Indian Antiquary Vol 45

SR No.: 032537
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 380
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

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184
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[NCVEMBER, 1916
of the people, and the sati of his wife. The very next day, the Sêtupati's letter of surrender reached Ramoppaiya and two sthanapatis from the latter waited on the illustrious chief. With gold and silver flowers, with ornaments and other presente, he came to the great Daļavai's presence. But no sooner did he make obeisance than the Brahman, with singular lack of chivalry, asked the fallen chief to shew him the cocoanut which he had vowed to tie to his hair. In proud and dignified sullenness, the Setupati replied that, if his nephew were alive, he would hardly have occasion to stand there and hear this supercilious language. The Dalavâí thereuron ordered him to be put in fetters, and when, immediately after, the army returned to Madura and Sadayakka was brought in chains before Tirumal Nâ ik and was asked by the latter why he had dared to disobey, the prisoner gave him the same reply' that, but for his nephew's death, he would never have yielded. The only result of this was that the Sêtupati was subjected to the miserable life of a prisoner. There, the poem concludes, he made an earnest prayer to his Rama to free him from his misery, and to the surprise of all, the chains which bound him broke of themselves, and made his person free. The news of the miracle was immediately carried to Tirumal Naik, he felt convinced that the Setupati had the full grace of Ramanathasvâmy and set him free. Sadayakka 28 then made obeisance to the Karta, and was taken to Râmnâd and crowned in great promp.
Such is the story given in the Ramappaiyan Ammanai. Nelson20 gives a slightly different version. He says that Ramappaiya actually died in the midst of the war on account of the enemy's resort to the black art, that he was then succeeded by Siva Ramaiya, his son-in-law, and that the latter, not less brave than his predecessor, succeeded in taking the island and capturing the rebel and one of his nephews, Danakadeva. The prisoners were taken to Madura and there kept in prison. Tambi Setupati was now placed at the head of the Maravas. He thus gained his ambition, but he was not wise enough to strengthen himself by an equitable rule. His want of statesmanship and his injustice raised popular discontent and diminished tho revenues; and this state of things was availed of by Raghunatha Teva and his brother Narayaņa to set up their claims and raise the standard of rebellion. Popular sympathy enabled them to gain the victory and make themselves the masters of Râmnâd. Tambi once again resorted to Tirumal and prayed to hiin to restore him. But a large number of Bhaira gis and pilgrims waited on Tirumal and impressed on him that peace and security would come back to the country only if the Dalavai Setupati was set free and restored. Thus it was that the rightfull heir came to the throne. For a space of five or six years he ruled in peace; the country recovered from the effects of the war, and the people were contented. The History of the Car. nataca Governors gives a simpler &ccount. It says that when Sadayakka was in prison, the roads to Râmêśvaram became unsafe. “The Bhaira gis and Låda Sanyasins in consequence who had come from the north in pilgrimage to Râmês varam, waited for many a day outside the palace for an interview with the king, laid, their own complaints, and earnestly begged for the liberation of Sadayakka. The king sympathised with them and setting the
28 According to oro version Sadayakka died at Råmêsvaram but not before encompassing the death of his younger brother by magic. J. L. W. believes in this, and thinks that Tirumal Naik could not have conquered the Marave, “that the United States of the Maravas had already begun to attain a vigour and power of resistance quite superior to any force," that the Madura monarch could put in the field. This is of course absurd. Calc. Rev. 1878, p. 451.
29 See Appendix I.; also O. H. MSS, 11, 180-1.