Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/61

Rh Metropolis of the Nagas and the Naga-nadu. It appears therefore that within the recollection of the Tamil people who lived eighteen hundred years ago, there was no kingdom older than that of the Nagas. Kaviripaddinam itself is said to have been an ancient seat of the Nagas who had "curved red lips, large bright teeth, a voice like thunder, who delighted in doing mischief and were always armed with the noose.” Another poet describes the contest of two Naga kings for the sacred-seat of Buddha as follows :— “In the nether regions, two kings who ruled the Naga country contended for the seat, but neither was able to lift it off the ground; loath to give it up, with eyes all aflame and breathing fury, they led their great armies and fought a bloody battle. The great teacher (Buddha) then appeared before them and said ‘cease your strife, this seat is mine’; then he sat upon it and preached the law.” The same poet states that the island of Manippallavam where the sacred seat was placed, was situated at a distance of 30 yojanas south of Kaviripaddinam. He refers also to a town in Gandhara in Northern India, which in consequence of an earthquake “sank a distance of 400 yojanas to Naga-nadu.” From these allusions it is evident that the Tamil poets of this period had a very hazy idea of the ancient Nagas and their country. They believed, in fact, that the Nagas inhabited Pâthâla or the lower world, far below the surface of the earth. Of contemporary Naga tribes and kingdoms they give a more satisfactory account. The first meeting of the Chola king Killi-Valavan and a Naga princess is thus described :-— “One pleasant summer day when Killi who wears the long crown studded with sparkling gems, sought the shade of a green wood, he found a lovely damsel all alone in a bower which was fragrant with sweet-scented flowers. Wondering who