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Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s6.t9: IX. Mettuppatti

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s6.t9

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IX. Mettuppatti

c28.s6.t9.1

**24.1 *amaṇaṉ*** (n.) 'Jaina monk' < *camaṇaṉ*. Cf. *samaṇa* (Pkt.) < *śramaṇa* (Skt.) 'an ascetic or monk of non-Vēdic religions'; A Jaina monk (in Ta.). Cf. ***amaṇṇaṉ* (61.2 & 62.2)**. See section 4.9.3 (ii) for discussion.

c28.s6.t9.2

Cf. (Pāli inscr.) *samaṇa* (Asoka, *CII*.I:Gir. III.5). Cf. (Pkt. inscr.) *samaṇa* (K.G. Krishnan, ed. 1989:Nos. 38, 64); *śamaṇa* (Sinh. Pkt., Paranavitana 1970: No. 103).

c28.s6.t9.3

The term denotes exclusively Jaina monks in the Tamil tradition. Cf. LT *camaṇum puttaram, camaṇar cākkiyar*, thus clearly distinguishing the Jainas from the Buddhists (*Tēvā*. I:4.10, 24.10 respectively); *camaṉīrkāḷ* 'Oh ye Jainas!' (*Maṇi*. 5:52); *amaṇar* 'Jainas' (*Tēvā*. III:40.10); *camaṇar*, *amaṇar* 'Jainas' (*Piṅkala*. 318).

c28.s6.t9.4

Cf. (inscr.) *amaṇ-cērkkai* (*śramaṇāśrama* in Skt. portion) 'Jaina hermitage' (*Pallava Inscrs*. No. 17, ca. 6th cent. A.D.); *amaṇaṉ kāṇi* 'land granted to a Jaina monk' (*SII*. XIV:No. 45, Pāṇṭiya, 9th cent. A.D.).

c28.s6.t9.5

**24.2 *matirai*** (P.) same as Maturai (Madurai), the ancient capital of the Pāṇṭiya kingdom. The name is written variously as ***mattirai* (38.1)**, ***matira* (27.1)**, ***matiray* (36.1)** or ***matirai* (24.2)**. While the literary form is *maturai* (*Puṟa*. 32:5, *Matu*. 699; *Tivā*. 943; *Piṅkala*. 464; *Cūṭā*. 5:41), the preferred inscriptional form is *matirai*. Cf. Pulankurichi Inscrs. II. 4, ca. 5th cent. A.D.; also see *SII*. I-III:Indexes.

c28.s6.t9.6

The expression *matir-ay* may perhaps be interpreted literally as 'a walled (city)'. Cf. (Ta.) *matil*, (Tu.) *madulu*, (Te.) *maduru*, (Koṇḍa) *madru* 'wall, fortification' (D. 4692). Cf. also (Ta.) *matalai*, (Ko.) *madl* 'cornice, lintel of doorway' (D. 4689). It is perhaps significant that *kapāṭapuram*, said to be the still more ancient capital of the Pāṇṭiya kingdom and seat of the Iṭaiccaṅkam (*Iṟai*. 1, comm.), also means literally 'city with (fortified) portals'. Cf. *dvārakā* (Skt.) 'name of a city'.

c28.s6.t9.7

**24.3 *attiraṉ*** N. of the Jaina monk. The name is not attested elsewhere, but may perhaps be connected with *attiri* < *atri* (Skt.), N. of a ṛishi (MW).

c28.s6.t9.8

**24.4 *uṟai*** (n.) 'abode of ascetics'. See **9.3**.

c28.s6.t9.9

**24.5 utayaṉasa** 'of Utayaṇa(ṉ)', N. of the donor in genitive case. The genitive suffix is added to the stem after elision of the PNG suffix *-(a)ṉ*.

