Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s7.t10: 4.6.10 An honour or title bestowed by the king

c23.s7.t10.1

A short inscription at Tirupparankunram (No. **54**, ca. 1st century B.C.) reads *mārayatu kaya[m*] 'the pool (is the gift) of the *mārāyam*'. The expression *mārayatu* (read *mārāyattu*) is the oblique form of *mārāyam* which occurs in early Tamil works with the meaning 'an honour or a title (Ta. *paṭṭam*) bestowed by the king'. In later Tamil inscriptions, the title occurs with the personal names of several types of functionaries and others, and does not appear to indicate, by itself, any specific function or duty. The term is probably derived from Pkt. *mahārāya* (<Skt. *mahārāja*).