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AUGUST, 1911.) ORIGIN & DEULINE OF BUDDHISM & JAINISM IN S. I.
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havarman I. He is known to have been a Jsina in the earlier part of his reign, and to have adopted Saitism at the end. Thus, one of the most powerful kings of southern India felt the overpowering influence of the times.
The marvellous fame of the comparatively young saint Nanasambanda was established in the land by his converting the Pandya king of the day, Kün-Pandya or Sundara-Pândya, an uncompromising Jaina, and by his completely vanquishing the foremost leaders of the Jains faith in religious discussions. Thus, both in the Pallava and the Pandya countries, where Jainism was rife, the kings were tumed Saivites and the leaders of the latter creed did their utmost to show their religion to the best advantage.
Later in point of time was Sundaramûrti-Nayanar. Invited by the Chêra king SéraminPerumal-Nayanâr, he visited Tiravañjaikkalam (Cranganore on the west coast) which was the capital of the Chêras and several other places in the Kongu country. He is said to have enjoyed the friendship of the three kings of the south, piz., the Chêra, Chôļa and the Pâqdya. In company with them, Sundaramůrti visited a few places of southern India.
Soon after the three saints, appeared Manikkavachagarel and Sankaracharya. The former was a minister of the Pandya king. He is said to have defeated the Buddhists in controversy at Chidambaram, but it may be noted that the advocates of the Bauddha faith came from Ceylon for the purpose of holding the disputation. Samkaracharya was born in Malabar, but his energies were directed chiefly to northern India. Kumarilabhatja, a learned Brahman of Bêrår, is said to have confuted the Buddhists of the west coast.32
The time of the three Álvars has been definitely made out.33 They belonged to the latter half of the 8th century A. D. and seem to have held high position in life. What Nanasambanda and Appar are to the Saivites, Nammi vár and Tirumangai are to the Vaishnavites of the south. The hymns composed by them are equally stirring. Madhurakavi was the minister of the Pandya king Neduñjadaiyan and Namma vår was the magistrate of the town of Alvar-Tirunagari in the Tinnevelly district. It is easy to conceive the amount of influence they might have brought to bear on the people.
The conversion of the Pallava and the Pandya kings by Appar and Nanasambanda, respectively, seems to have dealt a fatal blow to the Jaina faith in the Tamil country. It will be admitted on all hands that State patronage in any scale whatsoever favours the growth of art or religion, and the withdrawal of it must necessarily tell on their advancement. As the Chola king of that period was a Hindu, the whole of the Tamil country professed Hinduism at the time.
Under the circumstances narrated above, it is quite unreasonable to expect that other sects would thrive in such a soil. Besides the royal conversions, the saints attended by thousands of followers performed tours to places of pilgrimage which were distributed throughout the Dekkan, sang hymns and expounded the greatness of the Hindu religion. If it is also remembered that Appar, Nánasambanda and Sankara and a few of the Alvars had established mathas in various
# Mahendravarman excavated the beautiful rock-cut cave of Biva on the Trichinopoly hill.
* Opinions difform regards the date of Mapikkavachagar. While some place him in the 9th century A. D. others think that he must have flourished long prior to the three Devaram hymnista.
11 Madras Mapual of Administration, Vol. I, p. 78. [I wonder whether there is better evidence for this than that of a mere tradition.-D. R. B.)
Tirumaagai-Alvår was the latest of the three Vaishnava saints. In hio hymns, he mentious two Pallava kinga. vis. Nandivarman Pallavamalla and Vayiramégan and describes the military achievements of the former. If the saint was a contemporary of Nadivarman Pallavamalla and of Vayirambgan, he must belong to the latter half of the 8th century A. D. Kyilongue states that Madhurakavi set up an image of Nammalvar at Tirunagari, and that the three Álvkrs were contemporaries. The proper names of Nammalvår and Madhurakavi suggest that the former must have been the father of the latter. As Madhurakari appears to have died some time prior to A. D. 769-70, if Tirumangai was his contemporary, there is every likelihood of the latter having lived in the reign of Nandivarman Pallavamalla.
