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Kundakunda was associated with the early literary activity in Tamil also.
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Kundakunda's Dravidian origin is also supported by an unpublished manuscript - Mantra Lakṣaṇa, which deals with a female disciple of Elācārya. It mentions that at Hemagrama which is located in Malaya in the south, Kundakunda cured the illness of this disciple, with the help of Jwālāmālini mantra. In the historic sense, Hemagrama is the Sanskritized form of Ponnur village near Wandwash taluk, which with other two taluks - Kalla Kurichi and Tiruvannamalai, formed the central track of Malaya. The North and the South Arcots districts of old Madras Presidency traversed by eastern ghats was formerly known as Malay. The association of Kundakunda with Ponnur and its hillock Nilagir is highlighted by his foot prints, as Elācārya was said to have performed tapa on the hill."
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Another Kundakunda vestige in the south is found in Kundadri hill in the western ghat area of Karnataka. The hill is known to have his foot-prints, and Jains make visit to the place as a tirtha, though it is being lost to recent mining activity.26
Kundakunda: Philosopher and Scholar
Kundakunda was a very famous philosopher and theologian as well as a great organizer of religious institutions, and who was venerated by many great religious teachers and who claimed it an honor to trace their lineage. Sakalabhūṣaṇa, the author of Upadeśartnamālā, Vasunandi, author of Upaasakādhyayanam, Brahmanemidatta of Ārādhana-Kathākosa are some of the important authors who show the important position Kundakunda occupies in the hierarchy of Jaina teachers.2
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After Mahavira, the Jain church was headed by Gautama, Sudharma, Jambu who were the kevalins for a total period of 62 years, and were followed by Śrutakevalins Viṣṇukumāra, Nandimitra, Aparajita, Govardhana, Bhadrabahu-I for a period of 100 years. Then came the ten Purvins Visakha, Prosthila, Nakṣatra, Nāgasena, Jayasena, Sidhartha, Dhrtiṣena, Vijaya, Buddhilinga, Deva-I, Dharasena for a period of 177 years. They were followed by Eleven Angins - Nakṣatra, Jayapalaka, Pandava Dhruvasena Kamsa for a total
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| SR No. | 524017 |
| Book Title | Jinamanjari 1998 04 No 17 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Jinamanjari |
| Publisher | Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication |
| Publication Year | 1998 |
| Total Pages | 96 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Magazine, Canada_Jinamanjari, & Canada |
| File Size | 6 MB |