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14: śramana, Vol 64, No. III, July-Sept. 2013
the unfavorable conditions to Jainism in the interceding periods. 98 Between 3rd century BCE and 3rd century CE, Andhra Pradesh was under the influence of the sātavāhana, who were primarily supporters of Buddhism. The Ikşvākus who succeeded the Sātavāhana were also great patrons of Buddhism, as demonstrated by inscriptions at their capital of Vijayapuri (Nāgārjunakonda). The Sātavāhana, Vişnukundins and the Pallavas, who ruled between the 3rd and 7th centuries CE were followers of the Brahminical traditions. Ājīvikas had also settled in substantial numbers in the Nellore District in the 5th century CE. Thus, due to competition with Buddhists, Brahminical sects and Ajivikas, Jainism remained without significant patronage until the rise of the Chalukyas.
Tamil Nadu The earliest evidences of Jainism in Tamil Nadu are also some of the oldest historical records in South India. These consist of a series of approximately 100 cave inscriptions written in Tamil-Brahmi that record donations of various kinds to Jaina monastic communities. These Jaina inscriptions date from c. 3rd century BCE. The contents and contexts of these inscriptions have been described in detail by P.B. Desai,100 K.V. Ramesh, 101 I. Mahadevan102 and A. Ekambaranathan. 103 Here it will suffice to highlight some of the major sites.
Mahadevan has classified the inscriptions at Mangulam, Madurai district, as the earliest rockcut Tamil-Brahmi cave inscriptions. Based on linguistic and paleographic features, he suggests a date c. 2nd century BCE.104 The hill at Mangulam, locally known as Kalugumalai, has a total of five caves, four of which have inscriptions and rock-cut beds. One of the caves contains 31 beds.105 The inscriptions are written in a bold, clear, script on a boulder over the main cavern and on a boulder of the lowermost cavern. The content of the inscriptions suggests that the caves were part of a monastic community whose leader was named Kaninanta. One of the caves contains a centrally located rock-cut bed, which Ekambaranathan surmises may have been meant for a person of honor. 106
The inscriptions at Mangulam are significant because they show how the early monastic communities in Tamil Nadu were patronized by local merchants and people associated with the ruling elite. Two inscriptions (nos. 3 & 6) 107 identify their donors as members of the merchant guild (nikama) of Vellari. Two inscriptions (nos. 1 & 2) record that the palli (Jaina monastic residence), dedicated to Kaninanta, was caused to be carved by associates, specifically an officer and the father of a brother-in-law, of a man named Nētuñcāliyaņbņ/Nēțuñcāliyaņbņ. Scholars have identified this man as the Pāndyan king Nēļuñcāliyaņbị, who ruled in. 2nd century BCE.
The second major Jain site in Tamil Nadu is located at Alagarmalai, Madurai district. It is considered to be one of the eight sacred Jaina hills. Atop the hill is a large cavern with approximately eight rock-cut beds inside and eight rock-cut beds outside. A total of 15 inscriptions from between 2nd and 1st centuries BCE have been carved on the rock face of the exterior of the cave. A group of 13 inscriptions (nos. 36 to 48) record endowments of various merchant groups. The donors of these inscriptions include a variety of people from Madurai, such as a goldsmith (no. 36), a salt merchant (no. 39), an accountant (no. 40), a Jain nun (no. 41), a trader in molasses (no. 42) and trader in ploughshares (no. 43). One inscription was donated by a cloth
