War in Ancient India c12.112

c12.112

The same picture presents itself in the Tamil classics. We have already drawn attention to the chapters in the *Tirukkural* dealing with this subject. In the *Tolkāppiyam* (ascribed to about the fourth century B.C.) it is noticed that spies of different descriptions went about the enemy's camp and country to gather information in regard to the movements of the king and his army and faithfully report them to their headquarters.⁷⁰ Before the preliminaries of war were settled, it was the custom to send ambassadors to the enemy. It was said that when Senguṭṭuvan prepared himself for his northern expedition, the many spies of his enemies wandering in his State were sure to take the information much more quickly and promptly than his ambassadors.⁷¹ This shows that as in north Indian administration, so also in south India the institution of spies formed an inseparable feature.