan area of Maharastra).

Stupas

Apart from the famous Sannati Stupa, excavations near Banavasi in 1971 revealed stupas and bricks that have been dated to the 2nd and 3rd century BC. A Intact Buddhist deepasthambha (lamp post) of those times was found at the village Togarsi near Banavasi.

Ashokan Imprints in Karnataka

Major Edicts

Sannati(Gulbarga District) (Major Rock edicts 13 & 14 and separate rock edicts 1 & 2)

Sannati stands as a significant cluster of dozens of Buddhist relics, which include two stupas, three mounds, one fortification, four major rock edicts and more than 75 contemporary inscriptions, all scattered across a compact area of about ten square kilometres. Sannati is also physically closer to the known Buddhist sites at Ter in Maharashtra and Nagarjuna Konda in Andhra Pradesh.

Portions of Major Rock edicts 13 and 14 were found and separate rock edicts 1 & 2 were found in Sannati.

Excavation

“Four great Ashokan Rock edicts were found on the floor of the Kali temple in Chandralamba Temple complex at Sannati,” the report said. A stone depicting Ashokan edicts in Brahmi on both sides was used in the foundation of the pedestal for Kali idol in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The recovery of the Ashokan Edict on the stone slab was a chance recovery for the archaeologist in 1986 when the temple collapsed in 1986. During the recovery of debris to rebuild a new temple in 1989 a rough pink sandstone broken into three pieces with strange writings was found in the foundation of the Kali temple. “Luckily they summoned the experts from ASI Hyderabad who deciphered the inscriptions.”

Significance of Sannati Edict.

The Sannati Edict puts back the question that Mauryan Empire is a single state. Until sannati was found Mauryan empire was considered a single state with Kalinga accorded special status , but Sannati has the same content as kalinga edict that puts two special states – which is not special. This puts the clarity on ashokan administration. Country is centralised with high degree of autonomy to states. The local kannada dynasty Satakarni's (satavahana), which immediately followed Ashoka rule followed similar administration. Highly decentralised administration with each area under a governer or military commander, many areas enjoying autonomy at the same time protection of the big empire.

Minor Rock Edicts

BRAHMAGIRI (Minor Rock Inscription 1 & 2).

Excavations at the site have revealed considerable archaeological evidence pointing to Brahmagiri having been an important centre in south India well before the Mauryan period. Continual habitation for many thousands of years resulted in its emerging as an influential town, particularly after it had become one of the southern outposts of the Mauryan empire.

Excavation

Brahmagiri is located in the Chitradurga district. The site was first explored by Benjamin L. Rice in 1891, who discovered rock edicts of Emperor Ashoka here. These rock edicts indicated that the locality was termed as Isila and denoted a part of the Mauryan empire. The Brahmagiri site is a granite outcrop elevated about 180 m. above the surrounding plains and measures around 500 m east-west and 100 m north-south. It is well known for the large amount of megalithic monuments that have been found here. The earliest settlement found here has been dated to before 2000 BC.

M. H. Krishna who belonged to the Archaeological Department of the Mysore state, excavated the area in 1940. In 1947, Mortimer Wheeler further excavated the site on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India. The region was excavated again in 1956 by Seshadri and by Amalananda Ghosh in 1965 and 1978.

During his excavations, M. H. Krishna discovered medieval stone temples, pottery, terracota beads and figurines, semiprecious stones and megalithic structures. After digging 16 trenches he identified the following cultures: Microlithic, Neolithic, Iron Age, Maurya and Chalukya, Hoysala. He named the microlithic culture as Roppa culture after the Roppa village within which the microlithic trench was located. He also found out that the neoliths found in this region were evidence of the occupation of this region by farming-herding communities in the pre-megalithic period.
In 1947, Mortimer Wheeler did further excavations at Brahmagiri, found ten domestic structures and classified them as belonging to a sequence of three cultural periods: Period I - Neolithic , Neolithic-Chalcolithic, Period II - Megalithic and Period III - an early historical culture. Brahmagiri was identified to contain a mortuary of 300 tombs with burials made in rectangular cists, cist-circles (stones surrounding granite cists) and pit-circles. The cists also included artefacts like vessels with graffiti, stone beads and iron and copper tools. We need further studies on graffiti etched on them.
Significance
Brahmagiri is the ancient site of Ishila, one of emperor Ashoka's provincial capitals. His earliest rock edicts in Brahmi script and Prakrit language (3rd c. BC) containing Kannada word. This is the earliest known word of kannada (and also first word in a language other than prakrit, Aramic and Greek) in an inscription in India.

K A Nilakantha Sastri, said that the Brahmagiri site, near Ashoka Siddapura, “is remarkable for its culture continuity extending from the polished stone axe culture to early historic cultures.” He also said that there were two phases of the stone axe culture here (known from a study of the pottery found here)., and that the authors of this culture knew how to use Neolithic celts, microliths, and how to work copper and bronze. The French Institute of Pondicherry, has published a Historical atlas of South India. If we superimpose the maps of the Stone Age, the New Stone Age and the Iron (Megalithic Age), we can see that Brahmagiri region had a continuous human civilization for more than 5,000 years.

