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स्व: मोहनलाल बांठिया स्मृति ग्रन्थ
It is known from this inscription that Senkāsyapa was one of the resident monks, at whose instance the lay devotee, Aramōsi of Agalur, caused to be made stone beds. The name of the monk is differently read by scholars as Senkayapan and lankayapan. Ilankayapan means 'youngKasyapa'. Several Jaina monks in the early centuries of the Christian era bore names such as Kasyapa, Venkäsyapa and Senkäsyapa as are attested to by brahmi inscriptions from other places."
The stone beds cut at Tondür are referred to in the epigraph as 'adhisthanam' (seats or basement) and their number (three) is indicated by three horizontal strokes, a rare feature not to be seen in other early inscriptions. Agalur, the birth place of Aramosi, is a small Jaina settlemnt, 2 kms. south of Tondur, which retains its original name even at present.
Tondür continued to be a prolific Jaina centre till about the 10th century A.D. A fine relief-sculpture of Parsvanatha was carved on the overhanging rock of the cave and a number of land grants were made for the conduct of worship to the image. The sculpture of Parsvanatha together with the cave was then known as 'VALVA MOLIPPERUMPAĻĻI' 7
ie., monastery of the monks, who expounded faultless Jaina dharma.
5. I. Mahadevan in Seminar on Jaina Heritage of Tamilnadu, March,
1995.
6. Annual Report on Epigraphy, 407/1906, 78/1910, 342, 349/1927
28
7. Ibid., 83/1934-35
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