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JAINA MONUMENTS
local tradition. One of the cells in the Munivasa of the temple is assigned to him, another being assigned to his guru, Chandrakirti.
30
We are entirely in the dark about the identity of Anantavirya Vamana. But we know that he comes after Chandrakirti who figures in Kulottunga III's inscription dated 1199 A.D., and consequently should be placed a few years later than Chandrakirti, say, the middle of the thirteenth century. A study of the list of Jaina acharyas, as available from the Andhra-Karnāțadesa, reveals an Anantavirya Deva who is placed between Bhavanandi and Amarakirti Acharya. Though this Ananravīrya Deva might possibly be our Anantavirya Vamana, for the c is nothing in their dates to disprove the identity, the absence of any mention in the Andhra-Karnata list of his association with Tiruparuttikunram precludes the possibility of such an identi
fication.
*
The next sage in the temple of whom we have clear information both from the temple records and from Jaina literature is Mallisena Vämana. Inscriptions Ncs. 9, 15 and 24* speak of him. In No. 9 he is referred to as Mallisena Vāmanasuri, the preceptor of Puspasena-munipungava-Vamana. In No. 2.4 which represents the samadhi of Puspasena, he is again called the preceptor of Puspasena and is referred to by the naine Mallisena. In No. 15 which is a verse exclusively in praise of him, he is called Mallisena, his spiritual name being Vamana. Here it should be remembered that great teachers and writers on works of religion, philosophy, etc., are termed Vamanas, the term l'amana going with scholarship. And Mallişena, the local tradition proves, was more known by the term Vamana than even by his name Mallisena. He was a man of letters, held in high repute in his times, and was the author of several works
T. N. Ramachandran, Ibid, pp. 58-59. 62.
as
