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100 JAINS AND TAMIL LITERATURE.'
tion,
far and wide and stirred up fears in the mind of the usurper. The latter laid plots for his life, but the young hero slew him and ascended the throne of his ancestors. He then conquered his father's dominions and made them acknowledge bim as sovereign. Having regained his lost kingdom, he ruled it wisely and well and married Ilakkanai, his maternal uncle's daughter. With her and his wives he spent his time most happily and had by them a number of sons to whom he partitioned his dominions. Then he and his devoted female associates renouncetl the world and spent their time in doing charity and per
forming austerities. Jivakan rttained Moksha." Nariviruttam: Before we leave this part of the subject a its composi
word or two might be mentioned regarding Nariviruttam. The circumstance of its composition has already been mentioned. It is a small work consisting of 50 stanzas embodying some of the noblest tenets of Jainism. The style is very charming, appealing both to the young and old. The story seems to be based upon Hitopadēsa. The author wants to illustrate the transitoriness of human wishes and the unstability of wealth and enjoyment. The method adopted to illustrate this simple truth is an old and familiar one in the Tamil land. Briefly the story is this:-Once upon a.time, a wild elephant was destroying the crops in a field. A brave hunter wanted to kill it. Taking his stand upon an elevated ground, underneath which poisonous cobras lived in their holes, he aimed
