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Study of Civakacintamani
words came to be used to elaborate the importance of the code of conduct. These will be considered in chapter VI. In these Jaina works, unlike in the Cc. where all the aspects of Jainism are discussed, importance is given mainly to ethical (rather than metaphysical) ideas.
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The Cilappatikaram, the first Tamil epic (kavya ), contains a good amount of Aryan mythology, ritual, and Sanskrit words. Though there are a few references to Jainism in the Cilappatikaram, there are no religious expositions as found in the Co.; the Manimekalai, which more or, less contains the story of the Cilappatikaram, also has a great number of Sanskrit words. These words are used mostly in the places where Buddhist philosphical ideas are explained. This is explained in the section on Sanskrit loan words in Chapter VI.
The period during which these works were composed was favourable to Buddhists. and Jains. The major reason for this is the patronage of the kings, which they enjoyed along with the public support. Literary works like the Cilappatikaram1 and the Manimekalais furnish evidence that there were religious discourses and debates in the cities. These religious discussions among different religious groups were undertaken with mutual respect. References in these two books also suggest that Jainism enjoyed a stable position in Tamil land. In the tenth chapter of the Cilappatikaram, the Natukan-katai, the Jaina nun Kavunti joins Kövalan and Kannaki on their journey to Madurai, saying that she would like to worship Arivan (Arhat) by listening to the dharma preached by the sinless saints, who had got rid of all their adharma by their purity. There are also references in these works to show that there were wandering ascetics (carapas) who preached Jainism.4
Jainism probably became popular in Tamil land during the reign of the Kalabhras," who came to Tamil some time about A.D. 300 or a little later. These Kalabhras, who were under the influence of the great number of Jains who inhabited Tamil land, even began to persecute the Saiva saints in the country and disregard the whorship of the Hindu gods."
After the Kalabhras, when the Pallavas came into power, Hinduism regained its popularity with the rise of Saiva saints and Vaisnava Ajvars. The prosperous state. of Jainism was soon shaken by this revival of Hinduism. The Saiva saints often condemned the religious practices of the Jains and this fact is clearly seen in their
1 Cilappatikaram, chapter V, Intiravilav-etutta-katai, lines 174-181. 2 Manimekalal, chapter XXVII, Camayakkapakkar-tan-tiran-keta-katai. 3 Cilappatikaram, chapter X, Najukan-katai, lines 55-60.
4 Ibid, X, lines 163, 182, 192. Manimekalai, XI, line 7.
5 S. R. Ayyangar and B. S. Rao are of the opinion that these kalabhras came to Tamil land from the Carnatic country. Vide, S. R. Ayyangar and B. S. Rao, op. cit. p. 55.
6 K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, op. cit. p. 3.
7 S. R. Ayyangar and B. S. Rao, op. cit. pp. 55-56.
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