Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t7.6

c28.s8.t7.6

**115.2 *pāṉāṭṭu*** (P.) in the oblique case. 'of Pāṇāṟu (*pāṇ* + *nāṭu*)'. Sandhi: *ṇ* + *n* > *ṉ* (by merger). Cf. LT *palvayiṉ payaṉirai cērnta pāṉāṭṭu aṅkaṇ* 'there in Pāṇāṟu where at many places milch cows gather' (*Aka.* 155:6-7). *pāṉāṭṭu* is taken to be the sandhi of *pāṇ* + *nāṭṭu* and also interpreted as 'in the country of the *pāṇaṉ*' by R. Raghavaiyangar (1933) and by N. M. Venkataswamy Nattar and R. Venkatachalam Pillai (1949) in their editions of *Akanāṉūṟu*, even though some old manuscripts give the variant reading *pāḻ nāṭṭu* (> *pāṉāṭṭu*) 'the ruined country' which does not suit the context. (I am grateful to Dr. S. Palaniappan, Dallas, USA, for the references. I consulted the unpublished notes of U.Ve. Swaminathaiyar at the Swaminathaiyar Library. While noting the reading *pāḻ nāṭṭu* in *Aka.* 155, he has given cross-references to verses 113 and 325 referring to *pāṇaṉ nal nāṭṭu* 'in the good country of the *pāṇaṉ*'.) The present early inscriptional reference to *pāṉāṭṭu* is a valuable confirmation of the correct reading and interpretation of the expression. Cf. *pāṇa-rāṣṭra* (Skt.), an ancient territorial division (presently included in North and South Arcot Districts). Cf. (inscr.) *perum-pāṇa-p-pāṭi* 'an ancient territorial division of Toṇṭaimaṇṭalam' (*SII.* I:No. 67, Cōḻa, 11th cent. A.D.).