Jain Journal 1997 07

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

Page 30

KUMARI KARNATAKA-TAMIL NADU JAINA RELATIONS
ignoring it as merely an episode, for, this major event was a turning point in the history of both Saivism and Jainism in Tamil Nadu. Jainism started declining thereafter as the anti-Jaina struggle reached its peak in the 7th century A.D. and continued constantly.
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The direct reference to the impalement of Jaina ascetics is found in Periyapuranam.Jaina ascetics from eight hills in the Pandya Kingdom, viz., Annamalai, Nagamalai, Sunangamalai, Tirupparankundram, Irunkunram, Pasumalai, Sidderrrmali and Samanamalai were mercilessly impaled.
M. Valliammal in an article entitled: "Studies in Communal Conflict in Early Tamil history -A case Study of the Impalement of 8000 Jain monks in Madurai in 7th century A.D." has quoted in detail the Tamil works describing impalement. According to her, Tevaram of Saint Tirujnana Sambandhar also makes reference implicitly to the impalement of Jaina ascetics, for 10th song of 95th, 98th and 99th padigams and the first song of the 108th padigam express impalement events. Here, I undertake to reproduce more or less in the same form the observations noted by the author of the above mentioned article regarding the various interpretations of Kazhu and Kazhukkal. These terms signigy a traditional festival knwn as Kazhu Vettiya Tirunal-an impalement festival celebrated in the famous Siva tmeples in and around Madurai including the renown Meenakshiamman Temple.80
As noted above, Devacandra, a Kannada writer of the 19th century A.D., also makes references to the impalement of the Jaina ascetics in his Rājāvalikathāsāra.81
The Jains in the padigam of the Saint Tirujnana Sambandhar have been referred to as Kazhukkal. The term Kazhu is differently interpreted like:
1. The Jains deserved the impalement for their sins, so they were called Kazhukkal.
2. They had sharpened stake in their hands, because it was the custom of the Jains to get themselves impaled when their religion was disgraced and they were defeated by the followers of other religions.
3. They were known as Kazhukkal as their hairs were plucked.82
The term Kazhu is synonymous with impalement and evidently Saint Tirujnana Sambandhar was involved in that event of violence. Here it is impotant to note that Saint Tirujnana Sambandhar praises Lord Siva for the destruction of the Jains. In this pedigam Siva is described as 'the warrior who vanquished the Jains.83