Dr.R.Nagaswamy
#708090
Pandya Arikesari and Pandikkovai
K.V. Subramaniya Ayyar, with a characteristic insight, first suggested (1. Historical sketches of Ancient Deccan Vol. I pp. 123-5) the identity of Arikesari Asamasaman Maravarman of the copper plate charters with the hero of the Tamil text "Pandikkovai" which appears in the commentary on Iraiyanar Ahapporul. But Professor K. A. Nilakanta Sastri states (2. K. A. N. Sastri - Pandyan Kingdom, page 54) that there seems to be no ground for accepting the identification of this king (Arikesari of the Velvikkudi grant) with the hero celebrated in the commentary to the Iraiyanar Ahapporul. An attempt is made in this papear to re-examine the identity of this king.
Arikesari Parankusa Maravarman was mainly responsible for the expansion of the first Pandya empire and arresting the southward expansion of the Pallavas. The copper plate charters from Velvikkudi and Sinnamanur are the main epigraphical sources for his exploits.
According to the Velvikkudi grant, Arikesari, who also had the titles Asamasaman and Maravarman, was the son of Sendan. He won battles at Pali, Sennilam and Puliyur and subdued the Paravas and the chief of Kurunadu. A veiled reference is found to a conquest across the sea (Ceylon). His notable victory was against Vilveli at a place called Nelveli. Arikesari performed the Hiranyagarbha sacrifice and the Tulabhara ceremony. (3. Velvikkudi grant Lines 12 to 16)
The smaller Sinnamanur plates give him the same names as Arikesari, Asamasaman and Maravarman but does not list his conquests. They say that he prformed the Tulabhara and the Gosahasra ceremonies by gifting a number of "gurudanas" to commemorate its commencement. (1. Lines 14-23) This charter also states that he performed the Hiranyagarbha, sacrifice twice. The larger Sinnamanur plates call him Arikesari and Parankusa. Two of his victories, a conquest over Villava at Nelveli and a battle against a Pallava at Sankaramangai, are recorded in the charter. According to the Velvikkudi grant mentioned earlier, Arikesari defeated Vilveli at Nelveli. This grant makes it clear that Vilveli was none other than Villavan, the Chera, who was defeated at Nelveli. (2. Lines 104-106)
At this stage we may discuss the Tamil literary work called Pandikkovai Originally a few stanzas were recognised in the commentary of Iraiyanar Ahapporul, but later about three hundred and fifty verses have been collected from various commentaries that now from the work Pandikkovai. The name, Pandikkovai, was restored from a work, Kalaviyar Karigai, edited by S. Vaiyapuri Pillai. It is likely that the original work carried more verses.
The Pandikkovai deals with the exploits of a Pandya ruler, Arikesari. Some of the mythical exploits of the Pandya, mentioned in their copper plate charters such as the breaking of a ring on the crown of Indra, the chasing away of the ocean, the learning of Tamil under Saint Agastya etc., are repeated in this work. These mythical exploits apart, the work presents a unitary theme of praising the king's valour and his various victories. It gives both the Tamil and Sanskrit titles assumed by Arikesari. Thus he is called Nedumaran, Puliyan, Minavan, Neriyan, Vanavan, Maran etc., in Tamil and Arikesari, Parankusa, Vicari, Atisaya, Ranodaya and Ranantaka in Sanskrit. Apart from his fish standard, he is said to have possessed a flag with the figure of thunder drawn on it (v. 349). He is also said to have marked on the Meru mountain his "fish and tiger on bow" crest.
No less than 34 victories are attributed to this king. Each stanza mentions one or other battlefield where he distinguished himself. From this work it is seen that his first fight (Kannivahai) was at Arrukkudi (v. 282), where he defeated the Chera. It is also seen that nearly 15 battles were with the Cheras. In the northern front, Uraiyur and Vallam of the Chola were captured. Arikesari led a successful expedition to Ceylon. The Venadu ruler was overthrown. At a place called Venmattu he is said to have defeated two kings. Probably these two rulers were the Chera and the Venadu ruler who aided him. A part of Kongu and northern Kolli were also brought under his rule.
Among the places where he won victories over the Cheras were Pulantai, Vilinjam, Kadaiyal, Kottaru, Arrukkudi, Naraiyaru, Kulantai, Vanji, Vattaru,and Irunjirai. He is said to have won a battle at Sangamangai, but the enemy is not mentioned. Besides these, the following battles where he was victorious needs special mention; Pali, Sennilam, Nelveli and Pulippai, Conquests of Pali, Sennilam and Nelveli are attributed to Arikesari Parankusa in the Velvikkudi grant. Pulippai is probably identical with the Puliyur mentioned in the Velvikkudi grant, where Arikesari gained a victory. Sangamangai is probably identical with the Sankaramangai of the larger Sinnamanur plates, where Arikesari defeated a Pallava.
Of the battlefields mentioned in Pandikkovai, five are repeated for Arikesari in epigraphical records. The Pandikkovai specially mentions that a number of battles he won were against the Cheras. The Velvikkudi grant states that Arikesari defeated the Chera in a number battles. Since Vilinjam is mentioned in Pandikkovai as one of the battles won by the hero, Prof. Sastri holds that the identification is impossible to sustain, for according to him, Vilinjam is heard in epigraphy only late in the eighth century A.D. Vilinjam was conquered, (by a number of kings,) not only in the eighth century A.D. but also later which proves its importance as a strategic centre. The Pandikkovai (v. 32) refers to it as a seaport. There is nothing to prove that Vilinjam rose to prominence only in the eighth century. It should have been a place of considerable importance much earlier. Nor does the view of the learned Professor that "it is quite possible that a rhetorical work like this took for its hero, a saintly king of legendary fame and attributed to him all the achievements of the Pandyan line of kings that the author could think of in his day" (pp. 55 fn.) seem to us acceptable. None of the important exploits attributed in the copper plates either to the predecessors or successors of Arikesari Parankusa are mentioned in the 350 verses of Pandikkovai.
K. V. Subramaniya Ayyar has attributed the titles Arikesari and Parankusa to two kings, to Arikesari Asamasaman of the Velvikkudi grant and his grandson, Maravarman, familiarly known as Termaran. Other writers, (but not Prof. K. A. Nilakanta Sastri) including the editors of the recent book "Thirty Pandya Copper plates" have followed his suggestion. The copper plates give the titles Arikesari and Parankusa only to Maravarman, son of Sendan and to none else. Thus there is only one Arikesari Parankusa Maravarman, known to the epigraphs. It is, therefore, clear that the Pandikkovai has as its hero the very same Arikesari Parankusa of the copper plates.
This identification raises some interesting problems. From the Dalavaypuram plates of Parantaka Viranarayana, scholars are now inclined to believe that the Saivite saint, Manickavacaka, was a contemporary of Varaguna II. The Tirukkovaiyar of the Saivite saint is the best "kovai" work in Tamil, but the Pandikkovai would be the earliest "kovai" so far known.