N Kameswara Rao of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, has published a research paper in which he said that the megalithic stone circles at Brahmagiri, which have been dated at 900 BC show clear astronomical orientation. The geometrical properties of the circle indicate the sunrise and the full moon rise at the time of solar and lunar solsitices and equinoxes. “The megalithic people were aware of the 18.61 period of the moon's solstice, in addition to keeping track of the sidereal day, the seasons and the year.

Bricks built caityas have been excavated in Brahmagiri 1942 and again in 1947, There is no evidence to date the caitya, thogh the brick sizes are similar to those from Dharanikota. A comparison with similar structures from the north is revealing. Which shows a strong scientific link between north India and Karnataka since ancient times.

SIDDAPUR (Minor Rock Inscription 1 & 2).

Siddapur lies one mile to the west of Brahmagiri, and three miles south of the location of the Jatinga-Rameshwar inscription, in addition to their importance from other points of view which we have already considered. One Inscription is at Siddapura is found on ‘Emmetammana Gundu’

GAVIMATH (Minor Rock Edict 1).

GaviMath is near Koppal ,about 60 miles from Siddapura ,between Hospet and Gadag Railway Junctions. The Inscription was discoved by N.B. Sastri in 1931. He discovered both Gavimath and Palkigundu Inscriptions. Both Inscriptions are identical and represent another version of inscription found in slightly different form at Rupanath, Sashasram, Bairat(Closest to Gavimath version), Brahmagiri, Siddapura, Jatinga- Ramesvara, maski and Yerragudi.

Significance

The Gavimath version is the most legible version of the all the inscriptions mentioned above. Which gives a very clear details and rests all the other confusions in reading the above inscriptions.

JATINGA-RAMESHWAR (Minor Rock Inscription 1 & 2)

This site lies about three miles from Brahmagiri and the inscription belongs to the Mysore group. It might originally have been a place of religious interest since the inscription is within the precincts of the present Jatinga-Rameshwar temple.

MASKI (Minor Rock Edict 1)

Maski is in the Raichur district. It lies on the bank of the Maski river which is a tributary of the Tungabhadra.

SUVARNAGIRI (Minor Rock Edict I). Suvarnagiri is the modern town of Kanakagiri south of Maski The word suvarnagiri means 'golden mountain' and this has been connected with the ancient gold-mining area in Raichur which to this day shows traces of ancient gold workings. The Identification of Swarnabhoomi with karnataka is confirmed by this edict.

PALKIGUNDU (Minor Rock Edict 1). Palkigundu lies at a distance of four miles from Gavimath. This site again belongs to the group around Brahmagiri.

To the west of Palkigundu, there is a hillock called the Malimallappa hill, on the top of which are a number of dolmens. Some of these dolmens, which are locally called Moriyara-angadi or Moriyas shops, are intact, while others are disturbed. The fields between this hill and the Palkigundu hill are called Pandavara vathara

Excavation

Maski was studied initially by Robert Bruce Foote in 1870 and 1888. In 1915, C. Beadon, a mining engineer, discovered Ashoka's rock edict here. In 1935-37, the archaeological department of Hyderabad explored this region and in 1954, Amalananda Ghosh excavated this place on behalf of the Archaeological Survey of India.

The excavations indicated that the region was occupied across four different cultural periods; Period I: Neolithic-Chalcolithic, Period II: Megalithic, Period III: Early historical and Period IV: Medieval. In Period I, microliths and blades made of agate, chert, carnelian and opal are found. Ornamental beads of agate, coral, shell and other materials are also found. Dull-grey ware and painted-buff ware pottery are found, some of which were painted with linear patterns. Animal remains of cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat are also found. Period II saw the introduction of iron and five different forms of burials were discovered. Lances, ferrules, daggers and arrowheads were found, apart from beads of gold and terracotta objects. The pottery of Period II consisted of the megalithic red-and-black ware, all-black ware and red-slipped ware, some of which had graffiti on them. Coins were discovered in the Period III which also saw the use of Russet-coated painted ware. The earliest specimens of Indian glass were also discovered at Maski. A cylinder seal has also been found here.

Significance

Maski inscription is Important Inscription in three ways , first it was the first inscription to give both Priyadarshan and Ashoka , thus identifying Ashoka with Priyadarshin found in other edicts.

Second is Identification of Suvarnagiri with (karnataka). Before this inscription was discovered various places were identified as suvarnabhoomi and there was a wide speculation on where the ancient swarnabhoomi was. With this inscription we know swarnabhoomi is the golden land of karnataka

Third the Earliest specimen of Glass. Which shows karnataka was the pioneer of high technology in India not just now but also in ancient times as well.

UDEOGOLAM (Minor Rock Edict 1 and 2)

Udeogolam is in Shiraguppa Taluk Bellary District.

