ThirujnAnasampandar and JainAs

[Somayaji Rajagopala]

In a message dated 12/9/99 8:57:36 AM EST, vsundaresan at HOTMAIL.COM writes:

<< Sankara's date has been
 proposed to be after that of Sambandhar. Re: draviDaSiSu reference in
 saundaryalaharI.  >>
(1)The relative datings -I shall discuss after getting some clarifications
from India.--(2)There is one and only verse (Verse 75) of 100 verses in
"Soundarya Lahari" where the word"draviaDaSiSu" is used. "Dayaavathaya
Dattham Dravidasisu-Raasvaadhya Thava yath"(I have NOT used Itaran-or
Harvard-Kyoto conventions of writing Nagari Libhi in Roman letters-at my age
it is difficult for me to learn all that-kindly excuse).The editor of Lifco
Publications and "Anna" -editor of Sri.Ramakrishna Publications-have not
translated the word draviDaSiSu as sri Gjnaana Sambhandar.They have
translated "draviDaSiSu" as sri.Sankara himself-and I respect their views(3)
Sri Chandrasekerendra Saraswathi (Paramaacharya of Kanchi Matam)has stated
that the word "dravida" denotes South India in general(Tamilnadu in
Particular) and the word "Gauda"-North India in general and Bengal in
particular.He feels they are topographical nomenclatures(4) In West Godavari
district (in Andra Pradesh)there is a Brahmin sub-sect  "Dumma
Dravidas"-there is another sub-sect "--------Dravidas'(I forgot the prefix)
in Berhampur District of Orissa.Even one cricket player is a "Dravid"- so
sri.Sankara hailing from Kaladi(Kerala) can very well be called a "Dravida'
.In the particular line of Soundarya Lahari there is no special connotation
to beleive that the word should denote to sri.Sambandar.(4) I do not know
whether you refer to the Verse "DraviDaSiSu Bhuktha Kseera Shesham Bhavaanme"
 of Mooka Panca Dasi. sri.Mooka's period is much later to sri.Sankara. There
the connotation "Bhuktha Kseera Shesham" may be taken as evidence that
draviDaSiSu may denote sri.Sambandar.Anyhow I don't have any dogmas-I am
always willing to correct myself-I only feel the evidences are not
sufficient-Dr.S.S.Rajagopalan.