Studies in Cola History and Administration c14.83

c14.83

To follow the order adopted in the Sanskrit portion, we are told that Naraḷōkavīra set up innumerable street-lights (vīthidīpa) (st. 2; v. 1076) and made arrangements for watering the streets on festive occasions (st. 3). He created a sacred garden (nandavana) which was filled with the bustle of the gods that came to witness the dance of Śiva and in which flourished a hundred thousand areca-palms besprinkled with Ganges water scattered by the matted hair on the head of Śiva during his dance. (st. 4-5 and vv. 1089 and 1090). He erected a *maṇḍapa* near the sea and opened a broad road to it for the *tīrthayātrā* in the month of Māśi (st. 6 and v. 1091), and near that *maṇḍapa* he made a large tank of fresh water with a large banyan tree on its bank (st. 7). He constructed round the temple a great wall called Naralōkavīra (after him) from which there rose two tall towers (*gōpurayuga*) reaching out to the sky (st. 8 and 9). He whom the poets call Aruḷākara justified the name by constructing a hall with a hundred pillars where Paśupati, seeing that it was a place meet for his dance, disported himself with his beloved (st. 10, v. 1073). Round the sacred tank in the temple he built a flight of stone steps which looked like the path by which his fame descended to the nether world (st. 11, v. 1075). On either side of the golden gateway on the south (of the temple) he set up *maṅgaḷadīpas* which dispelled from his subjects the shadows of earthly life (st. 12). The priests responsible for worship in the temple were the recipients of rich endowments from him; further, he erected a fine hall for the constant recitation of the *Dēvāram* of Gñānasambanda * (st. 13, and v. 1072). He covered the great Sabhā (*mahatīm sabhām, pērambalam*) with copper (st. 14 and v. 1063). He constructed a vehicle with a bull mounted on it, and on this vehicle the god was taken in procession during *bhikṣāṭana yātras*. (st. 15). A bugle inlaid with