NITTUR (Minor Rock Edict 1 and 2)

Nittur is in Shiraguppa Taluk Bellary District.

In The Nittur Edict Ashoka Calls Himself The Ruler Of Parthia
"Mahalake hi vijitam" ('Vast is my empire'), proclaims Ashoka, but how extensive really was his dominion in the West? In the Nittur Edict he explicitly calls himself the king of Pathavi - an unmistakable allusion to Parthia or Parthava of the Achaemenian records. Writers like Romila Thapar attempt to explain this away by suggesting that Pathavi corresponds to Prithvi, or the Earth, and that the statement only demonstrates royal vainglory. A world emperor like Ashoka who sent missionaries to kings of many other parts of the Earth surely was not so foolish as to call himself the ruler of the Earth. The Edict shows he is also ruler of parthia (Persia – Modern Iran). This explains the wide contact between Karnataka and Persia since arliest times.
 Significance
Nittur Inscription reveals persia(Iran) was under Ashoka Rule

Kanaganahalli

If you are amazed by significance of karnata with Ashoka , then you will lose your breadth if you hear about this one. Kanaganahalli is about 3km from Sannati. An important Buddhist site, the place where an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa site was found. It is on the left bank of the Bhima river in Chitapur taluk, Gulbarga District in North Karnataka. Nalwar is the nearest Railway station about 19 km from Kanaganahalli. The Buddhist site about 2.5 km from Chandrala Parameshwari temple of Sannati.

The Stone Portrait of Ashoka at Kanaganahalli

In the autumn of 1993, a team of acheologists was surveying the area around sannati in the chitapur taluk of Gulbarga district. A dam was to be built across the river Bhima near this place, and the survey was necessary for the mandatory environment clearance, several sites were discovered in the course of the survey, but the most dramatic evidence came from kanaganahalli. This site is situated on the left bank of the Bhima river , 2km east of chandralamba temple at sannati, Here some irregular stones arranged in arc in the midst of agricultural fields attracted the attention of the archeologists. Trial excavations in 1994-95 under the direction of K.P. Poonacha revealed one eighth of a large brick stupa encased with sculpted limestone slabs , carved limestone slabs, pillars, railings, capitals, and sculptures were unearthed. Over 60 lead coins bearing the names of satavahana kings, and 200 donative and label inscriptions were identified. The remains of the kanaganahalli stupa is also known as mahachaitya.

The discoveries a the site included a broken relief sculpture showing a king and queen flanked by female attendents two of whom held up a parasol and fly whisk – symbols of sovereignty – in their hands. An Inscription in Brahmi read “Ranyo Ashoka”(King Ashoka) leaving no doubt who the central figure was supposed to represent.

Many years earlier a relief panel at the central indian site of sanchi has been identified as representation of the same king, but there no inscription to confirm the identification. Later after kanaganahalli was found same sculpture with same inscription was found in orissa also, confirming the identity of the person in sculpure to be Ashoka. Kanaganahalli provided an image that could definitely be connected to one of the most famous kings of ancient India.

Trial excavations at kanaganahalli were followed by more systematic ones in 1996-97. The report of these excavations contains a wealth of important material illustrating the history of Buddhism in Karnataka especially upper krishna valley.

Significance of Ashokan sites in Karnataka

1. The Sannati Edict puts back the question that Mauryan Empire is a single state. Until sannati was found Mauryan empire was considered a single state with Kalinga accorded special status , but Sannati has the same content as kalinga edict that puts two special states – which is not special. This puts the clarity on ashokan administration. Country is centralised with high degree of autonomy to states.
   
   
2. Brahmagiri is the ancient site of Ishila, one of emperor Ashoka's provincial capitals. His earliest rock edicts in Brahmi script and Prakrit language (3rd c. BC) containing Kannada word. This is the earliest known word of kannada (and also first word in a language other than prakrit, Aramic and Greek in India) in an inscription in India.
   
   
3. Maski inscription was the first inscription to give both Priyadarshan and Ashoka , thus identifying Ashoka with Priyadarshin found in other edicts.
   
   
4. Identification of Suvarnagiri with (karnataka). Before this inscription was discovered various places were identified as suvarnabhoomi and there was a wide speculation on where the ancient swarnabhoomi was. With this inscription we know swarnabhoomi is the golden land of karnataka
   
   
5. Maski site reveals , Earliest specimens of Glass. Which shows karnataka was the pioneer of high technology in India not just now but also in ancient times as well.
   
   
6. The Gavimath version is the most legible version of the all the inscriptions mentioned above. Which gives a very clear details and rests all the other confusions in reading the inscriptions elsewhere in India.
   
   
7. Nittur Inscription reveals persia (Iran) was under Ashoka Rule. Which significantly increases the extend of Indian Empire.
   
   
8. Kanaganahalli provides the stone Images of Ashoka.
   
   
9. Megalithic stone circles at Brahmagiri with astronomical orientation, which have been dated at 900 BC, show Aryabhatta , Bhaskara ,Mahavira ,virasena, and line of mathematicians are carriers of legacy since ancient times.
   
