[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c28.s8.t3 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t3: XXXIII. Perumukkal Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t3 - **Language:** English ### XXXIII. Perumukkal ### [c28.s8.t3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.1) 111.1 \*irācar ### [c28.s8.t3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.2) (n.) 'kings' (pl.). Cf. \*rājan\* (Skt.) 'king'. ### [c28.s8.t3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.3) A label inscription of one word engraved near the much earlier megalithic rock carvings on the wall of the cave. The engraver, apparently a casual visitor to the cave, believed that the anthropomorphic figures depicted in the rock carvings represented 'kings'. ### [c28.s8.t3.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.4) This is one of the earliest instances in the Corpus of direct borrowing from Skt., rather than through Pkt. (See Etymological Indexes in Appendices V & VI.). See section 3.3.7. ### [c28.s8.t3.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.5) Cf. LT \*irācamātēvi\* 'chief queen' (\*Maṇi.\* 21:76). ### [c28.s8.t3.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.6) Cf. (inscr.) \*irācakēcari\* (\< \*rājakēsari\*) 'title adopted alternately by the reigning Cōḻa kings' (\*SII.\* XIII: Intr. p. i). ### [c28.s8.t3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3.7) Note the addition of the prothetic vowel \*i-\* before the loanword commencing with the liquid consonant \*r-\* ## Cites (1) - [Maṇimēkalai](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sangam.five_great_epics.manimekalai.21) — Cīttalaic Cāttaṉār, Tamil --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t3) · Pramāṇa