Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c23.s7.t8.4

c23.s7.t8.4

The expression *kaṇatikaṉ* is construed as *kaṇa* 'scribe' + *atikaṉ* 'chief' and interpreted as the 'chief of scribes'. In Sinhala-Brāhmī inscriptions, the term *kaṇa* (<Skt. *karaṇa*) 'scribe' occurs in the same sense as *gaṇaka* 'accountant', and the duties of both functionaries appear to be more or less similar.¹ This was also the case in the Tamil country where the terms *karaṇam*/*karṇam* and *kaṇakkaṉ* were synonymous and meant 'village or temple accountant'.