10. The Inscriptions also prove that Karnataka was a major business destination since ancient times.
    
    

Major Rock Edict 13
Janam dhamma – yu[ta] m
[Dev] anampiye piyadasi hevam aha
etameva me anuve-khamane dhamma- thambhani katani
dhamma- mahamata kata dham[ma]. a...e kate
Devanampiye piyadasi laja hevam aha
magesu pi me nigohani lopapitani chhayopagani hosamti
pasu -munisanam amba – vadikya lopapita
adha-[kos]ikyani pi me udupanani

Major Rock Edict 14

khanapapitani nimsi[dha]ya cha kalpita
apanani me ba[h]ukani tata tata k[a]lapitani pathibho-gaye
p[a]su-munisanam
[la]..........esa patibhoge nama
vividhaya hi sukhayanaya pulimehi pi ljihi mamaya cha
sukhayite loke
imam chu dhammanupatipati anupatipajamtu ti
etadatha me

Minor Rock Edict I

[Brahmagiri version]

Line1:

[s]uv[a]mnagirite ayaputasa mahamatanam cha vachan[e]

na Isilasi mahamata arogiyam vataviya hevam cha vataviya Devanampiye anapayati

Line 2:

Adhikani adhatyani v[a]sani ya hakam.... sake

no tu kho badham prakamte husam ekam savachharam satireke

tu kho samvachharem

Line 3:

Yam maya samghe upayite badham cha me pakamte

imina chu kalena amisa samana

munisa jambudipasi

Line 4:

mi[s]a devehi

pakamasa hi iyam phale

no hiyam sakye mahatpeneva papotave

kamam tu kho khudakena pi

Line 5:

Paka[m]i ...nena vipule svage sakye aradhetave

e[t]ayathaya iyam savane savapite

Line 6:

…........mahat[p]a cha imam pakame[yu t]i amta

cha mai janeyu chirathitike cha iyam

Line 7:

[paka]............

Iyam cha athe vadhisiti vipulam cha vadhisti avaradhiya

diyadhiyam

Line 8:

[vadh]isiti

iyam cha savan[e] sav[a]p[[i]te vyuthena

Rock Edict II

se hevam devanampiye

Line 9:

aha

mata-pitisu susus[i]taviye hemeva garu[su] pranesu drahyi-

tavyam sacham

Line 10

vataviyam se ime dhamma-guna pavatitaviya

hemeva amtevasina

Line 11:

achariye apachayitaviye natikesu cha [ka]m ya … raham

pavatitaviye

Line 12:

esa pora[n]a pa[k]iti d[igh]avuse cha esa

hevam esa kativiye

line 13:

Chapadena likhite li[pi] karena

Variations

Source

Asoka by Mookerji Radhakumud

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Inscriptions and Artifacts List

Lost works of Early Kannada Literature

Kannada had a Buddhist literary period apart from Jain literary period before the literature we have at present. Buddhist period works have not survived ,but some of the jain works have survived. Many of the Kannada Jain works were thrown into Tunga by Adi-Sankara. Some of the earlier works has been mentioned by later day scholars.

Kannada works from earlier centuries mentioned in the Kavirajamarga are not yet traced. Some ancient texts now considered extinct but referenced in later centuries are

All Early Kannada Writers regularly mention three great poets of Kannada. They are Samanta bhadra(met Hien Tsang), kaviparameshthi (kavisvara,kaviparameshvara), Pujyapada(Devanandi 6th century AD). The Sanskrit works of these authors have survived ,but none of Kannada works ahve survived.

Kavirajamarga refers to early writers such as King Durvinita of the sixth century Bharavi's Kiratarjuniya, Sabdavarta by Durvinita(529 - 579AD) commentary on Panini Grammer. Nagarjuna, Jayabandhu belong to same period.

Ravikirti, the author of the Aihole record of 636 AD. RaviKirti claims to have reached the heights of Kalidasa in fame and bharavi in poetic skill.

From Indranandi's Srutavatara and Devachandra's Rajavalikathe, we learn that the author of Chudamani (Crest Jewel-5th century AD or earlier) 96000 verse commentary on Tattvarthamahasastra is Tambuluracharya.  Tambuluracharya is mentioned in Chamundarayapurana(978AD).

From Indranandi's Srutavatara, we learn that Syamakundacharya is the author of Prabhrita

From Sravana belgola Inscription, We Learn that srivardhadeva was the crest-jewel of poets and author or great poem Chulamani and he was also praised by Dandi.

Lokapala may be connected with Lokaditya  son of Bankarasa (7th century AD) after whom Bankapura is named.

Vimala or vimalachandra is mentioned in Sravanabelagola inscription.

Jain Kannada Works by SamantaBhadra(1st century AD), Pujyapada(7th century AD), Akalankha(7th century AD) have been lost.

Karnateshwara Katha, a eulogy for King Pulakesi II, is said to have belonged to the seventh century

Works of Authors Asaga, Gunanandi, Nagarjuna and Vimalodaya are lost.

