The Pallavas political history covering four centuries is tortous and
complex but their contribution to society is singnificant in two ways -
comletion of Aryanisation of southern India, and consmation of
traditional or indigenous art.
The Aryanisation of south India as completed during the period of the
Pallavas. Their grants show that the Aryan structure of society has
gained frim hold on the south by the sixth century. Grants to brahmins
are specifically mentioned which show that the north Indian Dharma
Sastras had acquired authority in the Pallava kingdom. Sanskrit had
established its sway. The university of Kanchi played to doubt a great
part in India, and we know from Hiuen-Tsang that it was the greatest
center of education in the south. Vatsyayana, the logician, the author
of Nyaya Bhashya who lived in the fourth century. A.D, seems tohave been
Pandit of Kanchi. Denage the famous Buddhist dialectian is also said to
have had his training in the souther capital. In the fifth century we
have epigraphic record of Nayurrasarman of the Kadamba family going for
higher studies to Kanchi. In fact it can ligtimately be calimed that
Kanchi of the Paalvas was the great center from which the
Sanksritisation of the south as well as the Indian colonies in the
far-east proceeded.
Pallavas were orthdox Hindus and they patronized the great reformation
of the medival ages. Most of the kings ere brahminical Hindus devoted to
the worship of Shiva. Mahendravarman was the first, who about the
middle of his reign, adopted the worship of Siva and he was influenced
by the famous saints of the age. He showed reverence to other Hindu gods
also. But, he was intolerant of Jainism and destroyed some Jain
monastries. Some Vaishnava and Saiva saints lived during his time. In
general, the Pallavas were tolerant to other sects. Buddhism and Jainism
lost their appeal. Indeed Hiuen-Tsang saw at Kanchi one hundred
Buddhist monastries and 10,000 priests belonging to the Mahayana school
but this has to be taken with a pinch of salt.
In general, the vedic tradition was super imposed on the local
traditions, As brahmins were custodians of Vedic tradition, they
automaticalldy enjoyed privillages. The Vedic tradition, a little later,
received stimulus because of Sankarcharya. The Temples were the focal
points. The out-castes were not permitted to enter the precincts of the
temple.
Even then, Tamil saints of the 6th and 7th centuries, who were the
progenitors of the bhakti movement, mostly belonged to the lower castes.
The hymns and sermonsof the nayanaras (Shaivism) and the slvars
(vaishnavism) continued the tradition. Amongst the Shaiva saints the
important were Appar (supposed to have converted Mahendravarman)
Sambandar, Manikkawasagar, and Sundarar. The most ………………………….. about
them was the presence of women, Saints, such as Andal. This Bhakti cult
was derived from the ideas in the Upanishads and also from the heterodox
doctrines. Dr. Thapar opines that the concepts of comapassonate God was
a resultant of the impact of Buddhist ideas particularly the
bodhisttava concept, although the chirstians in malabar might have
provided a new perception of religion. What the bhakti movement
contributed was great. The religious hymns and music as popularized by
Tamil saints were sung during temple rituals. Dancing was also included.
From the Pallavi period onwards dancers were maintained by all the
prosperous temples.
Regarding education, in the early days, education was imparted by Jains
and Buddhists. The Jaina institutions were located at Madurai and
Kanchi. Soon brahminical institutions superseded them. Ghatkias or Hindu
colleges were attached to the temples. They were primarily Brahmin
institutions are mostly confined themselves to advanced studies. And in
the 8th century the maths also became popular, which was an ominous
institutions because of its being a rest-house, a feeding center and an
education center. In all these colleges Sanskrit was the medium of
instruction which was also the official language. Kanchi, the capital,
was a great cencentre of Sanskrit learning. The scientific works of
Varahmihira and the poetry of Kalidasa and Bhairvi were-known in the
Pallava country. And Parameshvaravarman I granted the Kurran
copper-plate that was made for the recitation of the Mahabharata in a
mandapa at the village of Kurram, near Conjeevaram.
By the beginning of the 7th century the Pallavas of Kanchi, the
Chalukyas of Badami and the Pandyas of Madurai emerged as the three
major states. By the time the political rule of these dynasties came to
an end, an event known as the revolt of the Kalabharas took place. The
Pallavas, the Kadambas (North Canara in Karnataka) and the Chalukyas of
Badami along with along with a large number of their contemporaries were
the protage of vedic sacrifices. Logically, the brahmins emerged as an
important segment of society but at the expense of the peasantry.
Possibly, this predominance was oppressive leading to the revoltof the
kalabhars in the 6th century. A.D. It is also said that they overthrew
in numberable kings and established their old inTamilnadu. They ended
the Brahmadeva rights earlier granted to brahmins in numerous villages.
It is also said that the Kalabhras patronized Buddhism. In the end, the
revolt of the kalabhras could be ended only by the Joint efforts of the
Pandays, the Pallavas and the Chalukays.
