A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c13.23

c13.23

The death of Parameśvaravarman led to a crisis in the kingdom. There was no one to succeed him in the direct line and the officials of the capital acting with the ghaṭikā (college of learned brahmins) and the people chose a prince from a collateral branch, Nandivarman II, the son of Hiraṇyavarman. This becomes clear from the labels beneath the sculptured panels in the Vaikuntha Perumāl temple which narrate the history of the Pallavas from their legendary origin to the accession of Nandivarman. They base the choice of Nandivarman on the fact of his being of pure descent both on the father’s and mother’s side. There were apparently other princes of sorts ready to contest Nandivarman’s accession. One of them apparently lost his life opposing Nandivarman’s entry into Kāñchi, while another Chitramāya, as seen from other inscriptions, gained some support not only within the kingdom, but of the Pāndya ruler as well.