#6B8E23 Dr.R.Nagaswamy 2013-10-14 The verse number 15, included in the Puram anthology of poems praises the Pāndya ruler Palyāgasālai Mudukudimi Peruvaḻuti by the poet Nettimaiyār. The poem has 25 lines that can be studied in three parts. The first part, from line 1 to 16 praises the king for his conquests and the destructions he caused to the enemy country. The second part deals with the innumerable Vedic sacrifices he performed as prescribed in the four Vedas in lines 17 to 22. The third which is the last part praises the king for his love of listening to the songs of praise sung the Pātini a dancer, the professional dancer. The poem is couched in a beautiful poetic format as if asking the king whether the number of opponents who came to fight with him and utterly defeated and ran for their lives was greater or the number of sacrificial posts he planted to mark the Vedic sacrifices he performed was greater? It is a poetic way of singing the both were innumerable. We may now see the first part of the poem. The king had captured the forts of enemies were earlier great chariots moved drawn by horses through the streets were now plouged with donkeys and some seeds were planted (as a mark of shame over the defeat). His enemies had fertile plouged fields that yielded paddy and other grains attracting birds which flew over them making sweet sounds were now run over by chariots drawn by high bred horses of this king. The forts were now destroyed by his tall and powerful elephants which were now bathing in their protective ponds. Enemies dared to come to fight against his forward columns of heroes wielding sharp spears and decorated shields, were totally routed and ran for their lives full of shame. Is this number of enemies who sped for their life in the battle field is greater or In the second part of the poem the poet asks the king which is greater? : - The number of sacrificial posts - yūpa sthambhas, planted to commemorate the completion of many Vedic sacrifices performed by the king, as prescribed in the four Vedas, as directed in the flawless Dharma Sastras and performed with corns and sacrificial twigs with plenty of ghee poured in the altar that caused huge smokes to raise, was greater? Evidently both the numbers of those defeated enemies and the number of sacrifices were great. Here it must be remembered according to the faith prevalent then the conquest obtained in the battle fields by the kings were also called sacrifices. Here the victory sacrifices in the battle fields and the Vedic sacrifices in the sālās are contrasted to show the king has achieved great fame by both. The professional Virali singer and dancer danced thy glory of victories beating her tannumai (mridangam drum) tied tightly with straps. This is a Vanchi song you are fond of listening, oh king, says the poets. The poem is a sterling example of the Tamil kings performing Vedic sacrifices mentioned as prescribed in four Vedas with beautiful hymns (nar panuval Nāl Vedas). Vedic sacrifices were performed by all the three crowned kings of Tamil land Cheras, Cholas and Pāndyas from the very beginning of Tamil history. Apart from the number of colophons of Puram poems refering to this Pāndya Peruvaḻuti with the epithet "pal yāgasālai Mudukudumi peru vaḻuti", his performance of Vedic sacrifice is attested by a 8th cent copper plate charter of Neduncadaiyan, in which a village Velvikudi (village of Vedic sacrifice) gifted by this Peruvaḻuti to a Brahmana is mentioned. This village was usurped by a ruler of the Kalabhras, and a descendent of the original donee appealed to the king Naduncadaiyan to restore the village to his family. The king restored the village after examining the original records. This also shows such gifts in Vedic sacrifices were duly recorded in documents for verification in times of disputes. It is known that the Vedic sacrifices that played such important roles in Tamil life were guided by the Vedic Brahmanas. So the claims of some speculators that there were no Vedic priests in sangam period is a willful distortion of fact. See Avvaiyār's praise of Vedic sacrifices in an early article in this series. Also note that Tolkāppiyam prescribes the Pārppana vāhai in his grammar.