Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

Author(s): P B Desai
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur

Page 65

3; JAINTSX DI TAMIL NAD
89
Srikarapapperumbal}i' at Sirupākkam.' The epithet (perumballi' in the name indicates that it must have been a fairly big and important religious institution.
PAÑCHAPĀNDAVAMALAI: From the region of Kanchi we proceed first towards the west and thence towards the south and enter into the tract of Pañchapāņdavamalai and Tirumalai, which represents roughly the modern district of North Arcot. The word 'malai' in these names means 'a hill.'
The hill popularly known as Pañchapāņdavamalai, which means 'the hill of the five Pāņdavas', is stituated at a distance of about four miles to the south-west from the town of Arcot. Tiruppāmalai is another name of the hill. This hill contains two caves, one natural and another artificial. The natural cavern is on the southern side of the rock. Inside the cavern are a few sculptures carved out in the rock. These will be examined in detail presently. An inscription is engraved on the front face of the rock overhanging the natural cave. Farther to the left and higher up on the same side of the rock is carved the figure of a seated Jina, and below this a tiger whose traces are rather obliterated. Proceeding to the western side of the rock we notice another inscription. The artificial cave consists of seven cells with six pairs of pillars. An image of the Jina is cut into the rock above these cells. This cave bears no inscriptions."
THE INSCRIPTION: The first inscription at Pafchapāņdavamalai mentioned above is engraved in very archaic Tamil alphabet of the 7th and 8th century A. D. It is dated in the 50th year of Nandippottarasar and states that a person named Nāraṇan who was a resident of Pugaļālaimangalam, caused to be incised the image of Ponniyakkiyar along with the preceptor Nāganandi. Nandippottarasar may be identified with the Pallava king Nandivarman who ruled from A. D. 717 to 779. It is evident from the context that Nāraṇan, the author of the sculptures, was an ardent follower of the Jaina creed, and that Nāganandi was a divine of reputation. The expression Ponniyakkiyār may be split up into pon and Iyakkiyar which is honorific plural of Iyakki. Pon means 'gold' and Iyakki is the Tamil form of the word Yakshi which denotes a female attendant deity of Jina.
THE SCULPTURES: Now we shall examine the sculptures inside the cave. The prominent figure is that of a female who is sitting on a raised platform. She has two hands. Her right hand is resting on the seat
1 An. Report on S. I. Epigraphy, 1923, Appendix C, No. 64. * 2 Ep. Ind., Vol. IV, p. 136.
3 Ibid., P 137. 4 Ibid., plate faoing page 136.