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MAHENDRAVARMAN AND JAINISM-A REAPRAISAL
Dr A. EKAMBARANATHAN Tondaimandalam, roughly corresponding to the northern parts of modern Tamil Nadu and the southern parts of Andhra, witnessed the rule of the pallavas from about the 6th century A.D. down to the end of the 9th century A.D. Kanchipuram, the temple city of the south, served as their seat of power. The rulers of the pallava dynasty were mainly followers of brahmanical religion and at the same time, were liberal towards the other creeds. Mahendravarman I was one among them who took up the reigns of the Government in c. 600 A.D. and continued to rule till 630 A.D.' He is said to be a Jaina in the early part of his career and later converted into a Saivite.
Though opinions are divergent among scholars on this issue, most of them accept that Mahendra was originally a Saivite, then became an adherent of the Jaina faith and got reconverted to Saivism by Tirunavukkarasar at a later stage. This conclusion is arrived at mainly based on the life sketches of saint Tirunavukkarasar alias Appar picturised in the hagiological work, Periyapurāņam of the 12th century A.D.
Tirunavukkarasar, according to the Periyapuranam, was a contemporary of the Pallava king Mahendravarman. Though born in an orthodox Saiva family, he was attracted towards Jainism in his early life. He, after mastering the Jainasāstras, became a reputed monk under the name Dharmasena and he headed the monastery at Tirupatiripuliyur near Cuddalore. His sister, Tilagavati, being an ardent devotee of Siva, implored god's help, where upon Siva caused him to be a victim of an incurable abdominal disorder. When all the efforts of the Jaina monks failed to save him, Siva is said to have miraculously cured him of his disease, therefore, he embraced Saivism. The news of his defection upset the Jaina recluses who framed many a false charge against him to poison the mind of the Pallava King.
1. R. Gopalan, Pallavas of Kanchi, p. 88. T.V. Mahalingam assigns 610 A.D.
to Mahendra. see, Kanchipuram in Early South Indian History, p.64 2. C. Minakshi, Administration and Social life under the Pallavas, p. 255
K.A. Nilakanthasatri, A History of South India pp. 423-424, R. Gopalan, Op.cit., p.90.
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