Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/228

Rh a long Lime a the guest of the king Chenk-kudduvan, and of his accomplished brother, Ilanko-adikal.

Ilanko-adikal (A.D. 110-140) was the second son of the Chera king, Athan, and grandson of the Chola king Karikal, by his daughter Sonai. In his youth he renounced the world and became a monk of the Nigrantha sect, under the following circumstances: He and his elder brother Chenk-kudduvan, were seated one day at the foot of their father’s throne in the audience halt at Karur, when a seer appeared before the king Cheral Athan, and after gazing for a while at the king and his two sons, declared that the younger son had all the personal marks of becoming a great monarch. Finding that Chenkkudduvan was enraged at this prediction, his younger brother immediately laid aside his princely dress and ornaments, and took the vows of a Nigrantha monk, to prevent all possibility of his succeeding to the throne. Thenceforth he resided in a temple outside the eastern gate of the city. Relieved of all the cares of royalty he appears to have employed his leisure in cultivating his taste for music and literature. Many years afterwards when the poet Cheettalaich-châttanar visited the Chera court, and recited to the prince, the epic Mani-mêkalai which he had composed, the royal monk conceived the idea of writing another epic poem to commemorate the lives of Mani-mêkala's parents, Kovilan and Kannaki. Accordingly he composed the Chilapp-athikaram, in the presence of the poet Cheettalaich-chattanar. In elegance of style, the poem approaches the Manimêka1ai: but in the varied scenes it describes, in the wealth of information it contains regarding the different classes of society, it is far more interesting to the student and the general reader. The author displays all his knowledge of the science of music and dancing: and has embellished his work with ditties of love and play and sacred hymns, in various metres. The characters of the hero and heroine are well depicted. Kovilan, the son of a wealthy merchant, is a gay and foolish young man. He is married at an early age to an amiable and virtuous girl : but being fond of music and dance he frequents the public theatres, and falls in love with the most beautiful actress of his day : lavishes all his wealth upon her: then ashamed of his conduct he flees from his native city with his young wife to Madura, where instead of