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Balatkara Gana is an ancientJainmonastic order. It is a section of theMula Sangh. It is often termedBalatkara Gana Sarasvati Gachchha.[1] Until the beginning of the 20th century, it was present in a number of places inIndia.[2] However all its seats in North India became vacant in early 20th century. It survives only atHumbaj inKarnataka, which is its ancient seat.
TheBhattaraka seat at Humcha was founded in the 8th century AD, during the reign of Jinadatta Rai, founder of the ruling dynasty of Santar. In 1048 AD, the Mahamandaleshwara Chandarayarus made a donation to a Bhattaraka of Balagara-gana at Balligame near Banavasi in present-dayKarnataka. Thus, the Bhattaraka seat atHumcha (or Humbaj) may be one of the oldest of its kind. The current Bhattaraka SrimadDevendrakeerthi Bhattaraka Maharaj has supervised 31 pratishthas outside India.
Balatkara Gana arrived in North India in the 13th century as attested by inscriptions at Un (Vikram 1218), Ahar (Vikram 1228) and Hoshangabad (Vikram 1271.[3]
There exists a chronology (Pattavali) of the northern Indian tradition the early part of which was composed during the time of Bhataraka Prabhachandra II. Early part of the chronology is supported by a 13th-century inscription associated with the building of theKirti Stambh ofChittor.[4]The disciples of BhattarakaPrabhachandra founded several branches and sub-branches in several regions of India.
Prabhachandra (1318–1368) is regarded to be the first Bhattaraka ofDelhi (seeJainism in Delhi) who reigned during 1318–1388. His pupil Padmanandi (1368–1418) had three disciples.
The dates for the Bhattarakas of Delhi were computed by Dr. Jyotiprasad Jain.[5]
There exist several pattavalis of Mula Sangh-Balatkara Gana-Saraswati Gachchha.
A (1840 CE Nagaur includes Jnatis), B(1840 Chittor includes Jnatis ), C (1450CE), D(1822-1826 CE), E (1880CE, includes Jnatis).
The pattavalis give the following segments[9]
Because of occasional shifting, some of the monks may have lived in different places at different times, causing some disagreements in the pattavalis.
Three inscriptions describing the construction ofKirti Stambha ofChittor have been found that mention Vishalakirti-Shubhakirti-Dharmachandra thus conforming the names going back to 13th century.
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