Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c7.s1.52

v1.c7.s1.52

A more detailed account of the deplorable state into which Madura fell is given by the strange woman who presented Kumāra Kampaṇa, the eldest son of Bukka, with the divine sword which had been the heir loom in the royal Pāṇḍyan family. We have to read the remarkable poem *Madhurāvijayam* written by Kumāra Kampaṇa's talented queen, Gaṅgādēvī, for an account of this. The hero Kumāra Kampaṇa was one day accosted in the following strange manner by an unknown lady: "O King! The place now known as Vyāghrapuri (Chidambaram, Perumparrapuliyūr) has become truly so, for tigers inhabit it now where men once dwelt; the vimāna (the dome of the central shrine) of Srirangam is so dilapidated that now it is the hood of the Ādiśēsha alone that is protecting the image of Ranganātha from the falling debris. The Lord of Gajāraṇya (Tiruvānikkā, Jambukēśvaram near Srirangam), who once killed an elephant to obtain its skin for its garment, has now again been reduced to this condition, because he is stripped bare of all the clothing; while the garbha griha (central shrine) of many another temple is crumbling, its maṇḍapa over-grown with vegetation and the wooden doors of the temple eaten up by white ants. Where there resounded once the joyous music of the mṛidaṅgam (a kind of drum), there is heard at present the howl of the jackal that has made it its abode. The river Kāvēri, that was curbed by proper dams and flowed in regular channels, has begun to run in all directions. In the agrahāras where the smoke issuing from the fire offerings (yāgadhūma) was largely visible and in which the chant of the Vēdas was everywhere audible, we have now the offensive smelling smoke issuing from the roasting of flesh by the Muhammadans and the harsh voice of these ruffians alone is heard there. The beautiful cocoanut trees which were gracing the gardens surrounding the city of Madura have been cut down by these intruders, and in place of these, we see plenty of śūlas (iron tridents set before some minor local deities) with garlands made by stringing human heads together, resembling and recalling in a remote manner the cocoanut trees. The water of the river Tāmbraparṇi which used to be rendered white by the sandal-paste rubbed away from the breasts of youthful maidens who were bathing in it is now flowing red with the blood of cows slaughtered by these giant sinners. . . . O Sovereign! Once upon a time the divine Viśvakarma, gathering the splinters from the weapons of all the Dēvas and melting them together, shaped this strange sword and presented it to Paramēśvara for gaining victory over the daityas. By performing a severe penance, one of the Pāṇḍya kings obtained it from the Lord Paramēśvara. With the help of this divine sword the descendants of his race continued to rule the kingdom prosperously for a very long period; but by a misfortune, the princes of the Pāṇḍya dynasty lost the virility of their sires. Agastya, having secured this remarkable sword, presents this now to you. By wielding this weapon, you will attain unabating vigour and the weapons of the enemy will become powerless against you. Just as Kṛiṣhṇa slew Kaṁsa in Madhurā in olden times, O King! do you proceed now to the southern Madhura, and slaughter the Mussulman king, the enemy of the world, and set up several pillars of victory on the bridge of Rāma (between the mainland and the island of Rāmēśvaram). Then, during your administration of the south, you shall also build a strong dam across the Kāvēri, and make her flow in a manner useful to the agricultural population.'"