Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta

Page 66

SM. R. CHAMPAKALAKSHMI
Sth century A.D. Tamil literature of the pre-Tēvāram period is not of much help in fixing the beginnings of Jain history in this region. The Sangam works have hardly any notable reference to this faith in the Tamil country, though the two epics, Šilappadikāram and Manimekalai, contain numerous accounts relating to the Jains. However, the date of the epics is a matter of controversy, some scholars assigning them to the 2nd century A.D. and others to the post-Sangam period, i.e. after the 3rd century A.D. In addition, their references relate more directly to the Cõla, Pāņdya and Cēra countries.
The Padineņkiskaņukku works, of which the greater number including the Kural are probably of Jain authorship, appear to be works of the post-Sangam period and would hardly serve our purpose in discussing Jain history in the northern parts of Tamilnadu, except that Valluvar, the author of the Kura! is said to be a native of Mayilāppur (Mylapore in Madras). Further more, the Kalabhras, who are believed to have been followers of Jainism and Buddhism and to have created a political and cultural vacuum in Tamilnadu after the Sangam age, are known to have occupied some parts of the Pāņdya and Cola countries and not directly any part of Tondaimaņdalam. The revival of Pāņdya power, together with 'the old order of things, is assigned to Kadungon's line in Madurai, i.e. from about the close of the 6th century A.D. Much is made of Pallava Simhavişņu's role in the extirpation of the Kalabhras,while, in reality, the Pallava claims regarding his achievements probably adopted the usual mode of listing a number of the then known powerful ruling families. There is no question of a revival of Pallava power in Tondaimandalam. For all available evidences point to their more or less continuous occupation of this region from the time of Vişnugopa (c. 350 A.D.) to the 9th century A.D.' The Lokavibhāga datum supports our view by supplying the saka
6 The Kaśākkuļi plates mention the Kalabhras among those vanquished by Simhavisnu (S. Ind. Ins., Vol. II, p. 356, verse 20).
7 See T. V. Mahalingam, Kāñcīpuram in Early South Indian History, Chapters II ff.