Indian Antiquary Vol 54

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 18

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JANUARY, 1926
there is nothing improbable in linking together the above traditional accounts, and in assuming Chèraman to have been this Pandya's contemporary and to have lived in the first quarter of the ninth century A.D.
The Paña-Bhadra episode is also referred to in the Kalladamo, but as its author Kálládanár is, on other grounds, considered to have been a later poet different from his namesake of the last Academy 1, this mention need not necessarily militate against the assignment of Cheraman to th> beginning of the ninth century A.D.22
(iv) The tradition stating that one of the offspring of the couple Bhagavan and Adi, who was brought up by Adigan and was eventually raised to the Chêra throne, was the • Cheraman-Perumal of the Periyapuranam, is not supported by any evidence, except that
of a verse popularly attributed to Auvaiyar, 33 which she is said to have addressed in derision to the Chêra king, when god Vinayaka, who was pleased with her devotion, raised her to heaven with his proboscis sometime before the mounted pair Sundaramûrti and Cheraman could arrive at the Kailasa gates. This is another instance of different episodes relating to more than one Auvai (old woman) being mixed up together promiscuously.
(v) In his learned article on the age of Jñanasambandha, Prof. Sundaram Pillai finds an implied reference to certain Saiva Nayanmars in the minor stótras of Sarkara, and if the Śivabhujanga, Sivanandalahari and Saundaryalahari are the indisputable compositions of the author of the great Bhâsyas, then the passing reference in the stanza of the Sivabhujanga24 may be taken to contain a covert sneer at Sundara's matrimonial foible, which, however much concealed by mythical varnish, was considered too big a blemish to be overlooked by Eyarkən-Kalikkåmapär, who decided to die of his colio rather than submit to be cured by Sundara. The date of Sankara has been accepted by many scholars to be the beginning of the ninth century (c. 788-820 A.D.); and in that case, it is also possible that the Nayanâr's Tiruvorriyûr episode may have reached his ears. Chéraman may therefore have lived in the first quarter of the ninth century.
Thus, all the available data tend towards the ascription of Chêramån-Peruma! Nayanar to the beginning of the ninth century A.D., and the temptation now offers itself to consider whether this royal saint of the Tamil hagiology can be the same as the Kerala king Rajasekhara of the Talamana-illam copper-plate record. In partial support of that possible identification, these points may be noted.
20 பரிபுரக் கம்பலை யிருசெவியுண்ணும் குடக்கோச்சோன் கிடைத்திது காண்கென
மதிமலி புரிசைத் திருமுகங்கூறி, யன்புருத்தறிந்த வின் பிசைப் பாணன்
பெறநிதி கொடுக்கென, வுறவிடுத்தருளிய மாதவர் வழுத்துக் கூடற்கிறைவன்.--Kalla. dam, v. 11, 1l. 25-30.
21 Sendamil, vol. XV pp. 107–14.
39 ani #rout #uumi ada, ya sof all your eyes gore. Kapilar. agaval, 11. 119-20. But this Kapilar had nothing in common with the Last Academy, this poem being attributed by some to Viramamuni Beschi.
மதுர மொழியினுமையாள் சிறுவன் மலரடியை முதிரநினையவல் லார்க்கரிதோ முகில்போன் முழங்கி யதிரவருகின்ற யானையும் தேருமதன் பின் வருங்
குதிரையுங் காதங் கிழவியுங் காதக் குலமன்னனே. " न शक्नोमि कर्तुं परद्रोहलेशं कथं प्रीयसे त्वं न जाने गिरीश |
FTTTT PET kargadi ir forandret ; see also ante, XXVI, 109. 35 Trav. Arch. Series, vol. II, p. 10.