பக்கம்:முத்தொள்ளாயிர விளக்கம்.pdf/19

yi verses, sacrificing profundity of wisdom and meaning t the altar of Mānai (alliteration) and Etukai (rhyme). The genuine រាឆ្នា of the classical style can be easily identified in very One of the verses. On grounds of close literary identity with the works of the last Cañkam the work has to be assigned to a pre-Pallavan period. It is to be noted that there is no reference to any Pallavan in the work, Let us take the other pieces of internai evidence into consideration. The work is designed as an exposition of Akam and Puram motifs within a series of panegyrics on the three crowned heads of the Tamil country. It was only in the pre-Pallavan age, particularly in the age of the iast Cafikam, that the three dominions existed side by side as three jewels on the ornament of Tamilakam. The early literature very often refers to the three crowned heads together, in fact to the extent of its becoming a by-word 'Mutiyutai múventar’. It was a unique political co-existence in which even if there were political differences, certain objections became the common objectives of all the monarchies. Tamii poets had some kind of a diplomatic immunity in exercise of which they moved from kingdom to kingdom seeking royal patronage. Even during times of war, this immunity was not in any way affected. If anything, it enabled them to assume the role of emissaries of peace. The three crowned heads in combination had been the theme of Inany verses of the Cankarn age. It was not improper for a poet to owe allegiance and express gratitude to all the three monarchs, whatever was his nationality in the modern sense. The Muttoliayiram is perhaps the single longest of the works dedicated to the three crowned heads on the basis of equal respect and regard for each; obviously the author must have enjoyed the patronage of the three rulers. The political trinity of the Tamil country ceased to exist in that situation of glorious co-existence after the Pallavan rule had been established. The “trinity” concept in Tamil politics was very much more than the mere accident of three different dynasties sitting