Jainism in South India and Some Jaina Epigraphs

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

Page 80

JANEN IN SOUTH INDIA
maintaining monks dwelling in the monasteries of Tiruppallimalai and Tontiruppallimalai. The gift was addressed to the trustees of both the monasteries. The trustees were authorised to demarcate their lands with Sri Mukkudaikal. The Mukkudaikal signifies a stone bearing the figure of the triple umbrella carved on it. Such stones are characteristically Jaina in their origin and purpose as the triple umbrella stands for the specific emblem of the Jina.' Ten-tiruppal’imalai which means "the southern hill of the sacred monastery' evidently derived its name from another Jaina monastery situated on Bommamalai. Another hill of the Nārttāmalai group is called Mõlamalai or the western hill.' This contains caves and caverns which must have been inhabited at one time by Jaina monks. This fact is also attested by another name of the hill, viz., Samaņarmalai or “the hill of the Jaina recluses', handed down to the present day. On these hills, again, there exists a rook.cut cave temple which is known as the Samaņar Kudagu or 'the hill shrine of the Jaina inonks'. Originally it must have been a Jaina possession and there is evidence to show that it was converted into a Vishnu temple at the beginning of the 19th century A. D.'
TENIMALAI INSCRIPTIONS: Tõnimalai is another hill in the Pudukkottai area noted for its Jaina antiquities. It owns a natural cavern with a drip-line indicating its habitation in an early age. The cavorn is called Āņdārmadam or “the monastery of the pontifts'. On a boulder in front of the cavern is engraved an inscription in archaic Tamil characters and ancient Tamil language of about the 8th century A. D. The epigraph graphically narrates that a Jaina ascetic named Malayadhvaja was performing penance on the Tēnür Hill (i. e., Tēnimalai) and that a local chief of the Irukkuvel family came there to pay his respects to him. Impressed by his eininence, the chief gave an endowment of land as 'pallichchandam', making it tax-free, for the maintenance of the sage. Another boulder by the side of the cavern bears the carved figure of a Tirthakara who may be identified with Muhāvīra.
1 We may further note in this connection that stones bearing the figure of a pitcher,
evidently meant to denote the symbol of a Jaina ascetic, were also planted to indicate
the boundaries of lands assigned to Jaina religious institutions. These were called Kupdigaikkal, Kapdigali meaning asortio's pitcher'. The existence of such boundary stones has been traced in the Tamil country from early inscriptions explored in that area (Av. Rep. od 8. I. Epigraphy, 1939-40 to 42-43, p. 240). The practice of demarcating the lands endowed to Jaina institutions with such char cteristic stones, seems to have been prevalent in other parts also. This is illustruted by the expression Mukkodeya Kal' occurring in a siwilar context in an inscription at Kopbal and 'Padmavatiya Kal' mentioned in an epigraph from Molgund (Jaina Epigraphs
(author's collection ), No. 29 and Ep. Ind., Vol. XVI. p. 56). . % Manndal of Padukkottal State, Vol. II, pt, 1, p. 618. 3 Pudukkottai State Insoriptiops, VOL, I, No. 9.