Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/114

Rh the tiger and the fish, and the fame of thy victory has spread through the world. My eyes shall never forget thy victorious march against the combined armies of the Konkanas, Kalingas, Karunadas, Pankalas, Gangas, Kattiyas, and the northern Aryas, when thy queen-mother bathed in the sacred stream of the Ganges. If it is thy desire to march to the Himalayas to obtain stone for carving the image of a goddess, it is well that written messages be sent to the kings of the north intimating the fact.” Then the prince of Alumbil spoke out as follows :—

“The envoys of foreign kings reside outside the gates of Vani and through them those kings may learn the purpose of our march. It is enough to proclaim our journey by beat of drums in our capital.”

The king and his party returned soon after to Vanji and under his command, the king’s intention to proceed to the banks of the Ganges was proclaimed by beat of drums which were carried throughout the town on the royal elephant. When the king entered the audience hall and took his seat which was supported by figures of lions, the high-priest, the chief astrologer, the great ministers of state and the generals of his army who had assembled to receive him exclaimed “Long live king of kings” and prayed for his orders regarding the expedition. Looking at the generals and gallant officers of his army the martial king responded :—

“Pilgrims from the Himalayas have informed us that the princes of the north had sneerd at the Tamil kings ; and we shall not therefore return from his expedition without defeating those kings and compelling them to carry on their heads stone from the Himalayas for fashioning the statue of a goddess.”

The high-priest then addressed the king :—

“Appease thy wrath Imaya-varmma, it cannot be thee, of whom the northern kings spoke contemptuously. Is there any king in this country who can face thee in the battle-field except the Pandya and Chola? Art thou not the refuge of every one who flies to thee for assistance?”

Then the chief astrologer learned in the science, which treats of the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the position of