South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c14.s1.50.3

c14.s1.50.3

He then entered the great temple at Chidambaram where, having worshipped at the feet of the dancing Śiva of immeasurable antiquity, he wore the garland of victory (வாகை) along with garlands of margossa brought from the groves round the temple of Kāḷi in Uraiyūr, while learned poets in sweet words sang the praises of the victorious king who adorned the royal family descended from the moon, and wished for his long life and prosperity. That great ‘Self-Luminous One’ who habitually lies in sleep upon the thousand-headed Ananta, like a big hill in the midst of the sea of high white waves, the home of the monster crocodile (makara), to the delight alike of the mind and eyes of those that saw Him, lies, in his great mercy, in the island of the great Kāvēri, Śrīrangam, as the sole God of this sea-girt earth. There, that this Śrīrangam may prosper in great wealth, he ascended the scales many times against jewels and pearls showing himself like a golden hill. In that gold-roofed temple, on a luxuriously jewelled throne, shining like the growing dawn upon the Eastern hill, he wore the gold crown ‘Nagarōdaya’, shedding glorious light like the full-grown moon.¹ Alongside of him was seated Ulagamuḷuḍaiyāḷ, who was attended on either side by the queens of other kings, wafting with the chauris (fly-whisks) the gentle breeze of the spring and the southern breeze of Malaya hill at once, while others of beautiful moon-like face and great affection sang her praise;