Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/107

Rh in hillocks in the beautiful harbour of Chenthil, sacred to the god Muruga, where the foam-crested waves of the sea ceaselessly break upon the shore.”

“In fierce wrath thou art like the god of death. In resistless strength thou art like Baladeva. In fame thou art like Vishnu who smites those who do not praise him. In carrying out whatever thou wishest thou art like Muruga. What is there that thou canst not achieve Therefore give alms freely to those who seek thy charity. Spend thy days joyously drinking daily of cool and fragrant wine brought by Yavanas in their good ships which thy handmaids who wear shining bracelets on their arms, present to thee in handsome cups of gold. Thou Mara, who wieldest the conquering sabre! like the sun whose fiery rays dispell darkness and like the moon whose mild beams brighten the evening, live for ever, and be eminent amongst the kings of this earth!"

This king died at a place called Ilavanthikaip-palli and hence he was called by subsequent writers Ilavanthikaip-palli-thunjchiya-Nan-Maran or "the good Mara who died at Ilavanthikaip-palli.”