|
PART II.
verse engraved on the beam of the verandah, he has emphatically expressed his
adherence to the Śaiva creed and describes all other religious faiths, including
probably Jainism, as vipaksha-vṛitti. The word ‘Taṁchahara[ka]’ can be
interpreted as a title of Mahēndravarman and to mean ‘he who captured Tañcha
(Tanjore)’. From the Vēlūrpāḷaiyam plates, we know that Siṁhavishṇu, the
father of Mahēndravarman, claimed to have conquered the Chōḷas, and in
support of this fact, it may be pointed out that Kañjanūr in the Tanjore district
bore the surname Siṁhavishṇu-chatuevēdimangalam in Chōḷa times (No. 265 of
1907), testifying to its connection with the king of this name. As Pallava
influence began to be felt in the Chōḷa territory only from this period, it is
possible that Mahēndravarman who may have participated in this southern
expedition in the company of his father had adopted this title.
4. On the stone platform of the same cavern is found the expression ‘Svasti
Śrī-Rājēntra’ of the fuller name Rājēndra-Chōḷadēva (No. 131) in Grantha
characters attributable to the 11th century A. D., while close to it is another
complete inscription (No. 130) in characters of the same period consisting of a
Sanskrit verse, containing an announcement by a certain Vādipraḷaya-Bhairava
of his arrival at this place after having vanquished disputants and after having
visited Karnāṭa-maṇḍala. It is not clear if he was a Jaina ascetic, but
from the name ‘Bhairava’ we have perhaps to conclude that he was a protagonist
of the Śaiva cult and that he settled himself in this place, under the patronage
of either Rājarāja I or his son, were ardent Śaivas. It may be mentioned how-ever, that the title ‘a Bhairava of disputants’ was borne by Jaina monks also.
|
