Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t12.6

c28.s8.t12.6

**a. *ēl*-** (attribute) 'elevated, high' from *eḻu* (v.) 'to rise'. Cf. *eḻucci* (n.) 'elevation'; Ka. *ēl* 'to rise' (D. 851a); *eḻucci* 'to rise' (*Piṅkala.* 2187). However, according to tradition, Ēḻūr was the headquarters of seven *nāṭus* (regions). In this case, *ēl* is to be interpreted as the bound form of the numeral *ēḻu* 'seven' (D. 910).