Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/181

Rh whelmed with grief that she declined all food and died soon afterwards. The Brahmin pilgrim, Mâdalan, conveyed the news to Pukar on his way to his native village. Kovilan’s father was so shocked with the tragic fate of his son that he renounced the world and took the vow of a Buddhist monk; and his mother died broken-hearted. Kannaki’s father gave away all his property in charity and joined the ranks of Ajivaka ascetics: and her mother died of grief. The actress Mâthavi, who heard of these events, vowed that she would lead a religious life, and devoted her daughter Manimekalai also to the life of a Buddhist nun.

From that memorable day on which Kovilan was beheaded, there was no rain in the Pandyan kingdom; and famine, fever and small-pox smote the people sorely. Verri-vel-Cheliya, who held his court at Korkai, believing that these misfortunes were brought on by the curse of Kannaki, sacrificed one thousand goldsmiths at her altar and performed festivals in her honor. Copious showers of rain then fell and famine and pestilence disappeared from the kingdom. Kosar, king of Kongu, Gajabâhu, king of Lanka, and Perunk-killi, the Chola, erected temples and performed festivals in her honor, and their kingdoms were blest with never-failing rain and abundant crops.

The Chera king Chenkudduvan conducted an expedition personally to the banks of the Ganges, and with the help of the Karnas, kings of Magadha, obtained stone from the Himalayas, bathed it in the Ganges and brought it to his capital Vanji, where it was fashioned into a beautiful image of Kannaki. He consecrated the image with grand ceremony in the presence of the kings of Kongu, and Malava and of Gajabahu, king of Lanka.

In conclusion the author points the moral of the tale that the laws of morality are inexorable: no prayer, no sacrifice, can atone for our sins: we must ourselves suffer the reaction of our deeds. “Beware, therefore, ye people of this world! youth and riches and our life are fleeting. Waste not your days: but take heed in time, and acquire the merit of good deeds, which alone will help you in your future life! “