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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[OCTOBER 1914.
Achyuta's power felt throughout the Empire. The imperial power was thus safely asserted throughout the south; and if we are to believe the inscriptions, Achyuta Dêva rounded off his conquest by the conquest of Ceylon also. From this time to his death in 1542 he maintained his power intact throughout the Empire. Ample epigraphical evidences prove this. In 1532, for instance, the very year of his Tinnevelly campaign, he was at Tanjore, and gave a local chief Thattappa Naik (son of Könappa Naik) a tract of land as recorded in the Thoppi! Pillayârba temple there. In 1533 he was at Conjeeveram, where, in the temple of Varadaraja, he weighed himself against pearls, performed the great gift of kanchana-mêru, and otherwise celebrated his victory in the south. In 1535 he recorded a grant at Mahabalipuram 5 In 1538 he was recognized as emperor in the province of Dindigal, as is clear from the inscription in the shrine of that fort54. In 1539 an inscription of the Rajagopalasvâmi temple at Tanjore mentions that he was the founders of it. In 1542 he gave a grant to the Chidambaram pagoda.66 In 1533 his Viceroy Bala-Déva-Mahârâja Udayar ruled at Coimbatore, and distinguished himself by his gifts and donations to temples.
SECTION III, The Viceroys of the South during Achyuta's Rule. As to the viceroys of Vijayanagar, 58 during this decade, in the south, we learn from the Påndyan Chronicle that one Aiyakarai Vaiyappa was ruling in Madura at the time of Achyuta Raya's expedition. Vaiyappa, if we are to believe the chronicle, ruled for two years after Achyuta's return to Vijayanagar. In 1535, we are told, he was succeeded in his exalted office by one Visvanatha Naidu,59 who held it during a continuous space of nine years. Now the question is, who was this Visvanatha Naidu! Was he the son of Nâgama Naik, whose early career and whose part in the recent campaign against Travancore we have already sketched? Is there again any epigraphical evidence to prove the identity! Both these questions have been answered by Mr. Krishna Sastri in the positive. Inscription 113 of 1908, he says, co“ supplies the interesting fact that Visvanatha Nayaka, the son of Nagama Nayaka, was an officer of Achyuta in S. 1457, 1534-5 A. D." And how did Visvanatha come to occupy that position? Mr. Krishna Sastri surmises that Visvanatha followed Achyuta 61 in the latter's campaign against the king of Travancore, and taking an active part in the subjugation of the rebellious chiefs, Tumbichchi Nayakkan and Såluva Nayakkan of the Pandya country, found an opportunity to secure a footing there which he gradually strengthened." And in proof of this he cites another inscription, which says that “ Visvanatha conquered in battle the Tiruvadi, the Pandya king Vânada Râya and other kings and annexed their dominions."
(To be Continued.) 53 Inse. 39 of 1897. The deity is also called Alagêsvara Pillayar. 5 Mad. Ep. Rep. 1890. 54 Inso. 1 of 1894. 55 Inse. 40 of 1897. Madr. Ep. Rep. 1888.
ST Insca. 21 and 28 of 1900. In the Agastya temple at Kangyam and in the Lingêsvara temple at Avinasi, Bala Deva's insce, are found. See also Taylor's Res. Mack. M88. III, 356-8 and 394.
58 For an account of the numerous feudatories of Achyuta Raya see Arch. Suru. Ind. 1908-9 pp. 191 f, where Mr. Krishna Sastri compares Nuniz and epigraphical evidences. The name Vaiyappa is fairly frequent, and it is not improbable that a chief of that name was at this time in Madura. See Madr. Ep. Rep. 1913, p. 123.
5 The Pand. Ohron. O See Ep. Rep. 1909, p. 18. The insc, is at Tiruppattar, and records the gift of the village of Vara. gunaputtar by Achyuta Raya for the merit of Visuandtha Ndik.
61 Ibid. p. 119. The version of the Köyilolugu that in S. 1420 Trichinopoly and Madura Were under Vilvanatha Naik seems to be untenable. See Ind. Ant. 1911, p. 143. It says that one Narasimha Dêrika, the son of Vadala Desika, presented several gold vessels and three lakhs of gold pieces, to the temple, with the help of the Naik,
62 Copper plate 14, Appendix A, Maar. Ep. Rep. 1905-6. It belongs to the reign of Muttu Krish nappa. The Vanad s-Raya, however, was not in reality conquered.
