18380 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



5 



trates obscure expressions in other manuscripts as to fire-showers; 

 and may be taken generally for a confirmation of opinion, among the 

 Jainas, substantially the same as to the leading fact of the deluge, with 

 the opinions and records, concerning the same great event, by the 

 Br ahmanical Hindus. 



Section 2.— Account of a raja of C/iew;V (Ginjee) who persecuted 

 the Jaina people. 



In the year of Salivahana 1400 (A. D. 1478-9) Cdvarai Vencatapati 

 Nayak ruled in Ginjee, over the Tiruvadi district near Fridd'hdchala, 

 Being a man of a low tribe, he demanded of the Brahmans who among 

 them would give one of their daughters to him as a wife : they replied 

 that if the Jainas would first give him a wife, they would themselves 

 do the same. The Brahmans went to a famous Jai?ia in the Dindivanam 

 district, who promised to give his daughter to the Chieftain; but in- 

 stead of actually doing so, contrived to offer him a very cutting insult. 

 The Chief, greatly incensed, issued an order to decapitate all the Jainas 

 that could be met with. In consequence some c/ama* emigrated, some 

 adopted the Saiva religion, some were slain, and some dissembled, 

 secretly following their own rites. In Uppu Velur a disguised Jaina 

 was taken at a pool of water while performing his evening ceremonies, 

 in the ./ama method, and was sent to Ginjee; but as the Chief had 

 just then a child born in his house, he pardoned the Jaina. This per- 

 son after so narrow an escape vowed to devote himself to an ascetic 

 life. With some preparatory studies he fulfilled his vow. 



Another Jaina through fear, had emigrated towards the south, pass- 

 ing from place to place ; till at length in a dream he was directed not to 

 go any further away : immediately afterwards he heard of the approach 

 of the Mahomedans towards his native place; he went to meet them, 

 and advanced as far as Arcot, where he acquired land to cultivate. 

 After sometime he sent for the before mentioned «/ama ascetic, and 

 to prevent a strange religion being introduced, he located that person 

 on his lands as a teacher and guide. Some time afterwards a Brahman 

 named Tattdchdryar set up a pillar at Conjeveram, and challenged any 

 who might think proper to come and dispute with him. Hearing of 

 this circumstance the aforesaid Jaina teacher, named Vira-Chena- 

 Acharya, went thither, and overcame Tattdchdryar in polemical dispute, 

 upset the pillar, and returned to Uppu Velur ; where he fell sick, and 

 died. Subsequently the Jaina religion flourished greatly in that neigh- 



