Plainly speaking, it is only from the times of Shri Buddha and Mahaviira that we get some light on Indian history. The earlier periods are shrouded with myths, diversions and mutilations. In the history of Buddhism and Jainism too we do not have the total history. Unfortunately the writers of history were mostly Aryan supporters and there was religious and political struggles and rivalries going on between the so called Sanskritised Vedic groups of Aryans and the aboriginal rulers, the Kshatriya groups of this period. Mahavira was only the 24th Thirthankara of the Jains, starting from Saint Adinatha. We do not have the full history of the other 23 Thirthankaras, except the list of them. There are disputes among the scholars about the place of birth of Adinatha, some pleading for the Northern provinces and many suggesting a Southern origin for him. It is known that each Thirthankara is born at the interval of about 250 years. Calculating in this order, it would have been morr than 6000 years now that Adinatha was born. Those remote histories are almost lost for us.

Lord Mahaviira was born in a Kshatriya family of Nadars (Nata-putta) of Northern India, near Patna (Vaisali), in the Jnatrika or Lichchavi Gotra of Nyaya Clan of ancient Mahavamsam (of Nadars), in Kundagrama. He is also called 'Nayaputta' after the code of Dhamma, for which the Nadars are given the title jnayasthan or jnatri (Dravdian Lineages, History and culture of Indian people)in pali and 'Nayanar'in Tamil (State Manual of Travancore), enlisted among the 63 Sages. He is from the Kshatriya race to whom Sri Buddha, Emperor Asoka, etc., were belonging to. Mahavira had lived 72 years, from 599BC (12.4.599), and had Revolutionized the Religious Thought Process of the whole of India, through His teachings of Ahimsa and Non-Violence and Dhyana. Jainism preached by Him was accepted by almost all the Kings of India at a time, till it was inhumanly butchered by the Aryan invaders through Sanskritisaion during and after 8th century AD, when 8000 Nadar Jains were sent to the gallows in a single day. There are symbols of Jainism even today in the South India, at Chitharal Hills, Kazhugumalai, Nagercoil, and different parts of Kerala where most of the Ezhava brothers were once fully Jains, like the Nadars. The world famous Tamil Poet, Thiruvalluvar Nayanar, is considered as a Jain poet. He is known among the Jains as "Kundakunda Acharya". Like Sri Buddha, Mahavira also was one of the Nine branches of Litchchavi -Mallas(History and culture of Indian people). King Bimbisara married a woman named "Chellana", from the family of the mother of Mahavira. The relation of Nadars with the Lichchavis and the Jnatrikas are explained in the book: The Dravidian Lineages, Nadars Through the Ages, duly quoted from the 20 volumes of The History and Culture of the Indian People( especially, vol.II.).

The Aryans did not recognize the Kshatriyahood of either Sri Buddha or Mahavirra. But, the foreigners had finally to succumb to the strong standing of the aboriginals. The problem for the temporary upper hand on the Mahavira's tribe by the Aryans was the 'disunity' among the Kshatriyas. This disunity can be seen repeatedly reminded by Sri Buddha, as well as one of the later Aye Kings, Ko-karunthadakan in Southern India. Even the Kshatriyahood of Lord Krishna was disputed in the beginning by the Aryan invaders. But, when he was found invincible, they accepted him not only as their king, but also as their god. As among the present Southern Nadars, the Gana (Kana) was one of the Nine branches of the Kshatriya Lachchavis of Jnatrika Gotra of Mahavira's family. During the times of Mahavira and Sri Buddha (in spite of their differences in certain principles of Henayana / Mahayana, the Nadars thrived strong for quite a long time with all prosperity. During this period, we had lots of Jaina and Buddhist Pallis or Aramas were established through out the Southern provinces. Even before this, the Nadars had in the South great linguistic and literary scholars like Athencottu Asan, and Tolkappiyanar (9th century BC).