427 TTTA/^: 1. S ati Stones inTamilncdu by R* Nagasvojay, ^hpJr . /^7O 429 EPIGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS. The earliest epigraphs so far foxmd in Tamil country range fraa 3rd centtiry B,C* to 2nd centu- y A*D# Most of them are found in the natural caverns of hill locks, and record dedication to Jain ascetics.^ ilie other epigraphs found on potsherds excavated from ancient sites are fragmentary in nature* These bear no evidence to the Sakti cult in earlier period. It is only vith the advent of the Pallava period that we get references to Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu faitl;* The earliest to refer Id some aspect is Mahendra I) \itio refers ^ o t h e constant presense of Uma Haimavati, by the side of Siva in his Thiruchi cave epigraph*^ The next important reference occurs in the Kurara copper plate inscriptitMi of Paramesvar This is a very important plate for the study of Agamic and Tantric cult. In the invocatory verse Siva is extolled as the five headed God, (Sadasivamurti) vho is also called Tftttvamatratmamurtj., He is also called the author of Murtivldya (Agama or Tantras)* \ In the second verse of the plates, Siva the embodiment of vedas, is said to be a resplendent light and the ver. embodiment of Karya, Vyuha and Kala* He the supreme lord is said to bring to the heart of the devotees, the Sakti, whic’" is the cause of action. Karva VTvuha Kalakramagy_a Yiaatiltiba JyoAisha. 430 Y i i s m gandra Marcantl yasYsjnsa-vah 2hU^.ftqft^ hrdayeshuca anayatl JSiki SftKt,ia Klrlyasadhamlm Trayyatma Parame svarah sa Jayati Trallokya ChoolanaBf ^ This Is a positive reference to what is known as Saktimpata In Slddhanta Philosophy. The te n s yyuha and kala are also welknown concepts of Saivasiddhanta* That Siva is the author of the Agamic Vldya is also alluded to* Thus these concepts are well developed in 7th century A*D« The next important Saiva concept referred to in epigraph come from Mamallapuram and Kanchi* Siva is considered f^e creator, sustainer and destoyer of %e universe* It rightly says samhara karana# Sambhara athlthl aaahara karanam. An aspect of Somaskanda, is mentioned In Saluvankuppam cave inscription which reads girlt,anya .aahj.tak krta ratlh bhayfttt nasyoatl^') In the Kanchi temple, Hajasimha says that he was a follower of Saiva Slddhanta aarga and as a result got his malas removed* His titles Aeama iiramana^ A^ama- Kalasamudra. Kaaalalitha and Itihaaa reflections of his alms* The tJdayendiram plates of NandivarmanJ^ refers to tJmasahlta. Sadaslva, but his kasakkudl*^lates are more important* They refer to Harlhara aspect, flanked by TJma and Sri. It also refers to Lakshml and Arya (Durga)* 431 In describing Lakshffli, the verse says, she is seated on a lotus holding lotus In both her arms and with elephant pouring with golden pots, an exact description of sculpture found at Mama Mepuram* The description of Durga is all the more interesting. She is called Arya* She has three eyes seeing which Kama got frightened* She is the sister of Vishnu and the Goddess who wards off evils* Iri&tfl aayagam bhlygvay l a m na laal Iti ^Sto.<2S .SSJLSa ^ bhagavatl alakshmlm AJj.a Kadaryftffi kshanena.. V There is one inscription of the reign of Nandi- varman ^ i c h is of interest* It refers to one Okkandlnagan, Okkanttlndan, cut off his head and offered to Goddess Bhatari* He is aaid to have cut the head and placed on a pedestal* The villagers of Thiruvanmur gifted land to his descendents* In the stone, recording t'•is event, t»e figure of the hero with his severed head is shown with the inscriptions* Besides these, the references to Durga on Bhatari, (Kali) are rate in the period of the Pallavas* However we have seen* that the Pallava rJ.er Nandi the Victor Tellaru and his queen Maraapaval have personally gifted wealth for offerings to the Kalapldari of Nlyamam set up by the Muttaraiyas* With the advent of the Cholas references to Sakti in her various manifestations are Innumerable* We have atM)ended some select epigraphs refering to Durga, ivali, Kamakottam'iind other aspects. That an image set up by Vijayalaya was called Klsumbasudani is interesting* In early Inscriptions Kali images were called Kalapldari and Mahakalattupidari^^shoving that they were closeIjs 432 associated with the cxilt of Mahakala* Besides^ she Is called by various local names as well. One of the frequent i ? references, is Kadiakar i»e# the deity of 1he forest (or cemetry). In the inscription of Rajaraja at Tanjore, many Pidari temples situated in^rious villages are mentioned. She Is generally called Pldarl, but such names as Kutirai Vattamudayal, Pidari Punnaicherl nangai, etc, also 6ccur, In the Vallam inscription, the Devi Is called Kaittalalpusal nangai*^^ An inscription dated in the reign of Konnaradevar, refe