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282
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
lest it should be supposed that this was a mere exaggerated boast of the Pallava genealogists, we have a confirmation of its historical accuracy in the admission of the Chalukyas themselves, that when Vikramaditya I. obtained his victory over the Pallava king, and captured his capital, about the middle of the 7th century, the lord of K â ñchi had never before bowed down to any king (Ind. Antiq. vol. VI. p. 87). We have also the Chalukya admission that the power of the Pallavas was "extremely exalted" at that time, and that they "had been the cause of the humiliation and destruction" of the Chalukya family (Ind. Antiq. vol. VI. pp. 78, 85, 87).
The second series of political events recorded in this grant belongs to the reign of the grantor, and therefore, by the present supposition, to the 9th century A. D. It consists partly of internal commotions, and partly of external
wars.
An alliance of the kings of Dr a mila had been formed against Pallava malla, with a prince of the Pallava line, here called Chitramaya-Pallava, at their head. The allies had defeated Pallavamalla in the field; and they were closely besieging the town of Anupura, in which he had taken refuge. Hereupon, seeing the straits to which the king was reduced, another subordinate prince of the Pallavaline, Udayachandra, lord of the district lying on the river Vegavati of which the city of Vilvalapura was the capital, proceeded to attempt his rescue. He succeeded in reversing Pallavamalla's previous misfortunes; for he slew the chief of the insurgent confederates, and defeated their armies
in a succession of terrible battles after he had raised the siege of Anupura. Some of the other rebellious chiefs were also slain in the course of this war; and the whole of their little kingdoms were confiscated to the crown.
The river Vegavati is the stream on which Kanchipura is built it falls into the Pâlâr a little way below Kâñchi. Vilvalapura is perhaps an eponym of Kâ ñchipura: for it is dignified with the title of nagara, "the capital," and is called "the
11 The name Chitramaya is apparently a nickname, and is suggestive of imposture of some kind.
13 This is evidently the Chittur ("Adeyarenâda Chittura") of Mr. Lewis Rice's Jain Inscriptions at Sravana-Belgola, No. II. (See Ind. Antiq. vol. II. p. 323): for it was situated
[OCTOBER, 1879.
forehead beauty-spot of all worlds;" and no place but Kâ ñ chî deserved this description in this neighbourhood at any time. Anupura is also probably an eponym or a translated name: the meaning of the word contains the idea of relative inferiority, and perhaps it was a kind of secondary capital. It may therefore be regarded as the Sanskrit equivalent of the Tamil name Chittûr:1 and we have accordingly an important town of this latter name in the north-western portion of the present district of North Arcot. It has always been a place of some importance: and its situation is particularly suitable to the part played by Anupura in the commotions between Pallava malla and his rebellious chieftains. The names of the battlefields of the war are all Tamil or Tamil Prâkrit; and, from the circumstances, they were no doubt all situated within the limits of the Dramila kingdom. This word Dramila is one of the equivalents of the better known name Drávida: and, as one of the fifty-six countries of India recognized by the lexicographers, &c.; its limits corresponded with the basin of the Pâlâr and its immediate neighbourhood.
The prosperous condition of this part of Southern India at this time is to be gathered from several little indications in the description of the garden culture, timber trees, &c. on the banks of the Vegavati. The short description of the city of Vilvala pura is similarly sug gestive: and it tells us also of the turbulent times in which Pallavam alla's lot was cast.
The foreign wars of Pallavamalla here mentioned are these three; first, the war with Udaya na king of the Sabaras; secondly, the war with Prithivivyâghra king of Nishad ha; and thirdly, the war with the Pândya king.
The Sabaras are always connected with the Eastern Ghats: but of the precise position and extent of the Sabara kingdom here referred to there is nothing at present to show. These uncivilized mountaineers, the Suari of Pliny, the Sabar of Ptolemy," and the Sabaras or Savaras of the Puranas,-are now represented by the Savaralu, or Sauras
in the Adeyarênâda, the Adeyârarashtra of Nandivarma's grant in Ind. Antiq. (ante, p. 163), and the Ashrayanadi. vishaya of the present grant, which lay on the PAIår.
13 Geog. VII. i. 80; conf. also Ind. Ant. vol. VI. p. 127; vol. VII. p. 290; Lassen Alterth. B. III. S. 159.
