Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s10.t2: 4.8.2 Samprati and Jainism in the Tamil country
Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s10.t2
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4.8.2 Samprati and Jainism in the Tamil country
c23.s10.t2.1
Dasaratha and Samprati, grandsons of Asoka, succeeded him and ruled simultaneously from Pataliputra and Ujjain respectively. While Dasaratha seems to have supported the Ājīvika faith, Samprati became an ardent supporter of Jainism under the guidance of his preceptor Suhastin. Samprati despatched Jaina missionaries to various regions in South India including the Damila (Tamil) country.³ Jaina literary evidence credits the spread of Jainism from Ujjain to the Deccan and other southern countries.⁴
c23.s10.t2.2
³ S.B. Deo 1956: pp. 91-92.
c23.s10.t2.3
⁴ Ibid. p. 115. Prakrit loanwords in the Tamil cave inscriptions lend support to this tradition. See section 3.3.5 (ii).