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286 next take Kapilar. He was a Brahman of Tiruvadavur in the Madura district and lived probably during the early part of the second century. Among his writings we find poems in praise of Tirumal (Vishnu), Baladeva, Murugan (Subrahmanya) and Siva. With due difference to the profound scholarship of Mahamahopadhyaya Swaminatha Aiyar and of the older commentators we are of opinion that none of the Saiva poems included in the eleventh Tirumurai, with the single exception of Tirumurugarruppadi, were written by Kapilar, Paranar and Nakkirar of the academic period. Though a Vedic deity Indra was also worshipped at this time. From Silappadikaram and Manimekalai we learn that annual festivais were also celebrated in honour of this god. (1) விண்ணவர் தலைவனை விழுநீ ராட்டிப்

பிறவா யாக்கைப் பெரியோன் கோயிலு மறுமுகச் செவ்வே ளணி திகழ் கோயிலும் வால்வளை மேனி வாலியோன் கோயிலு

நீல மேனி நெடியோன் கோயிலும்.-Sil. (2) வச்சிரத் தடக்கை நெடியோன் கோயிலுட்

போர்ப்புறு முரசங்க றங்க.-Pur. Another celebrity of the later Sangam period, Nakkirar, informs us that during his time four gods of the Aryan pantheon were considered as holding the foremost rank among the South Indian deities.

ஏற்றுவல னுயரிய வெறிமரு ளவிர்சடை மாற்றருங் கணிச்சி மணிமிடற் றோனும் தோலா நல்லிசை நால்வ ருள்ளும்.-Pur. 56.