The Colas c18.s2.39

c18.s2.39

50. Dr. S. K. Aiyangar is fond of the notion that the scholarly Rājēndra, Paṇḍita-Cōḷa as he was, had his imagination fired by a study of the Cēra Śeṅguṭṭuvan's exploits as narrated in the *Śilappadikāram*. (*Gaṅgai-koṇḍa-Cōḷa* p. 548). We may wonder whether Rājēndra was such a Quixote! The poet Nārāyaṇa has made another guess (*utprēkṣā*), not less plausible, of Rājēndra's motive. And we have no record of the table-talk of Rājēndra or of his reminiscences. But is there anything calling for an explanation? The ideal of ancient Indian monarchy was *utthāna* and *vijigīṣā*; the power of a king was held to be in proportion to the extent of territory conquered and the number of victorious raids led by him into foreign territory.