Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/102

Rh four castes of men, if one of the lowest is learned, a man of even the highest caste would resort to him.”

On hearing of the sudden death of Nedunj-Cheliyan, the Pandyan prince Verri-vêr-Cheliyan who was then Viceroy of Kotkai hastened to Madura and ascended the throne. He appears to have died after a short reign and was succeeded by his son Nedunj-Cheliyan II who was then a boy of tender age. Soon after his accession, his kingdom was invaded by the Chola army which advanced up to Madura. Palayan-Mâran the commander of the Pandyan army was however able to gain a brilliant victory, and the invaders were forced to retreat into their country. The youthful Pandya was present at the engagement. When he heard of the invasion he is said to have vowed to drive the invaders out of his kingdom. The stanza uttered on this ocaasion. by the youthful king, who dabbled in verse like most of the Tamil kings of this period, is as follows :-

“My rival kings proud of their well armed soldiers, chariots and steeds and huge elephants which have legs like pillars and wear big bells which ever resound, have laughed at those who praised my kingdom, and scorning me as quite a youth, have too boldly marched against me, speaking words of menace and contempt. If I do not defeat them in a pitched battle and capture them with their war drums, let my subjects curse me as a cruel monarch, who too weak to save them has left them to the mercy of the enemy. May the poets honored by the whole world, chief among whom is the learned and wise Maruthan of Mankudy, quit me and my kingdom as unworthy of their song. May I become so utterly destitute that I may have nothing to give to the poor or to those who look to me for support.”

The bard Idaik-kunrûr-kilar who was with the Pandyan army during the battle describes the appearance of the young Pandya in the following verses :—

“Having bathed in the cool waters of the lake outside the gate of his ancient city, and wearing on his head a wreath of the bright leaves of the margosa, the gallant Cheliyan has come to