Literary forms such as Bedande and Cattana, which are forms of Padugabba (song Verse) are no longer available and we dont know about the extent of literature lost with that. Nripatunga mentions two kinds of compositions of earlier poets Bendande and Chattana. Bendande consisting of alternate kandas and Vrittas. Chattana consists of many Kandas along with Vrittas, Akkara, Chaupadi,Gitika and Tivadi. He states that Hale Gannada is quite appropriatge in ancient poems, but inspid in works of the present time like association of old woman.

Gajastaka, a work on elephant management by Ganga King Shivamara II, belonged to the eighth century. ‘Gajashtaka’ is perhaps the first written work in Kannada making use of Tripadi meter. This is also the first ‘Ashtaka’ kavya in Kannada. The reference to ‘Ovanige’ and ‘onakevADu’ in the context of ‘Gajashtaka’ makes them at least as ancient as ‘Gajashtaka’. This gives us some gleanings about the folk meters of that period. Shivamara has written ‘Gajamatha Kalpana’ in Sanskrit and ‘Sethubandha’ in Prakrit. shivarama II  was a scholar in many branches of knowledge such as ethics, archery, grammar, poetry and the art of looking after horses and elephants. This fact is documented in an inscription found at Nelamangala in Bangalore district. Another inscription found in Humacha, (Panchabasti Shilashasana) tells us that the ‘Gajashtaka’ written by Shivamara, was as popular as ‘OnakevADu’ and ‘Ovanige’.

Guna-gankiyam (800AD) author unknown, A Tamil Jain poet Amritasagara says in his work yapparungalakkarigai(11th century AD) that he adopted some of the characteristics of this work.

Chandraprabha-purana by Sri Vijaya, a court poet of King Amoghavarsha I, is ascribed to the early ninth century.

Kavisara or  kaviparameshthi can be identified from Prasasthi in Uttrapurana and Chamundapurana. Pandita chandra may be ChandraBhatta mentioned by Keshiraja

Nirpatunga mentions several kannada authors who preceded him - Vimala, Udaya, Nagarjuna, JayaBandhu and Durvinita as the best writers of kannada prose and Srivijaya, Kavisvara, Pandita , Chandra ,Lokapala as the best writers in Kannada poetry. AvantiSundarikathasara, discovered by Madras oriental manuscripts library gives a clue about the date of Durvinita. Durvanita is Ganga King , contemproary of Kubja Vishnuvardhana (Eastern Chalukya king and brother of Pulikesin) and Simhavishnu(Pallva king ).

Buddhist commentators of the tenth century CE (in the commentary on Nemrinatham, a Tamil grammatical work) make references that show that Kannada literature must have flourished before fourth century AD. And Aspires Tamil Literature to make to the standards of Kannada literature.

Cholapalaka Charitam,  Sri Chitramale, Subhadraharanam,  Prabodhachandram,  Kiratam(or Kiratarjuniyam) mentioned by Keshiraja himself are now lost.

Sources
Classical Kannada

Buddhist Legacy of Karnataka

Under the patronage of the Mauryas and Satvahanas, Buddhism flourished in Karnataka, there are still numerous places of Buddhist interest spread across the State.

Aihole
Aihole, is today an insignificant village in Bijapur district of north Karnataka and reaching it involves an obstacle course: an excruciatingly slow passenger train to Badami, an hour’s wait for a bus and jostling to get on. The vehicle rattles across the interminable hot plains and flat scrub of north Karnataka. To do just 46 kilometers from Badami to Aihole, the bus needs four tedious hours. But alight at Aihole and the travails are forgotten! For Aihole is one of the most remarkable temple sites in the country with one hundred and twenty temples, big nad small, in different styles, all in a small village.

Art historians say Aihole was a workshop for temple architects and sculptors patronized by early Chalukyan monarchs. Here are some of the earliest structural temples in stone in the country, dating from 450 AD and, among them, is one of the four Buddhist shrines in Karnataka. So we make our way to Aihole’s hillock, Meguti, to the rock cut Buddhist shrine. It is of special interest to us because it is the most important surviving Buddhist temple in Karnataka.

The Chaitya, a double stories structure, is half structural and half excavated in rock. The sanctum sanctorum is in the upper storey. It has a rectangular verandah of 8.78 m x 2.15 m. In the centre of the Verandah’s ceiling is a relief of Buddha in preaching posture. Of the three Buddha sculptures at Aihole, this is the best preserved and is 61cm in Height. He is seated on the padmapitha in the satvaparyankasana, that is, his right hand is placed against his chest in the vyakhyan mudra while the left is placed on the right foot with the palm facing upwards. His right shoulder and right breast are uncovered. There is a triple umbrella above him and his attendants are nearby.