c28.s6.t9.10

Cf. *udayana* (Skt.) 'N. of several kings and authors' (MW); *udayaṇa* (AMg.) 'N. of a prince, son of Satānīka, the king of Kauśāmbī' (PSM); LT *utayaṇaṉ*, hero of *Peruṅkatai* (ed. U.Ve. Swaminathaiyar, 5th edn., 1996). It is interesting that the inscriptional form *utayaṇa(ṉ)* is identical with the one occurring in the original manuscript, which has been altered by Swaminathaiyar to *utayaṇaṉ* (ibid. Intr. p. xxviii; see also R. Vijayalakshmy 1981: p. 1, note 2).

c28.s6.t9.11

The name is of exceptional interest. Udayana was the hero of *Bṛhatkathā* which is said to have been composed in Paiśācī Pkt. by Guṇāḍhya. The work is not extant. It was rendered into Tamil with the title *Peruṅkatai* by Koṅkuvēḷir, a Jaina author. The present inscription which is much earlier, shows that the story of Udayana was known in the Tamil country and persons were named after him from an early period.

c28.s6.t9.12

The addition of the Pkt. genitive suffix *-sa* (*-ssa*) shows the influence of Pkt. on the Ta. Br. inscriptions. For another example from a coin-legend, see No. 1, Table 1.6.

c28.s6.t9.13

**25.1 antai ariyti** N. of the donor.

c28.s6.t9.14

**a. antai** (n.) 'an honorific'. See **3.7. a.**

c28.s6.t9.15

**b. ariyti** (N.) Cf. *hārīti* (Skt.), patronymic from *hārīta* (MW).

c28.s6.t9.16

Cf. (Pkt. inscr.) *hariti* (K.G. Krishnan, ed. 1989: No. 75); *hariti* (Sinh. Pkt., Paranavitana 1970: No. 93b); *haritī* (Lüders List: No. 907); *hāriti* (ibid. No. 1186); *hāritī* (ibid. Nos. 1195-96).

c28.s6.t9.17

Cf. LT Varumulai Āritti (fem.) (author, *Kuṟun.* 176).

c28.s6.t9.18

For the occurrence of the diphthong *-iy-* in this name, see **ar-iytaṉ** (**18.2**). Cf. also **ariti** (**34.2**).

c28.s6.t9.19

**26.1 antai irāvataṉ** N. of the donor.

c28.s6.t9.20

**a. antai** (n.) 'an honorific'. See **3.7.a.**

c28.s6.t9.21

**b. irāvataṉ** (N.). Cf. *irāvat* (Skt.) 'a personal name', lit., 'possessing food' > *airāvata* 'a descendant of Irāvat' (MW).

c28.s6.t9.22

Cf. LT *ayirāvatam* 'one of the eight mythical elephants' (*Tivā.* 2433; *Piṅkala.* 20 & 3074).

c28.s6.t9.23

**27.1 [m]atira** (P.) Variant of *matirai*. See **24.2** for comments.

c28.s6.t9.24

**27.2 *antai [v]isuvaṉ*** N. of the donor.

c28.s6.t9.25

**a. *antai*** (n.) 'an honorific'. See **3.7.a.**

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**b. *visuvaṉ (vissuvaṉ)*** (N.) Cf. LT *viccuvaṉ* 'a personal name' (*Cūḷā. Mantira.* 338); *vicuva-nāḷ* (TL), *viccuva-nāḷ* 'the asterism Uttirāṭam (Uttarāshāḍha)' (*Tivā.* 100; *Piṅkala.* 259; *Cūṭā.* 1:76). Cf. *vissa* (AMg.) 'the asterism Uttarāshāḍha, the deity presiding over it' < *vaiśva* (Skt.) 'N. of the asterism Uttarāshāḍha' (from *viśva*). Cf. (Pkt. inscr.) *visa-* (*Bhārhut Inscrs.* No. A1), *visa-* (Lüders List:No. 238), *vesa-* (*Bhārhut Inscrs.* No. B14), parts of personal names derived form *viśva* (Skt.); *vesa* (Sinh. Pkt.) (< *vaiśva*) 'personal name derived from the asterism Uttarāshāḍha' (Paranavitana 1970:*Glossary*). ***visuvaṉ*** may also be derived from: *visuva* (AMg.) < *vishuvat* (Skt.) 'equinox'; or, *vissua* (AMg.) < *viśruta* (Skt.) 'renowned'. See also ***vesaṉ (vessaṉ)*** (**50.2**).

