________________
224
TILAKAMAÑARI OF DHANAPĀLA
Kāñci
Kāñcī,' also known as Kachchipeddu, the ancient capital of the Pallava rulers, a famous seat of learning the place of pilgrimage sacred to the Vais navites and the Saivites alike, is now represented by Kanjeevaram in the Chingleput district of Madras. The earliest reference to this place is in the Mahābhāsya of Patañjali?. It is identified by some with Satiyaputta of Asokan Rock Edicts. The Brahmānda Purāņa links Kāñci with Kāśī, forming as the two eyes of Siva. It also figures in the Skandapurāna' as well as in the Yoginītantra." The Dasakumāracarita of Dandin refers to the city Kāñci as the abode of the rich merchants son Śaktikumāra. The Prayāga Preśasti of Samudragupta mentions Vişnugopa of Kāñci among the southern conquests of the Emperor. Aihole insc. of Pulakesin II refers to the conquest of the Caulukya ruler over Kāñci (634 A.D).' The Tālagundā stone pillar insc. of Sāntivarman refers to Pallavendrapuri and Kāñcī' separately. The Pallava ruler Mahendrapāla (Vikrama Varman) I was the author of Mattavilāsa Prahasana in Sanskrit and during the time of his father flourished Bhäravī, the author of Kirātārjunīyam, Dhanapāla (the court poet of Bhoja) refers to Kāñcī as a nagarī abounding in innumerable riches and unlimited gold, situated not for away from the southern ocean. It had the vocability of the languages of all the regions audible herein and appeared to have assimilated the entire host of regions. It was gorgeous with gardens on the out precincts. By the temples of gods it appeared to have inhabited the cantonments of the Autumnal Clouds. It was cordoned by long and expensive arcades. It was surrounded by a fortification having a white wall made of marble and was encompassed round by a circle of moat.'' It has further been described as rich in arbours full of arcanuts (nāgavallī), philosophers and Brāhmaṇas. It had mansions of many storeys. Nāranga
1. CAI. p. 31. 2. II p. 298 HGAI p. 192. 3. Ch. 1. 19-23 HGAI p. 192. 4. HGAI p. 192. 5. Ask p. 6, L2; for Pallavas and Kāñci Cp ASK pp 6, 6; DKC p. 159. also Cp. KA III 114
KSN p. 130 ff. 171. 6. Diferenfabuprite... etc. L. 19. Historical and Literary Inscriptions by Raj Bali Pandey p.
74. 7. आक्रान्तात्मबलोन्नतिम्बलरजस्सच्छत्रकांचीपुरः।
Waraya194TET: Tahfil verse 29, p. 118 8. Ibid. HALI. p. 129 verse 10. Ibid. p. 244. verse 29. 9. Ibid. p. 129 verse 17. 10. TM Vol. III pp. 170 171.