Ashoka and Buddhism
Buddhism was founded in north India in about 500 BC when Siddharth Gautama, born a prince, achieved enlightenment. It is widely held that the religion first emerged during Mauryan times when there was a missionary zeal. Parts of Karnataka were subject to the rule of the Mauryas. Chandragupta Maurya’s son Bindusara (298-273 BC) and Bindusara’s son Asoka (269-232 BC) caused some of his edicts to be put up here. Asoka’s grandson Samprati Chandragupta is believed to have come to Karnataka where he spent his last years. Eleven Asokan edicts, four in Bellary district, three in Raichur district and three others in Chitradurga district bear witness to the Mauryan presence in Karnataka.

Some hold the view, however, that such rock edicts merely prove that Karnataka was within the jurisdiction of Mauryan kings, but not necessarily the advent of Buddhism here. The Sinhalese chronicles, Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, mention Mangaliputtatissa, a contemporary of Asoka and reputed to be the emperor’s teacher and mentor. He had sent missionaries to Mahishaka (Today Mysore region) under Mahadeva, and to Banavasi under Rakkhita, to preach the gospel. That would firmly indicate Buddhist prevalence in Karnataka.

In point of fact, Buddhist doctrine held sway in Karnataka even before Asoka’s time. Mahisasana, a form of Hinayana Buddhism, spread after the first convention of Buddhism in Rajgraha (477 BC) to Avanti, and to areas south of it to what are today’s Karnataka. Thus, while Asoka accepted Buddhism only in 268 BC, Buddhism was prevalent in Karnataka two centuries prior to the Mauryan monarch.

Early on, Buddhism separated into Sthavarvad (Hinayana) and Mahasanghikvad (Mahayana) which developed into Mahisasana. This branch stretched upto Banavasi from 5th century BC to 3rd century BC, that is, after the very first Buddhist convention in 477 BC and certainly long before Asoka.

Why then, are there are no Buddhist relics found from those centuries before Asoka?
The answer is quite simple. There was no idol worship in Buddhism. There had been no sculptures, carvings nor erection of stupas and inscriptions before the Asokan stupas at Sanchi and Sarnath. Prior to them, there were only earthern stupas which could not survive the ravages of time. There is one exception, however, excavations near Banavasi in 1971 revealed stupas and bricks that have been dated to the 2nd and 3rd century BC. A Buddhist deepasthambha (lamp post) of those times was found at the village Togarsi near Banavasi. By and large, in Karnataka, the Hnayana Buddhism that prevailed did not deify Buddha but looked upon him at human level, as perfect man. Paucity of actual remnants before Asoka’s time is thus explained.

The Mauryan inscriptions do not merely indicate the empire’s boundary. They also assert that Buddhism flourished there because the very purpose of Asoka’s edicts was to spread universal message to the masses. Buddhism duly spread and flourished. In sum, the Mauryan was undoubtedly the golden age of Buddhism.

Satavahanas
The Satavahanas were successors to the Mauryas and ruled in Banavasi, as is evident from the Nasik inscription of Gautamiputra Satakarni and the copper plates from Hirehadagali. There is a Prakrit inscription belonging to the second century on the stone Naga effigy fund at the Madhukesvara temple, which refers to the fact that Siva-skandanagar-sri, daughter of Satakarni of Chutukula, the king of Vaijayantipura (i.e. Banavasi) was responsible for the installation of that Naga effigy, and the Vihara. A copper plate inscription of 338 AD likens a Banavasi king to a bodhisattva (reincarnation) in his great compassion towards all living beings (praninam parama karnikataya bodhisattvo pamanasya).

From 30 BC to the second century AD, the Satavahanas ruled from Pratisthana (modern day Paithan) on the bank of Godavari river at Aurangabad. Their support to Buddhism is evident from Pliny (1st century AD) whose account mentions Prakrit inscription of Gvinaya Pitaka, referring to Setakannika, which shows that Buddhism was flourishing in Karnataka. Mahavagga, a composer after Asoka’s time endorses this.

The Satvahanas a Karnataka dynasty, as Dharwad and Bellary districts are called Shantavahani Hara (or Shantavahana region). Satavahanas kings were called Kunthala kings, the old name for Karnataka. At Sannati (Gulbarga district), as well as Vadgoan Madhavpur (near Belgaum) and Brahmagiri (Chitradurga district), there are remains of monuments of their period. The Uttara Kannada area of Banavasi has their inscription at Vasan in Dharwad district, and there are remains of a brick temple. The Chandravalli inscriptions that were unearthed in 1888, strongly suggest that worshipers of Buddha were here during the early centuries of the Christian era. The leader coins of the Satvahana kings bear the figure of a humped bull and on the other side of the coins are the unmistakable emblems of the bodhi tree and the chaitya (cairn). Small sculptures of Gandharva, a Buddhist yaksha, are also found.

The earliest epigraphic evidence in this regard (latter half of second century AD) is the stone memorial inscribed in Prakrit. It is that of Vasistapura Sivasiri Pulamari Rajana Mahadevi Sirijantamula, wife of a king of Banavasi who constructed a stambha and a Vihara for the Mahisasanas at Nagarjunakonnda.