c28.s6.t9.27

**28.1 *antai cēnta-a*** 'of Antai cēnta(ṉ)', N. of the donor in genitive case.

c28.s6.t9.28

**a. *antai*** (n.) 'an honorific'. See. **3.7.a.**

c28.s6.t9.29

**b. *cēnta-a*** The genitive suffix ***-a*** is added to the noun stem after elision of the PNG suffix ***-aṉ***. Cf. ***vira-a*** (**79.1.c**). Cf. LT *cēntaṉ* 'a personal name' (*Kuṟun.* 258:4; *Naṟṟ.* 190:3). Cf. (inscr.) *kō-c-cēntaṉ-kūṟṟaṟku* 'of King Cēntaṉ Kūṟṟaṉ' (Pulankurichi Inscrs. II. 1, ca. 5th cent. A.D.); *kō māṟañ-cēntaṉ*, N. of a Pāṇṭiya king (*ARE 358/1959-60*, 7th cent. A.D.); *cēntaṉ pūtaṉ, purayaṉ cēntaṉ, cēntaṉ vēḷāṉ, tuppaṉ cēntaṉ* 'personal names' (*SII*. V:Nos. 307, 311, 330 & 366 respectively, Pāṇṭiya, ca. 9th cent. A.D.).

c28.s6.t9.30

**28.2 *tāṇa*** (n.) 'gift'. See **19.4.**

c28.s6.t9.31

**29.1 *cantantai cantaṉ*** N. of the donor. The composite name may be interpreted as Cantaṉ, son of Cantantai.

c28.s6.t9.32

**a. *canta-*** From *cantaṉ* (N.) The PNG suffix *-aṉ* is dropped in sandhi. See **5.1.a** for further comments.

c28.s6.t9.33

**b. *(a)ntai*** (n.) added as a bound honorific suffix. Cf. ***piṭantai (piṭṭantai)*** (**66.2**) and ***korṟantai*** (**67.1**). See **3.7.a** and **66.2.b** for further comments.

c28.s6.t9.34

**c. *cantaṉ*** Personal name of the donor. See **5.1.a** for further comments.

c28.s6.t9.35

**30.1 *patiṉ-[ū]r (patiṉūr)*** (P.). The suffix ***-ūr*** is added separately.

c28.s6.t9.36

**a. *patiṉ-*** (num. adj.) from *pattu* 'ten' (D. 3918). e.g., *patiṉāṟu* 'sixteen'. Apparently an attribute here, though its significance is not clear.

c28.s6.t9.37

**b. *ūr*** (n.) 'village'. See **19.2.**

c28.s6.t9.38

**30.2 *atai*** (n.) variant of *antai*, honorific. See **3.7.a** for comments on *antai*. In *atai* the nasal *-n-* is omitted. Cf. ***nataṉ*** (**48.4**) for Nantaṉ. Cf. *attaṉ* 'elder, person of rank or eminence' (D. 142). The donor was important enough to be described as the *a(n)tai* of Patiṉūr not needing to be identified by his personal name. Cf. ***nākapērūr atai-y*** (**56.1-2**).

c28.s6.t9.39

Cf. (inscr.) *ivvūr=antai* 'the *antai* of this village' (*Pallava Inscrs.* No. 74, ca. 8th cent. A.D.).

c28.s6.t9.40

Even though *atai* is regarded here as a variant of *antai*, the possibility of reading *atai* as *attai* by doubling the consonant *-t-* cannot be ruled out. The existence of *attai* as a masculine honorific may be inferred from the name *añci-y-attai makaḷ nākaiyār* 'Nākai, the daughter of Añci-y-attai' (author, *Aka.* 352). The traditional reading and interpretation, *attaimakaḷ* 'aunt's daughter', is doubtful, as invoking such an unusual relationship in describing a person is not met with elsewhere. Apparently *attai* as a masculine honorific went out of use to avoid the confusion with the more common *attai* (fem.) 'aunt'.

