Studies in Cola History and Administration c7.118

c7.118

The account of the northern campaign that is given in the *Śilappadikāram* has been treated differently by different writers. Messrs. Kanakasabhai and Subramania Aiyar and Dr. S. K. Aiyangar are inclined to stress the fact that Karikāla was on terms of friendship with and received presents from the kings of distant countries in Northern India, and to ignore the military side of the expedition which is not less striking in the lines of *Śilappadikāram*. Mr. Kanakasabhai says:† "He is said to have been on terms of friendship with the kings of Avanti, Vajra and Magadha. Later poets in their dreamy eulogies of this great king credit him with the feat of having carried his arms up to the