பக்கம்:தமிழியல் கட்டுரைகள்.pdf/111

104 Chola monarch. He says, “Once Tirumâvalavan felt that there was no foe on either side fit to fight with him, and thinking in his thirst for war, that there might be foes in the north, he had an auspicious day chosen for taking out his sword, umbrella and wardrum and he prayed to his guardian-deity that he might be lucky enough to find an enemy fit to encounter his broad shoulders, and advanced in that direction. Finding the great Himalayas, the residence of gods, as the barrier arresting his further progress, he retreated with pride after engraving his tiger-emblem on its rocky side. On his return, the king of the great Vacciranādu, whose sway extended as far as the roaring sea (in the east) gave him a peari canopy as a tribute while the king of Magadha, famous for his sword play and his former enemy, presented to him an audiencehall (pattimandapom). The King of Avanti gave him a friendly present of a tall and beautiful arch on the gateway.” Mention may be made here of the fact that the ancient Tamils knew, not only the physical geography but also the human geography of India. This is borne out by the typical references made about the Moriyar (Mauryas) and Nandar (Nandas) by the poets of ancient Tamil land.* That the Tamil kings had had good political allies is also borne out by references available in Cilapatikāram." VI The concept of Indian unity was not only in the mind of ancient Tamil poets, but it was deep-rooted in the customs and beliefs of the ordinary people also. We have two typical instances to quotein support of this statement, one from Cilapatikāram and the other from Mapimékalai. Ilango Atikal, while eulogising the merciful mind of Kövalan, the hero of Cilapatikāram, through Mādalan, an anthanan (Brahmin), well versed in Vedas, narrates an incident where we find Kövalan helping a Brahmin lady whose husband had left for the north to bathe in the Gañgai abandoning his wife who had caused the death of a young mongoose.” Külavānikan Céthalaicăthanār, while narrating the story of Äputhiran, a very noble character in Manimékalai, through