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AGE OF SAMBANDAR.
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in fixing the date of Kūn Pandya, individual opinions drift at pleasure from 14th century B.C. to 13th century A.D. The late•Proiessor Sundaram Pillai' has maintained that the opening of the seventh century A.D. Vas the latest period that could be assigned to Sambandar. From the internal evidence furnished by Saiva literature, the learned Professor has proved that Jñānasambandar should have preceded by, a few centuries Kandarāditya, one of the authors of Tiru-Isåtppa, the ninth book of the Saiva Bible of the Tamils. This Kandarāditya should have flourished about the close of the ninth century, as he is known to have preceded by several generations Rāja Rāja Dēva, the constructor of the Tanjore temple (984 A.D.). As the renowned Sankaracharya (8th century) referred to Jñānasambandar as “ the Dravida child ” it is 'evident that Sambandar flourished before him. From his hynins it is known that. Sambandar was a great friend of Siruttondar who was & generalissimo and fought for the Pallava King, Narasimha Varman I, at Vātāpi (Badami). Happily, the date of the destruction of Vātāpi by the Pallava king was discovered by the late Mr. Venkiah (642 A.D.) and this fixed the age of Tirujñānasambandar. For, it must be remembered, Tirujñānasambandar, Siruttondar and another saint of whom we shall have to speak presently, Tirunāvukkarasar, popularly known as Appar, were all contemporaries.
Tamilian Antiquary No. 3. Some Milestones in the History of
Tamil literature.
