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52 THE JAINS IN THE TAMIL LAND: Tamil land. In fact, a closer study of Indian religious movements, particularly those in the Penirsula, would reveal that for nearly four centuries, second to the beginning of the seventh century, Jainism was the predominant faith. We can merely indicate here, in a general way,
the course of its development. Formation To revert to our subject, Brahmin literature, of a Jain Sanga. when it condescended to take notice of the Jains
at all, showed considerable animosity to them in the fourth and the beginning wi the fifth century. This resulted in the formation of a separate Sangam by the Jains themselves. An information of greatest consequence is given in
Jain religious work, the Digambara Dharsana." The book states that in the year 526 of Vikrama Saka, i.e., 470 A.D., a Dravida Sangam was formed at the Southern Madura by Vajra Nandi, a disciple of Pūjyapāda. We further learn from the same source that the Sanga was an association of Digambara Jains who migrated south with a view to spread Jainism. Unless the reigning kings of Pandyan country patronised them, the Jains would never have dared in those days of cruel prinishment to establish a Sangam. We see in the formation of this Sangam the extension of royal patronage to Jainism which excited the jealousy of the leaders of Brahminism. The conflict was bound to come. For the time being it was postponed. The Sangam, as we have seen, was formed at the
' Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society Vol. XVII, p. 74.
