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THE SANGAM AGE.
Were they then the forces of Samudragupta ?
138 and then constructing, on imaginary grounds, a history and tradition for a people who had an obscure and a floating sort of existonce for several centuries.
Perhaps the · Vamba Moriar' of Māmūlanār were no other than the forces commanded by Samudragupta who is called by the late V. A. Smith “the Indian Napoleon. " The difficulty of identifying the Mauryas of Māmūlanār with the forces of Samudragupta is no doubt very great.
But the following points are urged in favour of such an identification. Historians are not (1) and4-490 mL
(1), Silap : Canto 14, 1. 175. (2 --
(2) Aham. : Stanza 15. (3) 1 - 1
(3) Purain : „ 3. (4) » --4 bit
(4) Jirakachintamani : poem
1068. வம்பமாக்கள்--புதியோர் (5) Silap. Canto 5, 1. iii. (@) auuwwe sio fim-4BW956). (6) , 16, 1. 63 7) வம்பவுரை-புதியவுரை (7) Purapporul. I'cnbamalai,
Ch. 12, 'Stanza 12. (8) auwi-491 Sou (noun) (8) Paripadal, Stanza 10, 1. 20. (9) » -Hour ai.
(9) Pazhamozhi 220. 1 V. A. Smith, Early History came. It may be that small of India, Third Edition, p. 283. expeditions might have been sent
by him to effect an entry into the A few critics have pointed Tamilakam. Perhaps it is these out that the orthodox estimate forces that came in conflict with of Samudragupta's military Palayan of Möhoor. At the achievements is grossly exagger. same time, we may note that ated and that the opinion of the these minor incidents of warfare French scholar, Dr. Jouveau heed find no place in the Pillar Dubreuil's in regard to Samudra- inscription, which is mainly congupta's invasion is much nearer cerned with major operations. the truth. We may remark that What was undoubtedly & petty Dubreuil's is not the last word on incident in the career of the the subject and even supposing conquering Guptas necessarily it to be so, it does not materially loomed large before the eyes of affect our line of argument. the Tamils whose land was about Dubreuil does not say there has to be invaded, and hence the frebeen no invasion of South India quent mention of this incident by Samudragupta. All that he by the Tamil bards who are says is that the Gupta emperor either contemporary or nearly after defeating Vishnu Göpa contemporary with the incidents returned home by the way he narrated in their poems.
