Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s2.18

v1.c13.s2.18

These instances from the south enable us to conjecture that the Tamil people in the ages preceding those of the sons of Saṅgama, had already put into operation the main injunctions of the ancient lawgivers that justice was to be administered in proportion to the seriousness of the offence, and that the culprit was always entitled to appeal, even after having received his sentence for grave crimes. This practice of dealing with criminals prevalent in the Pāṇḍya and Chōḷa lands must have continued under the Vijayanagara rulers, who, as related elsewhere, were always guided by the pūrvada maryāde of the country in most matters connected with their domestic policy.¹