c28.s6.t9.41

**31.1 *kuvira-a[n]tai*** N. of the donor.

c28.s6.t9.42

**a. *kuvira-*** From *kuviraṉ* (N.) The PNG suffix *-aṉ* is dropped when adding the honorific suffix *antai*. See ***kuviraṉ*** (**21.2**).

c28.s6.t9.43

**b. *antai*** (n.) 'an honorific'. See **29.1.b.**

c28.s6.t9.44

**31.2 *cēy-a*** (v.) 'which was made'; adjectival past participle from *cē* (LT cey) 'to make'.

c28.s6.t9.45

**Analysis:** *cē* (stem) + *y* (past tense marker) + *a* (participial suffix). See comments on ***cē-iya*** (**2.10**). In the present instance, *-y-* occurs as the past tense marker in the place of *-i-*. See section 7.29.1.

c28.s6.t9.46

Cf. LT *āay* 'having become' (*Patiṟ.* 67:20) where *-y-* occurs as the past tense marker. (See S. Agesthialingom 1979:p. 130 for discussion and more examples.) The inscriptional form is, however, not attested elsewhere.

c28.s6.t9.47

**31.3 *tāṇa*** (n.) 'gift'. See **19.4.**

c28.s6.t9.48

**32.1 *kuvira-antai vēḷ-a*** 'of Kuvira-antai Vēḷ', N. of the donor in genitive case.

c28.s6.t9.49

**a. *kuvira-*** From *kuivraṉ* (N.). See **31.1.a.**

c28.s6.t9.50

**b. *antai*** (n.) 'an honorific'. See **29.1.b.**

c28.s6.t9.51

**c. *vēḷ-a*** Cf. *vēḷ* 'petty ruler, chief'; *vēḷir* 'a class of ancient chiefs in the Tamil country' (D. 5545).

c28.s6.t9.52

Cf. LT *neṭuvēḷ āvi* 'N. of a chieftain' (*Aka.* 1:3); *pāri vēḷ* id. (*Puṟa.* 105:8); *vēḷir* 'petty rulers' (*Tivā.* 184; *Piṅkala.* 754; *Cūṭā.* 2:21).

c28.s6.t9.53

Cf. (inscr.) ...*tantai vēḷ* 'a personal name' (Y. Subbarayalu, Catalogue of Pottery Inscriptions from Kodumaṇal 1996, unpublished: No. 115); *vēḷ marukaṉ* 'a personal name' (Pulankurichi Inscrs. II.2, ca. 5th cent. A.D.); *vēḷ centil* 'a personal name' (*SII.* XIV:No. 17, Pāṇṭiya, ca. 8-9 cent. A.D.).

c28.s6.t9.54

**-a** is the genitive suffix.

c28.s6.t9.55

(n.) 'gift'. See **19.4**.

c28.s6.t9.56

'of Tiṭṭi-il'. (P.) in genitive case. Cf. *tiṭi* (**58.1**). The village made a collective gift (of stone beds).

c28.s6.t9.57

Cf. (inscr.) Tiḍiyūr (in Singikulam, Tirunelveli District) where there was an ancient Jaina *paḷḷi* on the hill known as Jiṉagiri-malai (*ARE* B. 269/1940-41, Pāṇṭiya).

c28.s6.t9.58

**a. tiṭi** (*tiṭṭi*) (n.) Cf. *tiṭṭi, tiṭṭu, tiṭṭai* 'raised ground, elevation' (D. 3221).

c28.s6.t9.59

**b. il-a** *il* (n.) 'place' (D. 494). A derivative suffix with locative signification. It is not a case suffix here as it is followed by **-a**, the genitive suffix.

c28.s6.t9.60

Cf. LT *il* 'place' (*Piṅkala.* 666; *Cūṭā.* 5:65).

c28.s6.t9.61

(n.) 'gift'. See **19.4**.

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