South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c14.s1.40.3

c14.s1.40.3

Passing the boundaries of the holy Puliyūr (Chidambaram), the residence of the Veda-chanting Brahmans against whom war is unthinkable, he delighted his eyes by the sight of the radiant form of the god with Umā in the ‘golden-hall’, refulgent with the divine dance. Laying his head in worship at the God’s glorious feet, unknown alike to the beautiful lotus-seated Brahma and of the cool-basil-garlanded Vishnu, he seated himself in the pavilion (mandapa) effulgent like the golden Mēru in the city of the gods, near the beautiful lotus-pond where the sleeping swans are awakened by the humming of the bees. There then entered the Chola king, on the assurance being given that he would be restored the crown, the garland and the fertile kingdom he had lost—the Chola king who abandoned not long before both his honour and his capital alike on the field of battle. Pushing forward his own son and stating that he was the gift of the Pāndya, the Chola threw himself at the foot of the throne of the victor, a suppliant for favour. He (the Victorious Pāṇḍya) then made a gift by pouring of water which, putting an end to all the heat in the hand of the Chola brought on by his wandering in the jungles, crowned him and offered to make over his kingdom as soon as the war in which he was engaged should be over.