Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/118

Rh forming sacrifices, he who controlled the god of death, he who ruled the land of the Yavana and who entered the mountains which yield gold, the hero who led a gallant army and stormed the fortress of Akappa, he who bathed in the waters of the river Ayirai and in the two seas, he who established the worship of the four Bhûtas in his capital Vanji and performed sacrifices: all these kings are dead and gone. Thou knowest also that wealth and power are not lasting, for, bust thou not seen the defeat and disgrace of the Aryan princes who scorned the Tamils? Need I say that youth is also fleeting for thy hair is turning grey?”

Dwelling on the Brahminic belief in the transmigration of souls he advised the king to perform a magnificent sacrifice called Rajasuya so that his soul may be blessed in its future births. The king acted on this advice, and preparations were immediately ordered for the performance of Rajasûya on a grand scale and for the consecration of a temple to Kannaki. The kings of Kongu and Maluva and Gajabahu of Lanka attended these ceremonies.

Chenk.kudduvan was succeeded by Chey who was surnamed Yânaik-kan or “the elephant eye.” He was a very warlike prince and constantly moved about the frontiers of his dominions harassing the neighbouring kings. It was perhaps on account of these incursions that the Pandyan king Nedunj-Cheliyan II invaded the Chera territory, and by skilful manœuvres succeeded in taking the Chera a prisoner. The latter however escaped soon afterwards and regained his power. The Chola king Râjasûyam-vedda-peru-nat-killi was also at war with Yanaik-kad-Chey: and Ther-van-malayan chief of Malâdu is said to have assisted the Chola in this war. Kuruok-koliyûr-ki1ar, a poet of his court, praises the king for having once saved the town of Vilankil from his enemies. One of the stanzas composed by the poet is as follows :—

“Thou king of the lofty Kolli hills, valiant Chèy, whose eyes are like those of the elephant! whose encampment is so extensive that it needs no sentries, and where the shouts of the soldiers who dance wildly in their drunken revels ever sound like