War in Ancient India c15.39

c15.39

The vīrakkal is mentioned largely in epigraphy and is found throughout the districts of Anantapur, Cuddapah, Nilgiris, Coorg, etc.¹⁰ From the earliest extant Tamil literature, Tolkāppiyam, it appears there was a regular ceremonial attending the planting of the hero stone. Any stone and every stone was not to be used. Only stones appropriate for the occasion were selected. Then an auspicious hour was fixed to carve out an image and also the inscription thereon. The next stage was to get the stone bathed in sacred waters, being a purificatory ceremony. Then came the pleasant function of planting it at the suitable place already fixed. The last was to celebrate it as a deity, sometimes enclosing it in a building.