Lanka Source
Another chronicler, Mahavamso, cites an important event. In the first century, Dattagamini, King of Ceylon, built a vihara and 80000 bhikus of Vanavasi had attended! Bhutpala, a merchant of Banavasi, was responsible for carving the famed Buddhist cave at Karla where an inscription says it was the best in the whole country.

Sannati
It is at Sannati, (Chitapur, taluk, Gulbarga district), on both banks of the river Bhima, that many Buddhist stupas of the Satvahana times have been found. It resembles Amravati and was the Buddhist centre of the Satvahana period of pre-Christian era and is spread over a three kilometer area. Fine sculptures can be seen all along and the Buddhist ruins found there are in large numbers. They include remnants of stupas, stone pottery for holy bones and ayaka stambha which has symbolic representation of birth, parinishnishkramana, enlightenment, preaching and nirvana (salvation) of Buddha. Inscriptions in the Brahmi script contain names of those who gave grants to sangharama, stupas and viharas. The words – visiriputa sirisata Mahasataraha – show the beginning of the Christian era and reference to Banavasi is found. There are stupas carved in stone, and another stupa (1st to 3rd century AD) has Buddha’s feet. The Sannatis (feudatories) of Satvahanas, known as Mahabhojas, had then ruled the Banavasi area. An inscriptions of that period says: “Nagamulida, wife of Maharathi, daughter of the Mahabhoja, King of Banavasi, mother of Khanda Nagashtak, constructed a cave residence at Kanheri (near today’s Bombay) of Buddhist bhikus.”

After Satavahanas
After the Satavahanas, Karnataka fell into the hands of the Pallavas of Kanchi and the Chuttu Shatkarnis (who were feudatories of the Satavahanas) ruling from Banavasi after the fall of the Satavahanas. Pallava domination ended when two dynasties, the Kadambas of Banavasi and the Gangas of Kolar (345 AD) held sway.

The Gangas, ruling from Talakadu, followed the vedic religion but were tolerant towards Buddhism. A Sanskrit copperplate (400 AD) issued by Padangala Madhava (440-470 AD), a Ganga ruler, indicated land grants to a Buddhist vihara (gangarajya madhava-sarmanah sasana Buddha-sattvaya dattam). There were Buddhist viharas alive and active and Buddhism was still powerful in the Ganga territory.

Like the Gangas, the Kadambas were also tolerant towards Buddhism as epigraphic evidence shows. The Kadamba capital was also Banavasi, (known as Vaijayanti,) and their century was a prominent one for Buddhism in Karnataka. Chinese traveller, Hieun Tsang, visited Banavasi in the 7th century AD and saw 1000 sangharamas and three stupas. He says: “By the side of the royal palace is a great sangharama with 300 priests, all men of distinction. This convent has a great vihara 100 in height.”

Recent excavations of the site of Banavasi have given the remains of a Buddhist stupa. The large apsidal structure is what remains and it was planned like a dharma-chakra.

The Buddhist Chaitya in front of which we stood at Aihole, is pre western Chalukyan and indicates the influence of Mahayana. It was built around the 5th century and is 25 feet high. We now make our way to Badami in another rickety bus headed toward the erstwhile capital city of the western Chalukyas in the 6th century. These rulers were also associated with Buddhism and relics here have survived in the shape of a Buddhist cave datable to the 6th century. There is also a figure, identifiable as Padmapani, the Bodhisattva of the same period. Hieun Tsang has stated that during the time of Pulakesin II (642 AD) in Banavasi (or Konkanpura), there were 400 Sangharamas and 10000 followers of Buddhism.

Rajaghatta
Situated about 8km northeast of Doddballapur near Bengaluru (Bangalore), the Buddhist Mahayana group built the Rajaghatta Chaitya (Shrine). According to M S Krishna Murthy, former professor and chairman, Dos in Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, the remains found at Rajaghatta is expected to open up a new chapter in the history of Buddhism in Karnataka, who lead the excavation work. In his report Rajaghatta, A unique Buddhist settlement in Karnataka.
Villagers, who found that some stupa at the site had a shaking object inside, broke them open to find its contents. Stupa yielded Impressed clay tablets. Unfortunately the villagers out of curiosity destroyed hundreds of stupas. Still 300 stupas were unearthed under various stages of preservation.
Though the Buddhist settlement did not yeild any inscriptions, explorations indicate that settlement was destroyed in 6th century AD. The structure was ransacked for building materials. The deserted religious place of the Nirgranthas(heterodox people) became burial ground of the Hindus. Thus ended the glorious period of centuries of Buddhism in Rajaghatta.
The Chaitya and Vihara complex has special type of layout at Rajaghatta. Construction of the chaitya and Viahara was not an unknown tradition. The present town nof Kallya, Magadi Taluk,near Rajaghatta is known to have been a Buddhist settlement.

