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1914). JAINA GAZETTE.
305 Thiru-Nuttarandhati. It is a small Tamil Jain stotra held in great respect by all the Jains of the Tamil country. It contains one hundred stanzas which Tamil term (nuttru) itself would suggest. This book treats of the attributes of the supreme Lord Arhat, and of the philosophy that emanated from his sayings, which could be understood by all and were clothed in no particular language. This nool (book) was composed in the temple dedicated to Lord Neminath at Mylapore, Madras. This great temple at Mylapore is said to have been a big high edifice with all the apartments (7 parkars) of a Jain temple.
This splendid sanctuary was sunk under the blue waters of the billowy sea, 300 years ago, when many houses of the city crumbled down. This destruction of the holy city was prophesied by Jain priests who removed the sacred idol of Lord Neminatha to the temple at Chittamoor, the residence of His Holiness the Lakshmisena Bhattaraka.
This Thiru-Nuttarandhati seems, by various proofs, to have been compiled 400 years ago. The author was originally a Vishnuvite Brahman and well-versed in the Vedic lore. One day as he was passing by the great temple, he heard a Jain Acharya teaching his pupils "Tattwartha Sutra" and the following stanza fell in his ears :
मोक्षमार्गस्य नेतारं, भेत्तारं कर्मभूमृताम् ।
ज्ञातारं विश्वतत्त्वानां, वन्दे तद्गुणलब्धये ॥ He could not understand the meaning of TCITER and hence he requested the Acharya to explain the inner meaning of these words. Knowledge dawned on him, he became a Jaina and before going the round of the Lord's temple, he compiled these 100 stanzas. Then he received diksha from the Acharya and travelled on foot to all the important sanctuaries preaching the true faith.
The text (translation)
Prayer to the Lord. O Lord Neminatha, who stands at the sacred place of Mylapore, whose body is black, and whose lip is red; who Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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