s to one Kali as Pidari Idaimalal Nangai,, An inscription of an identified Chola king, probably Kulottunga III calls the Kali as Pidari Yogirunda Paramesvari an excellant aspect of yogic association with Kali* An inscription in Kongu country in 13th century refers to the Pidari as Nanadesi nangai. An inscription coming from Raanad district calls the Devi Alagiya nachiyar. In the Vijayanagar records such names as Ekkala devi, Ellamma and Kalikadevi appear for Kali, Durga is called by various names in epigraphs as Durga, Durga bhatari. Vadapalamafflthal, In some inscrip­ tion she is called Durga Paramesvari, In t^e great temple of Tanjore a copper image of Durga was set up with four hands and provisions made for Its offerings. It Is called in inscriptions as Durga Paramesvari> One of the Durgas which was xmder worship in the reign of Kulottunga I , was called Omkarasundarlyar, a rather delightful name. In the Vijayanagara reign we get the name of a Durga, as Prasanna Durga, Lands gifted to Kalapidarl temple, were called Pidari pattl and that were gifted to Durga temple were called Durgaipatjtl* A number of Inscriptions begin to appear from 12th century A,D, referring to the shrines of Amman, as 433 Kamakkottamudaiya Psriya Nacchl* Some inscriptions also refer to Palliyarai Nacchi (the Goddess of the sleeping chamber). Such references appear from 12th century A«D* We have not come across any epigraph referr­ ing to Benuka Devi which is now very pop-olar# It shoxftd be a post - 17th century concept# MERCHANT GUILDi A merchant guild called Nanadesi, occurs frequently in inscriptions. The members of this group were g' eat devotees of the goddess Bhatari who is referred I a to as Aintolil Paraae3vari> ^The nature of the guild and their activities shows that they were also responsible for the spread of Devi cult to various parts of India and even beyond the seasr An account of the guild given in Annual report on epigraphy given below is revealing. One inscription from Basinikonda in the Chittoor district refers to mercantile guilds that apparently had their organisation from very early times and spread their influence over allied communities in distant parts of India (Ko#343 of Appendix B)i'^ A similar record is No.349 of 1912 from viral-r in the North Arcot diattict, which may belong to the time of Rajaraja I . It refers to a gift by a gxiild of nanadesi (mercliants). As the record is much damaged it Is not possible to make out more of its contents. No.256 of Appendix B >rfiich» by its paleography, has to be referred to the time of Rajendra-Chola I gives a short oulegy of the guild of merchants under reference, and states that these were praised by 500 vira*sasanas (ire* edicts?) glorif:,lng their deeds, were virtuous protectors of the vlra-valanjlka (or Valanjiya) religion, that they were born of Vasudeva, andali and Vlrabhadra, were the devoties of Bhattaraki (i.e. the goddess Durga?) and consisted of various sub­ 434 divisions coming fr o m the 1,000 (districts) of the four quarters, the lo towns, t**e 32 velapuram and the 64 ghatika-sthana, v i z ., settis, settiputras (settipillai?), ^avares, kandalls, bhadrakas, gavunda-svarains, slngam, sirupu’’!, valattukkai (i*€.valangai), variyan and others. Tl:;ese nanadisis met together at Mayilarpu (l#e* Mylapore) and decided to convert Kattu^ which was originally Ayyaputal into a Virapattina and thus exempted its inha­ bitants of all communal contributions, entitling them to receive twice what the; used to get till then (in the matter of honorary privileges?)* They resolved also that, henceforward, the town was not to be inhabited by such members of the mercantile classes (1) as demanded taxes or toolls by threatening people wit- drawn swords or by capturing them (?) and (2) as wantenly deprived people of their food or otherwise afflicted them. They also declared that these who offended against this decision were placed outside the Valan'^iya-community (i*c . were Excommunicated). The general name nanadesi applied to merchants in these records, by itself indicates that they has dealings with various countries* A record from Baligami in the Mysore State, supplies also a very long eulogy of tftese merchants, and states, in addition to \riaat has been already supplied by the Kattur epigraph, that they were brave men (viras) born to wander ever many countries ever since the beginning of the Krlta age, penetrating regions of the six continents by land and water routes and dealing in various articles SiiCh as horses, elephants, precious stones, perfumes and drugs either \rtiolesale or in retail (Ep.Carn. Vol.VII. Sk*118). This boast of the mercantile community Is ^^stified by the existence of stone records even in Cey'on and Burma which refer to their communal gifts In these countries.