Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/212

190 buted to Agastya, besides his grammatical aphorisms. These consist of poems in praise of Siva, and a number of medical works. It is not very probable, however, that the appropriation is generally correct. At the first institution of the Madura sangattar, it would appear that some dispute arose immediately between the professors and the Saiva priests, connected, not impossibly, with that contention for pre-eminence of knowledge which has ever prevailed in the Tamil countries between the Brahman and inferior castes. The priests, however, proved the more powerful; and a reconciliation took place between them and the literati of Madura. At least, we may thus interpret the legend of Narakira incurring the wrathful glance of Siva, and only escaping being burnt to ashes in the flames emanating from the eye in the forehead of the god by plunging into the holy pool Pattamàri, and there composing the Andàdi Pànyam, a poem in honour of Siva. After this event the parties continued upon good terms; and Siva presented to the professors a diamond bench of great critical sagacity, for it extended itself readily for the accommodation of such individuals as were worthy to be upon a level with the sages of the sangattar, and resolutely detruded all who pretended to sit upon it without possessing the requisite qualifications. In other words, the learned corporation of Madura resembled learned bodies in other countries, and maintained as strict a monopoly as they possibly could of literary reputation.

The foreign transactions of Vamsa Sek’hara's reign were limited to a war with Vikrama, the Chola prince, who besieged Madura, but was repulsed with the aid of Siva. The son of this prince was more fortunate; and he was engaged in disputes of no more serious a nature than those which were engendered by the rivalry of his literary dependents.