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CRITICAL TIMES
227 date it may be argued that Kondakunda's immediate disciple Balākapiñccha may be placed in the middle of the same century. Admitting that one or two names intervened between Balākapiñccha and Samantabhadra, it is not
Kañci, as suggested by Prof. Upadhye. (Op. cit., p. xxiii). Among the arguments advanced by this learned writer in order to arrive at the conclusion, we may notc two :- The spelling of the name Kõndakunda, and the name of the great guru being associated with the Drāvida sangha.
As regards the first supposition, it may be observed that kõnda means a hill in Kannada. (Kittel, Kannada-English Dicty. p. 485), and kunda, means a hole in the ground, a pit. (Kittel, ibid., p. 437), while kunda means a pillar of bricks. (Kittel, ibid., p. 441). The first of the name (konda) is Kannada, as is proved by the names Konqabhaçța (a male person), Kondaganale (a village), Koņpakūru (village) Konali (a village), Kondalinād (district), Kondanād (a province), Konqamma (a female person), etc. (E. C. IV. Yd. 54, pp. 60-61 ; VIII. Sb. 559, p. 89; VI. Mg. 76, pp. 282-3; V. BI. 136, p. 90; VII. Sk. 129, p. 99; V. Ag. 22, p. 249). These and other names beginning with konda appear in numerous Kannada inscriptions. As regards the second half of the name kunda, it is undoubtedly earlier and more common than kunda. (On Koņpakunda, see, E. C. V. Bl. 124, p. 83) Inscriptions give us the names of villages and centres that bore the name kunda. Thus in a record assigned to A.D. 900 we have the peak of Kunda (kundašila) situated to the west of Nimbagrāma in the village of Sandhikavāța. Here on the hill of the Kunda many companies of Jaina sages (bahavo munipungavāh) attained siddhi, and here Candraşeņa, the disciple of Srişeņa obtained mukti in about A.D. 900 (E. C. IX Cp. 69, p. 145, text, p. 323). A number of Jaina devotees (among whom are mentioned two Jaina women) died in the orthodox manner here. This place seems to have been called also Kirukunda. (E. C. IX. Cp. 70 dated circa A.D., 900, ibid page).