Peruvaje
Buddhist antiques of Satavahana period were unearthed at Peruvaje in Dakshina Kannada. The Buddhist relics were found on the slopes of a small hill near Jaladurga temple.According to a press release issued by M S R S College, Shirva, Department of Ancient History and Archeology Professor T Murugeshi,the antiques consist of a Buddha’s head which is of 12 cms in height and a flake of Bodisatva face which is of 9 cms in width and 9 cms in height. It is made out of soft soap stone (balapa).The face of the Buddha’s head is totally damaged. It has long ears and a small “ushnisha” over the head. These features indicate that the image is of Buddha’s head which dates back to the 7th century AD.The flake of Bodisatva face having lower portion of an ear on right side, right eye is in intact and opened, eye ball shown very prominently within the deep and broad eye cup, a small part of left eye can be visible. It has two cm long nose with broad nostrils and thick smiling lips. From nose to chin it is two cms in length. This clearly indicates the image is proportionately prepared. The release said facial expression, eyes and nose resembles with that of Yaksha image of Igunda and Naga image of Banavasi in North Kanara and human heads of Sannati in Gulbarga, which belongs to Satavahana period. Two bull heads, two headless torsos of the bulls and one bull with the head and another human leg was also found at the site. Anatomical details of the bulls are really marvelous. The bull heads are very beautiful and having projected eye balls as in the case of Bodisatva face and they have striking similarities with that of animal figures found at Sannati of Satavahana period, the release said. The original source of these antiquities is not known. In Jaladurga temple the presiding deity is now worshipped in “linga” form. The temple is renovated. At Tellaru in Karkala taluk, there is a Jaladurga temple wh re the presiding deity is sitting in “Pralambasana” and holding a child on her left lap. This is a dominant feature of the Buddhist goddess Hariti, who is known as a fertility goddess, the release added. Murugeshi says “I got an old record in Peruvaje Guttu house. In that Kannada record different types of gold and silver ornaments are described. Among them ‘Kirita’ is about one and half ‘Seru’ in weight. Two bangles are also mentioned along with other ornaments. This record dates back to 1930. During that period the presiding deity might have been in human form and not in linga form as it is now. The ‘bali devata’ is very small and unable to bare ornaments of that weight and size.

Tara
In Gadag Taluk, Dharwad district, at Dambal, there was a Buddhist centre as late as 12th century. According to an inscription of 1095 AD, a temple of the Buddhist deity Tara and a Buddhist vihara were built by 16 merchants during the reign of Lakshmidevi, queen of Vikramaditya VI. Another temple of Tara, built at Dambal was by Sethi Sangarmaya of Lokkigundi. Karnataka was indeed the place where the worship of Tara gained ground. Tara became celebrated in Mahayana Buddhism (especially Mantrayana) and acquired popularity as the mother of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, as the power of enlightenment and as the consort of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the patron divinity of the Mantrayana sect in Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia and China.

Tara’s consort Avalokitaesvara-bodhisattva is the Siva of the Saiva cult and there is the correspondence of Tara with Durga. The association between Tara and Avalokita (Lokesvara) is emphasized in Karnataka. In Balligame, on the banks of the river Varada, a Buddhist Vihara known as Jayanti Prabuddha Vihara was built in 1065 by Rupa Byhattaya, the minister of the Chalukyan king Ahavamalla, and the deities that were worshipped there were Tara Bhagavati, Kesava, Lokesvara and Buddha. A Dambala inscription of 1095 AD begins with the customary invocation namo buddhyana and goes go to describe at length the greatness of Tara-bhagavati.

In Kolivada, Hubbali taluk, Dharwad district, an icon of Tara has been discovered belonging to about the thirteenth century and inscribed on the pedestal of this icon are the words siddham om namo bhagavatayai Aryatarayai, followed by the usual statement of the Buddha’s teaching in brief.

The Vihara on Kadari Hill in Mangalore (Dakshina Kannada) was an important site for Mahayana Buddhism. There are three exquisite bronze statues, now in the Manjunatha temple, one of which is of the Mahayana deity Avalokitesvara bodhisattva (consort of Tara) called Lokesvara. The other two bronzes are those of seated Buddha in contemplation.

Buddhism, which never became prevalent in Tulu-nadu, continued to survive till the thirteenth century. It gradually got fused with Saivite ideology. Thereafter, it became difficult for Buddhism to survive, especially as it lost its specific identity and got merged with Saivism. There are estimated to be 75000 Buddhists in Karnataka of which Tibetans form a substantial portion. Since the year 1900, the South India Buddhist Association saw Buddhism taking roots and in Kolar Gold Fields near Bangalore there is a Buddhist Vihara at Champion Reef. The Mahabodhi Society of India founded a Buddhist Vihara in Bangalore in 1940 and since 1956, Buddhism has got a fillip under Acharya Buddha Rakkkhita who has published over 50 books and founded an institute, a vidyapeeth and a hospital. Very much in evidence are the four Tibetan settlements of Karnataka, at Bailkuppe (near Mysore), Mundgod (in north Kanara district), Cauvery Valley, and at Kollegal. The most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are Thegchay Ling and Namgoling, both at Bailkuppe.