The Colas c11.76

c11.76

Though we have no contemporary evidence bearing on Kōccengaṇān's religious persuasion, there seems to be little reason to doubt that Tirumangai and Sambandar represent a correct tradition about him in their allusions to his religious zeal. And the probable identity of Poygaiyār of the *Kaḷavaḷi* with the Āḻvār of the same name strengthens this supposition.¹⁰⁴ Tirumangai-Āḻvār in one of his hymns on Tirunaṟaiyūr¹⁰⁵ makes the achievements of Kōccengaṇān and his worship at Tirunaṟaiyūr the refrain of his song. Here is no room for doubting that the Āḻvār was thinking of the great Cōḷa king distinguished for heroism on the field of battle as the Śaiva devotee who was reputed to have constructed seventy beautiful shrines to Śiva, besides offering worship to Viṣṇu in Tirunaṟaiyūr. His pointed mention of the elephant corps of Śengaṇān's enemy, the cavalry of Śengaṇān himself and the part it played in his wars¹⁰⁶ is an important link which establishes a connection with the *Kaḷavaḷi*, which in like manner states repeatedly that the success of the Cōḷa king against the Cēra elephants was primarily due to the infantry and cavalry in his army. Tirumangai also implies that Śengaṇān's sway extended far outside the Cōḷa country,¹⁰⁷ that he fought at Ālunda and Veṇṇi, and that he killed in fight a chieftain Viḷandai Vēḷ. In the hymns of Ñānasambandar and Sundaramūrti the great temples to Śiva at Ambar, Vaigal, and Nannilam are definitely said to have been founded by Śengaṇān. The Anbil plates¹⁰⁸ of Sundara Cōḷa state generally that Kōccegaṇān built temples to Gaurīśa all over the country, while the Tiruvālaṅgāḍu plates, as we have seen, hint at the spider story. The Anbil plates give the name of Śengaṇān's son, Nallaḍikkōn. It is not till we get to the *Periya Purāṇam* that the king gets transformed out of recognition and figures as the son of Śubhadēva and Kamalavati, and the founder of Jambukēśvara. That Śēkkiḻār's account includes the absurd story of the birth of Śengaṇān being delayed by artificial means in order to ensure its taking place at an auspicious moment, is clear proof that we have here a highly embellished account of things long since forgotten. The name Śengaṇān, his birth in the Cōḷa family and the foundation of numerous Śiva temples besides the Jambukēśvara are the only elements in Śēkkiḻār's narration which indicate the ultimate identity of the Nāyanār.