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178 gods; and they themselves secured fertile villages for subsistence. Sanskrit puranas, local as well as general, were written and translated for the benefit of the Tamils, Then came into prominence a split among the Brahmans, which led to the formation of the Vishnu and Siva cults. The latter with all its attendant horrors of death and destruction became popular among the warlike Tamils. The literature of this epoch consists of hymns to Siva and Vishnu and of the accounts of the life and adventures of Siva and Subrahmanya, Rama and Krishna, and Jina. The standard works on Tamil grammar during this period were Tolkapyam, Virasoliyam, Nambi's Agapperul, Neminadam, &c.

Sanskrit words, chiefly relating to religion, were largely introduced, and some of the Tamil words and forms current in the preceding epoch gave way to new ones. Plurals in கள், double plurals in ர்கள் and னகள், present tense particles கின்று and கிறு and the use of distinctive case terminations came into existence. Some adverbial particles like கொன்னை, தஞ்சம், தில், தெய்ய, &c., completely went out of use.

For poetry or metrical composition, which was still the only form of literary production, Asiriyani and Venba metres were not so much in favour as the Vrittam, Tandakam and others of Sanskrit prosody. These were introduced with their alankuras or embellishments. Rhyme and antadi form were introduced to render the recital of sacred songs