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The Jaina Antiquary
[ Vol. XIV
Pallava Kings, who ruled over the country of Thondaimandalam and the Telagu country upto the river Krishna. The country between two "PINARAS" was called THONDAYAMANDALAM or THONDAINADU. The Present North Arcot Dist of the Madras Presidency, was called the Sourthern "PINAR" and the part of the Nellore District and the Eastern Ghats were called the Southern "PINAR". This conntry was divided into so many "NADUS" and each "NADU" in many "KOTTAMS". This was the land which produced many great men and personalities, such as Pandits, Scholars, Munis, Yatis, Logicions, Philosophers, administraters, Naiyaiks, Vedantis and verious religions and sects that existed in the country. 18 Almost the whole Tamil literature is full of work of merit in literary field and civic life of the country-THONDAYA. MANDALAM and thus Kanchipuram was one of the big centre of learning in the north of the country, with PATALIPUTRA in the centre and Madura in the sourthern part of the TAMILANADU.11
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It is quite clear from the Tamil works that Pataliputra as was a very large and flurishing city, equally famous as the Pataliputra the capital of Magadha, in the times of Chandragupta Maurya. The city was spread far and wide, nearly 15 miles. This ancient Pataliputra is mostly described in almost all the Tamil works and literature as the city of "THIRUPADARIPULIYUR"-Thiruppa. puliyur. Now let us see how for Thiruppapuliyur means a city of Pataliputra. The city was called after a tree 'PADARI" in Tamil, while Puliyur means a tiger village (i. e. Puli-a tiger and Ur or Or-a place) Puliyur is the suffix given to those places-villages, towns, cities etc, where Muni Vyagrapad (Muni having a tiger like legs with lower body and above a human body) worshipped Siva Lingam under the tree "PADARI". The pecularity of this tree PADARI is said that it bears only flowers and no fruits, the leaves and flowers have got the value of disinfecting and hence it is used in Homas of the Saivaits, as combination of Vibhuties, i. e. sacred ashes. The
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13. Rao Bahadur Prof: A. Chakravarti, M. A. Madras,-his Historical Preface to "THIRUVALLUVAR KURAL" translated in English.
14, South Arcot District Gazettier of Madras Province. 15. Tamil "Patalipur Puranam" manuscript No. 1136/5. 16. Tamil "Puliyur Puranam" in Sanskrit language.
