Jaina Literature in Tamil

Author(s): A Chakravarti, K V Ramesh
Publisher: Bharatiya Gyanpith

Page 19

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Pandya associations. The Candraprabha temple at Jinakañci was fostered by a Pallava king of the eighth or ninth century. Rajasimha II Pāṇḍya (900-920) endowed severa! palliccandams. Kundavai, sister of Rājarāja I, a princess remarkable for learning and charity alike, built two Jaina temples, one at Tirumalai and the other at Rājarājapuram (now called Dādāpuram) and these shared with the numerous Śiva temples that she built, costly presents of vessels and ornaments of gold, silver and pearls. Vīrāśōla, a Lāṭa vassal of Rajaraja 1, remitted at the request of his queen, taxes payable by the Tiruppāņmalaipalli. A perumballi at Karandai was named after VirarājēndraCola (1063-9) and another at Kuhur (Tanjore) after Kulöttunga I (1070-1120). Among the donors to the temple at Tirunarungondai (South Arcot) were Virkamacola (1128) and Vikrama Pandya (1187) and the Kadavarayas of Sendamangalam, and those of Sirrāmür and Perumandur (South Arcot) were the Sambuvaraya chiefs of the twelfth century. An image at Tudiyürmāmalai (Singipatti, Tirunelveli) was named after a minister of Maravarman Sundara Pandya II (1238-54). Pandya benefactions to the monasterics at Saḍayappārai, near Pudukottai town, and at Närttamalai are also on record. The incursion of an Oriya force under Kapilēśvara Gajapati (1465) as far south as the Kaveri left villages robbed and deserted, and temples of all the sects looted and closed. Sāļuva Narasimha (1486-91) restored worship in all these temples including the Jaina temples. and exempted their lands from taxes. The jodi imposed by the Vijayanagar agent Ramappa Nayak hit temples hard,