South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c14.s1.40.6

c14.s1.40.6

Having drawn his sword and killed vast multitudes so that enemy kings cried in distress, his anger did not subside; he irrigated in consequence the land of enemy kings with red-blood and sowed them with cowries, thus exhibiting his valour in full. Enemy kings thus making him hear the war songs (paraṇi) of poets, the earth cooling with the water of his bath, he took in the attack the whole body of the enemy’s women folk. He then proceeded to Muḍigoṇḍaśōlapuram, whose tall gates of entry (gōpuras) carried flags on its tops, preceded by the chief queen of the vanquished Chola and other distinguished ladies of the palace carrying ‘the eight auspicious objects’¹ beginning with the water jar. He then anointed himself hero, having planted pillars of victory in all directions. Putting on then the ‘anklet of heroes,’ the wearing of which made the chains on the ankles of the victorious weapon-wielding northern monarchs stir, he took his seat upon the jewel-bedecked throne of heroes, while the fly-whisks gently wafted on either side of him. Seated along with him was the queen Ulagamuḷuduḍaiyāḷ (the queen of the world) deferentially praised by the most esteemed ladies of the northern monarchs whose elephant hordes trumpeted like the ocean itself.