The trisula symbol at the end of the first line of the Tamil-Brahmi inscription, which was found on the Tirupparankundram hill near Madurai, is a Saivite symbol, argues R. Krishnamurthy, Editor, Dinamalar , a Tamil daily.
The trisula symbol can be seen in a rectangular or square type of the Tamil Sangam age Pandya copper coins and the Sangam age Chera coins, says Dr. Krishnamurthy, a reputed numismatist with a knowledge of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
“In view of the fact that we find the trisula symbol in the inscription,” he argues, “it will be extremely difficult to accept the Jaina connection” as argued in the story, ‘Tamil-Brahmi script discovered on Tirupparankundram hill,’ which appeared in The Hindu , dated >February 14, 2013.
The inscription, discovered on January 20 this year, has two lines: Muu-na-ka-ra and Muu-ca-ka-ti .Quoting specialists in Tamil-Brahmi, the article said the inscription could refer to an elderly Jaina monk who attained salvation by fasting unto death.In the first line of the script, the second letter ‘na’ and the third letter ‘ra’ may have been inscribed in the Bhattiprolu script, Dr. Krishnamurthy says.
“We can read the legend as ‘mu-nakar,’ an ancient town. The Bhattiprolu script has been used in the Sangam age Pandya ‘Peruvaluthi’ coin. The word ‘Sakti’ in the second line refers to Goddess Meenakshi. This inscription may belong to circa second century BCE,” he argues.
