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134
A. CHAKRAVARTI :.
is an edition of Pingaļa-nighanțu by a Tami] pandit by name Sivan Pillai.
Having disposed of grammar and lexicography, let us turn our attention to one or two miscellaneous works : Tirunārrantādi by Avirõdhi Āļvār. The antādi is a peculiar form of composition where the last word in the previous stanza becomes the first and the leading word in the next stanza. Antādi literally means “the end and the beginning. This constitutes a string of verses connected with one another by a catch-word which is the last in the previous stanza and the first in the succeeding stanza. Tirunārrantādi is such a composition containing 100 verses. It is a devotional work addressed to God Nēminātha of Mylapore. The author Avirõdhi Āļvār was a convert to the Jaina faith. It is said that one day, while he was passing by the side of the Jinālaya, he heard the Jaina ācārya within the temple expounding to his disciples the nature of mokşa and mokşa-mārga. Attracted by this exposition he entered the temple and listened to the teacher's discourse. Desiring to learn more about this he requested the ācārya to permit him to attend the
23) Padiņārāvadu-nighaņķu (11th chapter), Text and
commentary, Ed. by Arunachala Mudaliar, 1883; 24) Cūdāmaņi-nighanțil Padiņārāvadu, (11th chapter),
Text and commentary, Ed. by Shanmuga Mudaliar,
Madras, 1886; 25) Padiņārāvadu-nighanļu (11th chapter), Text and
commentary, 1887; 26) Cūdāmāņi-nighanțu (11th chapter), Text and
commentary and 12th chapter, Text, Ed. by Ponnam bala Pillai, 1892;
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