________________ XX NAYAKUMARACARIU held sway there as even the modern name of the place suggests. In the Sthanarga Sutra (p. 357) we are told that among the five commanders of king Nagendrakumara, Rudrasena was the commander of the infantry. Nagas in Tamil Literature-Nagas are mentioned even in the Tamil Sangam literature. In Nachchinarkkiniyar, for example, the Tiryar lords of Vengadam are connected with the Naga princes (SIJ P. 143). Dubreil, in his Antiquities of the Pallavas, says that the Pallavas had marital relations with the Naga princes and that there was every reason to believe that the latter came from the sea. It appears that the Tiryar of the Sargam books are identical with the Pallavas. Reviewing the Nagakumara story of Mallisena, (MAR 1924), Dr. R. Shamasastry, referring to the fact that Nagakumara did dot marry any Pallava princess, says that 'as the Pallavas had married Naga princesses, the Nagas, conforming to the Hindu custom of not exchanging daughters in marriage, might have declined to marry Pallava princesses, in return. This, however, is not correct, for, according to our story, there was not only no ban on marrying maternal uncle's daughter, but such marriages were particularly liked (see Picture of palace and public life' ). The Nagas also appear to have been in alliance with the Andhras of the Talevaka river referred to in the Jataka stories, and the Sendraka Nagas were in alliance with the Kadambas. The Satavahanas are also said to have contracted social relations with the Nagas (AKJ pp. 74, 82). Nagas in Classical Sanskrit Literature ---References to Nagas are not wanting even in Classical Sanskrit literature. Bana in his Harsacarita mentions a Naga king named Nagasena at Padmavati who lost his life by his secret being divulged by a sarika bird. Of a particular importance are the references found in the Navasahasanka-carita of Padmagupta, a brief summary of which would not be out of place here - Sindhuraja alias Navasahasanka, king of Ujjain, once went to the Vindhya forest for sport. He was attracted very far into the forest till he came to the bank of Narmada where he saw a Naga princess named Sasiprabha daughter of Sankhapala king of Bhogavati, with whom he fell in love. But the princess was soon snatched away from his company. The king, in his attempt to follow her, entered the Narmada and through a subterranean passage emerged on the borders of the Nagaloka. Narinada then appeared before him in the guise of a woman and informed him that the father of the Naga princess had taken a vow to give his daughter in marriage to one who could bring the golden lotus from a well in Ratnapuri, the city of Asuras who used to enrich themselves by raiding the terrritories of the Nagas She also told him that Ratnapuri was situated at a distance of 50 gavyutis from there. The prince launched himself upon the venture. After a long journey he reached the hermitage of sage Vanku where he formed friendship with a Vidyadhara chief who brought armies of Vidyadharas to aid him. They reached Ratnapur which was on the way to Phanipur, and fought with the Asura king Vajrankusa who was slain in the battle. A Naga prince was crowned king in his place. Sindhuraja then pushed on his way to Phanipur where he was accorded a warm welcome by the king. The marriage then took place and Sindhuraja returned triumphantly to his capital, This story has generally been dismissed by critics as mere legend. But it P.P.AC. Gunratnasuri M.S. Jun Gun Aaradhak Trust
