Amoghavarsha - Religion and Culture

Religion and Culture

Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I preferred to remain friendly with all his neighbours and feudatories and avoided taking an aggressive posture against them. It is still debated whether he abdicated his throne at times to fulfill religious pursuits. He deeply cared for his subjects and once when a calamity threatened to harm them, he offered his finger as a sacrifice to the goddess Mahalakshmi of Kholapur. For this act he has been compared to puranic heroes such as Bali, Shibi and Jimutavahana. It is written that the rulers of Vanga, Anga, Magadha, Malwa and Vengi worshipped him. He patronised the famous Ellora Temples. He also patronised the great Indian Jain mathematician Mahāvīra (mathematician).

Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I was a disciple of Jinasenacharya. Proof for this comes from the writing, Mahapurana (also known as Uttara Purana), by Gunabhadra in which the author states "blissful for the world is the existence of Jinasenacharya, by bowing to whom Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga considered himself to be purified". The same writing proves that Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I was a follower of the Digambara branch of Jainism. His own writing Kavirajamarga is a landmark literary work in Kannada language and became a guide book for future poets and scholars for centuries to come. The Sanskrit writing Prashnottara Ratnamalika is said to have been written by Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I in his old age when he had distanced himself from the affairs of the state. However others argue that it was written by Adi Shankara or by Vimalacharya.

Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I patronised Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. However, according to the scholar reu, writings such as Mahapurana by Gunabhadra, Prashnottara Ratnamalika and Mahaviracharya's Ganita-sara-sangraha are evidence that Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I had taken to Jainism. His empire was one among the four great contemporary empires of the world and because of his peaceful and loving nature, he has been compared to Emperor Ashoka as noted above. The Jain Narayana temple of Pattadakal, (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) the basadi at Konnur and the Neminatha basadi at Manyakheta were built during his rule. His queen was Asagavve. Famous scholars of his time were Mahaviracharya, Virasena, Jinasena, Gunabhadra, Shakatayan, and Sri Vijaya.