Jain Journal 1985 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 26

JULY, 1985
He was a house-holder and not a mendicant. He had all the great qualities of a religious leader-scholarship, eloquence and a humanitarian character. He was not only a preacher, a poet and a debator but also a man of high intellect and advanced spiritual wisdom. He was also a miraclemaker and had performed many miracles in his life. But he was aggressive to the Jainas, who dominated all spheres of existence, like education, trade, social service and many other activities beneficial to the people. The young Brahmin was determined to remove the Jainas and replace them with Saivaites who worshipped Lord Siva, the supreme Hindu God.
Jnanasambandhar preached bhakti or deep-rooted devotion to Siva. A large section of Hindus including Harijans rallied around his banner of Saivism and became ardent devotees of Lord Siva. His followers were known as Nayanmars or Adigals. There were 63 Harijan Nayanmars among them, who attained moksa or nirvāņa through bhakti to Siva. The Pandyan king of Madura, who was a Jaina embraced Saiyism. The persecution of the Jainas started from Madura according to the available evidences. Sambandhar visited Madura on his missionary activities and converted the Pandyan king to Saivism. He composed the famous Thevaram hymns in praise of Siva in which there are many stanzas expressing hatred of the Jainas. Ser Kizhar, an ardent follower of Sambandhar composed his Periya Puranam containing the activities of Sambandhar and the hymns of animosity against the Jainas. Mailai Venkataswami has provided trustworthy information in his book 'Jainism and Tamil' about the Saivaite persecution of the Jainas in which at one instance eight thousand Jaina ascetics were guillotined. This horrible tragedy is recorded in the Periya-Puranam, Tiruviayakar Puranam and Takkayaga Bharani, which are Saivaite scriptures.
In fact, Saivaites rose in rebellion and destroyed several Jaina temples, killed a large number of Jainas and drove many from their homes. Sambandhar visited several parts of Tamilnadu preaching his gospel of Saivism and building Siva temples. He visited Mylapore and saw the flourishing condition of the Jainas and number of temples in the city. Sambandhar is recorded to have performed a wonderful miracle. There Pumlavai, the daughter of a very wealthy man met her death through snake bite. After her cremation, the father collected the ashes in a pot and appealed to Sambandhar to revive her to life. There was a Siva temple in Mylapore and Sambandhar composed a verse in praise of Siva to restore the dead girl to life. The girl was restored to life to the great wonder of the people. He was acclaimed by the people as an incarnation of Lord Siva, born to revive Saivism in Tamilnadu.