History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c5.15.1

c5.15.1

The accession of Nandivarman Pallavamalla to the Pallava throne and how it actually happened have alike remained a problem in Pallava history till recently. The publication of some of the Vaikuṇṭha Perumāḷ temple epigraphs¹ clears the doubt completely, though it does not altogether dispel the darkness that surrounded the actual character of his accession to power. From the epigraphs, it is clear that, when Paramēśvaravarman died, for some reason or other, the great citizens of the land had to be on the look out for a suitable successor. The position of the Pallavas at the time was far from easy. After some futile efforts they ultimately made up their minds to offer it to Hiranyavarma the collateral cousin through the younger brother of Simhavishnu; but Hiranya shrank from the responsibility as an old man and offered the chance to each one of his four sons in turn. The three elder ones refused the responsibility and the youngest of them all, Pallavamalla by name, or Paramēśvaravarman Pallavamalla, agreed to accept the responsibility with an alacrity which was disconcerting to the father’s paternal instincts. He was however allowed to succeed, and, when he reached Kanchi, he was duly installed under the title Nandivarman. Hence his full style Nandivarman Pallavamalla or Paramēśvaran Pallavamalla *alias* Nandivarman. This gives colour to some of the hymns of Tirumangai Āḻvar which celebrate the temple as Paramēśvara-Viṇṇagaram.