Tag: Studies in Jainism

Socio-Religious Consciousness Of The Jainas AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPRAISAL Jainism spread to South India a few centuries before the advent of the Christian era. In its early phase, it was simple and puritanic, and it inculcated mainly moral and ethical values in the mind of the common man. Much emphasis was laid on ahimsa, asteya, satya...

Epigraphical Imprecations And Benedictions Epigraphical documents in general consist of five principal components such as the mangala, descent of the donor, particulars of the donor, nature of the gift endowed and the concluding imprecatory or benedictory passages. Imprecations are indignant curses inflicted upon contraventors, while benedictions are compliments bestowed upon protectors of charitable endowments. Some...

Recent Jaina Epi Graphical Discoveries And Some Local Traditions In recent years, a number of inscriptions of Jaina affiliation have been discovered all over Tamilnadu due to the assiduous efforts of Epigraphists and Archaeologists. Most of these discoveries have been published in journals like Avanam of the Archaeological Society of Tamilnadu and Kalvettu of the...

Krishna In Jaina Literature And Art Ramayana and Mahabharata are the two immortal epics of India, composed by Sage Valmiki and Vyasa respectively long before the advent of the Christian era. These two masterpieces had left indelible marks on the culture and life of the people down the ages. Stories centering around the epic heroes,...

Some Thoughts On Identification Of Jaina Images In Jaina pantheon, the twenty-four Tirthankaras of the present aeon, commencing from Adinatha to Mahavira, form the pivotal object of veneration. Although all the twentyfour occupy equal position in the pantheon, some of them like Adinatha, Parsvanatha, Mahavira and Neminatha have been popularly worshipped by lay devotees. As...

Spectrum Of Jaina Art Jaina contribution to art and architecture has created a special niche for them in the long history over a period of two thousand years in the southern part of peninsular India. The rich art heritage of the Digambara Jainas in Tamilnadu is manifested in their rock-cut monuments and structural sanctuaries still...

Jainism Under The Cholas The Cholas emerged into the political arena of Tamilnadu in the middle of the 9th century A.D. and continued to wield power till the end of the 13th century A.D. Under the rule of imperial monarchs like Rajaraja I and Rajendra I, the kingdom reached the heights of excellence in the...

Mahendravarman And Jainism Tondaimandalam roughly corresponding to the northern parts of modern Tamilnadu and the Southern parts of Andhra, witnessed the rule of the Pallavas from about the 6lh century A.D. down to the end of the 9th century A.D. Kanchipuram, the temple city of the south, served as their seat of power. The rulers...

Historical Sketches Of Jainism Jainism has had a long but chequered history over a period of two thousand years in the southern part of peninsular India. It played a dominant role in the cultural mileu of the Tamils and had left indelible marks on the thought and life of the people. Jaina vestiges in the...