Balatkara Gana is an ancient Jain monastic order. It is a section of the Mula Sangh. It is often termed Balatkara Gana Sarasvati Gachchha. Until the beginning of the 20th century it was present in a number of places in India. However all its seats in North India became vacant in early 20th century. It survives only at Humbaj in Karnataka, which is its ancient seat.
The Bhattaraka 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-day Karnataka. Thus, the Bhattaraka seat at Humcha (or Humbaj) may be one of the oldest of its kind. The current Bhattaraka Srimad Devendrakeerthi 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.
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 the Kirti Stambh of Chittor.
The disciples of Bhattaraka Prabhachandra founded several branches and sub-branches in several regions of India.
Prabhachandra (1318–1368) is regarded to be the first Bhattaraka of Delhi (see Jainism in Delhi) who reigned during 1318–1388. His pupil Padmanandi (1368–1418) had three disciples.
Sakalakirti (1420–1475), first Bhattakra of Idar lineage.
Devendrakirti, who had two disciples:
Vidyanandi, who founded the Rander-Surat lineage.
Tribhuvanakirti who founded the Chanderi lineage.
Shubhachandra (1418–1450), whose disciple Jinachandra (1450–1514), both Bhattarakas of Delhi, had three pupils:
Ratnakirti, founder of Nagaur lineage of 26 Bhattarakas into 20th century.
Prabhachandra II, who had two pupils:
Dharmachandra, founder of Chittore/Amer/Jaipur lineage
Sumatikirti, founder of Gwalior lineage.
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Digambara (dɪˈgʌmbərə; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being Śvētāmbara (white-clad). The Sanskrit word Digambara means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing nor wearing any clothes. Digambara and Śvētāmbara traditions have had historical differences ranging from their dress code, their temples and iconography, attitude towards female monastics, their legends, and the texts they consider as important.
A Bhaṭṭāraka (भट्टारक "holy one") heads traditional Digambara Jain institutions. He is responsible for training scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing endowments, presiding over installation ceremonies and running Jain institutions. The term bhaṭṭāraka was used for Virasena, Bhadrabahu and other notables. It has also been used for the Tirthankaras. It was in the past used for leaders of religious orders in Shaivism, Buddhism and other groups, but currently it is applied to heads of Digambara Jain institutions.