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62 NAYANARS AND ALVARS. it was during his time that Jainism received a mortal blow, from the effects of which it never
recovered. Sambandar: Born of a Brahmin priest at Shiyali in the his life and career. Tanjore District, Saint Sambanda 'began to sing
hymns in praise of Siva, when only three years old! Well'versed both in the Vedas and Vedāngas, he had no equal in Tamil learning also. Proud of his birth as a Brahmin, he spoke highly of his caste and the Vedas. He made extended pilgrimages to different Saiva shrines in South India, singing hymns in praise of Sive and working out miracles by the grace of that deity. His one object in life seems to have been the putting down of heretical faiths, such as Jainism and Buddhism. With huge crowds of devotees and worshippers accompanying him, he constantly peregrinated the Tamil land creating unbounded enthusiasm among the people for the cause of Saiva religion. A bitter opponent of Jainism, every tenth verse of his soul-stirring songs was devoted to anathematize the Jains. We are not here concerned with the various details of his life, but it is interesting to note the manner in which Jainism - which took such a deep root in the Madura country was driven out of it. The ruler of the Pandyan kingdom at this time was the famous Ninrasīr Nedumāran, the conqueror of Nelvēli, otherwise known as Sundara Pandyan, who, from all accounts we know was a staunch Jain. He had for his wife Mangayarkarasi, the daughter of the Chola
