The Colas c11.71

c11.71

Vēr-pahraḍakkai-peru-viṟar (nar)k-kiḷḷi is the name of another Cōḷa prince celebrated by Paraṇar and Kaḻāttalaiyār, of the age of Karikāla and his father. Three poems⁸⁸ in the *Puṟanānūṟu* describe the sad fate of this prince and his Cēra opponent Kuḍakkō Neḍuñjēral-Ādan, both of whom fell on the field of battle. Another prince with a strongly marked individuality was Pōrvaik-kōpperunaṟk-kiḷḷi who figures in half a dozen compositions, three of which are short lyrics composed by Nakkaṇṇai,⁸⁹ a lady who appears to have loved this erratic prince with a real passion. Śāttandaiyār, the poet of the remaining three pieces,⁹⁰ celebrates the prince's power as a pugilist and his quickness in taking cities. He also suggests that no love was lost between him and Tittan, who is said to have been his father, and who figures in several poems⁹¹ in the anthologies as a celebrated king of Uṟaiyūr. Tittan once forced the chieftain Kaṭṭi and his companion Pāṇan to fall back in disorder after a hasty advance on Uṟaiyūr.⁹² As this incident is recorded by Paraṇar, Tittan and his eccentric son must have preceded Karikāla. Tittan had also a daughter Aiyai.⁹³ Sōlan Nalluruttiran and Nambi Neḍuñjeḷiyan are represented each by a single poem. The former was a poet himself, and in fact we have no knowledge of him except as an author. A whole section on *Mullai*, comprising seventeen songs in the anthology called *Kalittogai*, is said to be his work, and in a short poem in the *Puṟanānūṟu*⁹⁴ he sings his ideal of a felicitous life: to shun misers and seek the company of strong and noble friends. Nambi Neḍuñjeḻiyan forms the subject of a fine eulogium⁹⁵ from Pēreyil Muṟuvalār (the Laughing Man of the Big Fortress), a poem, remarkable for its fine array of short sentences and its vivid portraits.