Indian Antiquary Vol 22

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 76

64
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1893.
clearly established by inscriptions found in the great temple at Tanjore. The Periyapuránam informs us that one of the Chola kings ruled also over the Pandya kingdom. This was the Saiva devotee Ko=Chchengat-Cha-Nayanir, who was also called Sengañar. The same king is, as stated above, mentioned in the large Leyden grant as one of the ancestors of the Chola king Vijayalaya. His conquest of one of the Chêra kings is described in a small work called Kalavuli. nárpadu, the text and translation of which have been published in this Journal (ante, Vol. XVIII. pp. 258-265). The Periyapuranam tells us that he built several temples of Siva in different places. Sundaramûrti-Nayanar refers in his Téváram to one at Nappilam in the Tanjore district, 50 and Sundaramûrti's predecessor, Tiruñanasambandar, to another at TiruAmbar,51 This last reference furnishes us with one of the limits for the period of the latter poet, the other limit being the time of Sêraman Perumal, who was a contemporary of the former poet.
Another of the Tamil works which may be of use to the student of Pandya history, is the Pattuppástu (i. e. "the ten poems"). As the name implies, it consists of ten poems, or rather idyls, composed by different members of the college of Madara, to which reference has already been made. Of these, two are dedicated to Nedunjeliyan, a Pandya king. The first of these two, called Madurai-kkúnji, was composed by Marudaņâr of Maigudi, and the second, called Nedunalvádai, by Nakkfranar, the president of the college. The first refers to a battle fought at Talai-Alanganam by the Pandya king against the Chêra and the Chôļa kings and some minor chiefs.62 Some of the ancestors of Neduñjeliyan are also incidentally mentioned. The name of one of them was Vadimbalambaninra-Pandiyan according to the commentary.53 This, however, could not have been the actual name of the king, but only a biruda. Another of the ancestors of Neduñjeliyan was Pal-yaga-sâ lai-muda-kudumi-Peruvaludi, whose piety is very highly spoken of. As I shall have occasion to speak of this king in an article on another Påndya grant which I am going to publish, I shall now be content with a mere mention of his name.
The last of the Tamil works above enumerated, as being of some use to students of Pandya history, is the Purappattu. This work is unpublished, and consequently, the historical value of its contents cannot now be stated precisely. The Purappá!!is said to describe in detail the battle of Talai-Alanganam,65 which is referred to in the Madurai-kkanji. Mr. P. Sundaram Pillai, M. A., of the Maharaja's College at Trivandram, refers, in an article published in the August number of Vol. IX of the Madras Christian College Magazine, to another work called “Eraiyanar Agapporul." This work, he adds, is generally ascribed to Nakkirar and celebrates the prowess of Pandya king who is called Arikêsari, Varðdaya, Parinkusa and Vichari, and mentions among his conquests “Vilinjam (near Trivandram), Kottar (near Nagercoil), Naraiyaru, Chêvoor, Kadaiyal, Anukudi and Tinnevelly." It is thus clear that Tamil literature is not devoid of works that throw some light on Pandya history. Their contents, however, have not been appreciated, because we have not had the means to test their usefulness. It is important here to note that the Sinhalese Chronicles might, with advantage, be consulted to elucidate some of the points in Pandya history, which may be left obscure by Tamil literature and the Pandya inscriptions.
As I have already remarked, the subjoined inscription opens with six Sanskțit verses. Of these, the first invokes Brahman, the second Vishnu and the third Siva. This might be taken as an indication of the non-sectarian creed of the reigning king. As, however, he has the biruda
18 South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. II. Nos. 38 and 41.
- Tenang-dy-ulaganda Songan dr, 'Bongapir who became a Pandya and ruled the world,' oocure in verse 11 of the Tiruttondattogai. * Page 14 of the Madras edition of 1884.
01 Page 169 of the namo. 01 The following are the names of the minor chiefs (kuri-nila-mapnar) mentioned on page 189 of Pandit V. BAmi. nAdaiyar's edition : Tidiyap, Eluni, Erumaiyran, Irungo-Yonmap and Porunap.
Page 185 of the same. M Page 29 of the same; in the text of the poem (p. 180, line 759) Pal-Alai-muda-kudumi occurs. # See noto on page 189 of the same.