Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t7.46

c28.s8.t7.46

The term *nisidige* occurring in Jaina inscriptions in Old Kannada has been variously interpreted as a 'forbidden place' (derived from *nishēdh* 'to prohibit'); or as an 'epitaph' (Narasimhia, ibid. pp. 312-313); or as a 'memorial' (P.B. Desai 1957:pp. 355-356). The term ***nicītikai*** (**116.6**) has been explained as 'death by fasting of a Jaina; denotes probably the memorial got up for such a person' (*SITI*, III:2, Glossary). None of these interpretations is, however, wholly satisfactory. In the present study, *nicītikai* is interpreted as 'a seat of penance' combining the evidence of etymology and the context of occurrence as discussed below.