The Pandyan Kingdom from the Earliest Times to the Sixteenth Century c13.44

c13.44

Till recently almost the only epigraphical record which gave a hint as to the fortunes of the Ceylon troops was the Arpākkam inscription which contains a quaint account of a miracle wrought in connection with the war. 'The army of Ceylon having taken possession of the Pāndya country, drove away king Kulaśēkhara, who was in Madura and then began to fight in battle the feudatories of the great king Śrī Rājādhirājadēvā. The danger consequent upon the war spreading to the districts of Tondi and Pāśi combined with the (easy) way in which the army of Ceylon gained victories, struck terror into (the hearts of) people both in the Chola country and in other districts.' At this juncture, a certain Edirili Sōla Sāmbuvarāyan felt great anxiety for his son, who had gone to fight at the head of the Chola forces and approached a holy man Svāmidēva with the request that he should pray for divine intercession against the Ceylonese. Thereupon, His Holiness was pleased to declare: 'This, the army of Ceylon, which consists of very vicious and wicked men, removed the sacred door of the temple of the god at the holy Rāmēśvaram, obstructed the worship and carried away all the treasures of the temple. We also learn that they are all sinners against Siva. We shall make the necessary attempts for their flight and disappearance (?) after being completely defeated in battle and after being chased.' ‘ Accordingly, he was pleased to worship (Śiva) for twenty-eight days continually. Subsequently, messengers arrived from my (Śāmbuvarāyan's) son Pallavarāyar bringing a letter (to me) reporting that Jayadratha Daṇḍanāyaka and Laṅkāpura Daṇḍanāyaka and the other generals and the troops fled having been defeated.’ This is the account that is dated in the fifth year of Parakēsari Rājādhirāja and that causes some difficulty, as we have seen, in the chronology of the war. Another record in the eighth year of Rājādhirāja wherein he is given his usual title Rājakēsari (No. 433 of 1924) is more historical in that it contains nothing supernatural ; it is also more direct in its reference to the war. ‘ When the king of Ceylon (ஈழத்தரையன்) sent his army and generals to conquer and annex the Pāndya country, the Pāndya king Kulaśēkhara fled from his kingdom and sought refuge with the Chola and entreated him to recover his kingdom for him. Thereupon the latter was pleased to direct that Kulaśēkhara be reinstalled on his throne after killing the Ceylonese commander and his lieutenants who had entered the Pāndya country and nailing up their heads over the gates of Madura. In accordance with the direction of the Chola king, Kulaśēkharadēva, during his stay in the Chola country, was entertained with deserving liberality. With enough forces, funds and zeal the Pāndya country was reconquered by the Cholas, Laṅkāpuri Daṇḍanāyaka and his generals being put to death and their heads nailed on to the gateway of Madura. Arrangements were then made for the entry of Kulaśēkharadēva into Madura after taking necessary precautions against the future annexation of the Pāṇḍya country to Īlam.' It was the minister Pallavarāyar who did all this.¹