History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c19.9

c19.9

The name of this author Perundēvanār and his work *Bhāratavenba* have been too readily identified with the author Bhāratam-pāḍiya Perundēvanār and his *Bhāratam*. The first refers himself and his work to the reign of Nandivarman of Teḷḷāru and therefore to the ninth century beyond a doubt. In regard to the other however we have neither the work nor any extracts. He is regarded as the author of the invocatory poems to the eight Śangam collections of which the Ahanānūru collection was made for Ugra-Pāṇḍya by Rudra Śarman. An ancient Pāṇḍya, anterior to the genealogical lists, is given credit for having got the Bhāratam done into Tamil in the larger Sinnamanūr plates. This achievement is put on a footing of equality with the victory at Talaiālaṅgānam and the establishment of the Śangam in Madura. In the face of these distinctive features the identifications of the two Perundēvans would be impossible and the Bhāratam of the earlier Perundēvan cannot be the veṇbā that has come down to us in part.