________________
194
TRIBES IN ANCIENT INDIA monkey-king, is described as sending his followers to the different quarters in search of Rāma's wife, Sītā, and Rāvana, her ravisher. The monkey-soldiers are directed to go to the countries of the Andhras (Telugu people), the Pāņdyas, the Coļas and the Keralas, in the south, and are told that they will there see the gate of the city of the Pāņdyas adorned with gold and jewels. In the Mahābhārata 1 Sahadeva in his career of conquest is represented to have subdued the Pāņdyas, Drāvidas, Udras, Keralas and Andhras. Patañjali in his Mahābhāsya shows an intimate acquaintance with the south. In Mahābhāsya 2 Kerala (or Malabar) is mentioned. The same work mentions Māhismati, Vaidarbha and Kāñcīpura (Conjeeveram). In the second and thirteenth rock edicts of Asoka, the outlying provinces of the Coļas, Pāņdyas, Satiyaputras, Ketalaputras (Chera or Kerala), and the Andhras and Pulindas are mentioned.
Damirica is shown in the age of the Periplus as including Cerobothra (i.e. Keralaputra). During the age of Ptolemy the kingdom of Karoura was ruled by Kerobothros (Keralaputra).
After the Cāļas, the Cheras for a time became the leading power of the south. After them the Pāņdyas became the supreme power for some time in Southern India and then the Pallavas.
1 Sabhāparvan, Chap. 31. 2 IV, 1, 4th Āhnika. 3 Early History of the Dekkan, p. 7.
IZB
