Book Title: Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs
Author(s): P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
View full book text
________________
S. JAINISM IN TAMIL NAD
of the Jaina pantheon. Then there is the composite group of 14 images, starting with Vrishabha and stopping with Ananta; and another of the 24 Jinas known as Chauvisa Tirthankara, Besides, there are other icons depioting the later development of minor deities, such as the Navadēvatā, Mahämuni, Jvālāmālini, Dharmadēvi and Padmāvati. We are already sufficiently familiar with the Yakshiņīs, Jvālāmālini and Padmāvatī; and Dharmadēvi, it may be suggested, was probably another Yakshiņi.
Two Icons IDENTIFIED: Õdalavādi in the Põļūr taluk owns a shrine dedicated to the Arhat. The central image herein, made of granite, is depicted as seated in the meditative pose with the palms joined over the lap. An inscription in the shrine referring itself to the reign of the Päņdya king Kulasēkhara I (circa 13th century A. D.) registers an endowment of land to the deity by a private person. In this record the deity is referred to by the epithet 'Aņiyād-alagiyār' which means 'He who is beautiful without adornment'. Now Bāhubali, the younger son of the first Tirthakara is considered as endowed with natural beauty par excellence and the image of Gommațāśvara at Sravana Belagola, which represents the former, is described as supremely beautiful. From this we are persuaded to think that the presiding deity in the temple at Odalavāđi is in all probability, Bāhubali or Gommațanātha.
At Sembāțțūr in the Pudukkottai state was found an image of a seated Yakshi in a grove near the Siva temple. It bears two hands, the right holding a lotus while the left rests on the thigh. The right leg is let down and touches the back of a lion; and the left leg is folded and placed parallel to the seat.* This icon stands for Siddhāyikā, the Yakshiņi of Mahāvīra. We have discussed at length the prevalence of the Yakshi cult in the Tamil country and this instance further adds to the mass of evidence testifying to the worship of the Yakshiņi as un important deity almost of independent status.
TAMIL LEXICOGRAPHER MANDALAPURUSHA: Among the Jaina celebrities that contributed to the wealth of Tamil literature deserves to be mentioned one more name. It is the Tamil lexicographer Mandalapurusha whose Nighaņķu-chūdāmaņi is reckoned the biggest lexicon in the language. This author is believed to have lived in the age of the 15-16th century A. D. He was a disciple of the preceptor Guņabhadra. Both the lexicographer and his aforesaid teacher seem to have been important personalities
1 An. Rep. on S. I. Epigraphy, 1939-43, p. 8. 2 Ibid., p. 249. 3 Ep. Carn., Vol. II, No. 234. 4 An. Rep. eto. (op. cit.), p. 273.
