Question

Name the ruler whose patronage had been enjoyed by Jainism.
A) Kanishka
B) Kharavela
C) Pushyamitra Sunga
D) Samudragupta

Answer 1

Hint: Also, known as the King of Kalinga, he's the best known king of the Mahameghavahana dynasty. He’s credited with a lot of achievements such as military victories, repair works, welfare work etc. He was a follower of Jainism, but ancient texts used to describe him as a devotee of all religions.

Complete answer:
Let us analyze the given options:
Option A) Kanishka was the emperor of the Kushan dynasty during the 2nd century (127-150 CE). He got his name famous for his military, political and spiritual achievements. His patronage of Buddhism played an important role in the development of the Silk road. He was the successor of Kushan, the founder of the Kushan empire. This option is incorrect.
Option B) Kharavela was the king of Kalinga, the present-day Odisha. His reign was during the 2nd century. Kharavela became a patron of Jainism from the beginning of his rule and did everything he could to promote it. Although being a Jain, he respected every other religion. The Hathigumpha inscription tells about his devotion towards Jainism. This option is correct.
Option C) Pushyamitra Sunga was the founder of the Shunga empire which was established after taking the throne from the Maurya empire. He was a devotee of Hinduism and is known to establish the original Hindu rule in North India. Ancient texts state that he persecuted the Buddhists. He was succeeded by his son Agnimitra in 148 BCE. This option is incorrect.
Option D) Samudragupta was the 2nd emperor of the Gupta empire from 335-375 CE and is known to be one of the greatest rulers in the Indian history. During his reign, he greatly expanded his political power. He was known to be a devotee of Vishnu and was tolerant towards Buddhism known by the fact that he permitted the construction of a Buddhist monastery. This option is incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option ‘B’. Kharavela was the ruler whose patronage had been enjoyed by Jainism.

Note: Kharavela inscriptions call him a Universal emperor (Chakravartin). He’s known to be one of the strongest rulers of the Kalinga’s empire. He was a devotee of all religions and repaired a lot of temples of a variety of gods. Only after two successors to Kharavela, the Kalinga empire is believed to have disintegrated.