'^J'iiiDNVSoi^^ v/yaaAiNrtiwv" ^(?Aavaaiiiv> ^omMW -^llIBRARYd?/r. ^MEUNIVERy/A. vvlOSANCE o o \^my\^ ^OJUVJ-JO"^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ ^OF-CAilFO/?^ ^^WE UNIVERi/^ ^lOSANCE o ^AUvHsni^ "^^^AHvaan^- ^tji^dkysoi^^ AWEUNIVER5'//. vvlOSANCElfj> ^lllBRARY6k. <rii33Nvsoi^ '^/ya3AiNn3WV %ojnvojo^ .^WEUNIVER% v^lOSANCElfj> ^^;OFCAL1FO/?^ 4sS ^, <rii30Nvsoi^ %a3AiNiiawv* ^<?Aavaaii-i^ ^IIIBRARY<9^ A^^lllBRARYQ^^ ^\^EUNIVER% ^lOSANCEl U-o ^ ^«!/0JITV3JO^ ^<!/0JnV3J0^ ^OF-CAIIFO% >;,OFCAIIFOP^ ^WEUNIVER% vvlOSANCEl o '^^Aavaaii-^'^ ^bvaaii^- <rji30Nvsoi^'^ C^ V<y lONvsoi^ %a3AiNn-3UV* ^<?AJivaaii^'^ ^^AHvaaii] ^ILIBRARYQ^ -.v^lLIBRARY6k, A\\EUNIVERS/A .vWSANCEli o = ;^ \oi\mi^'^ ^<tfOdllV3-JO^ ^TiiJOKVSOl^'^ ^OF-CALfFOMi^ .-A;OFCA[IFO/?^ .^WEUNIVERS-/// O .avaaiH^ %avHani^ <rii30Nvsoi=<^ \WEUNIVER5//, ^lOSANGElfj> 5^llIBRARY6>/\ ^lUBRARY i^ o o -< ^/5a3AINn]WV^ ^(tfOdllVDJO^ %QmH ,>\^EUNIVERS//i vvlOSANCElfx^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ o tjLJ> o "^AddAINfl-dUV ^^Aav«aii-i^ LiBRARYQc. ^^•IIBRARYQ^ A\^EUNIVER5/A ^lOSANCEli OOr o ^<!/OJI7V3JO^ ^OFCAIIFO^^ ^OFCAIIFO/?^ aWEUNIVERS//, '^^AWaaiH'^ ^^Aavaaii-^^^ <r?]3ow.soi^'^ TAMIL STUDIES k \\ • MAP OF Ind|/\ W *|/ a u<-7 '^'^Ti /"**"" .h^'t^^iitu^yh ( D) \ \ TAMIL STUDIES OR ESSAYS ON THE HISTORY OF THE TAMIL PEOPLE, LANGUAGE, RELIGION AND LITERATURE BY M. SRINIVASA AIYANGAR, M.A. FIRST SERIES WITH MAP AND PLATE MADRAS AT THE GQARDIAN PRESS ' 1914 J[All rights reserved"} G. C. LOGANADHAM BROS, THE GUARDIAN PRESS, MADRAS D3 T3S7 To Tbe VConourable SIR HAROLD STUART, k.cy.o., C.s.i., i.c.s, /Aerober of Qouncil, /AadraS Tb'S 9olun)e 3s by Hind pern))SSion roost reSpectfutty Pedicatecf By ^bs ^utbor (Cs a bu")bte tribute of gratitude 2n5ien5io PREFACE A popular hand-book to the history, from original sources, of the Tamil people has been a want. In these essays an attempt has been made for the first time to put together the results of past researches, so as to present before the reader a complete bird's-eye view of the early history of Tamil culture and civilisation. The several topics have been treated from the stand- point of modern criticism, traditions and legends being discarded or utilized with great caution. They are based chiefly upon materials, which have been gathered in the course of my study of Tamil literature, ethnology and epigraphy begun while working under Sir Harold Stuart and Mr. W. Francis, both of the Indian Civil Service, in connection with the Madras Censuses of 1891 and 1901 and the revision of District Gazetteers. Some of the theories explained here might be open to corrections and altera- tions in the light of further discoveries and Vlll PREFACE investigations. Any criticism calculated to enhance the accuracy and usefulness of the book will be thankfully received. My obligations to published works especially to the contributions in the Indian Antiquary and Epigraphia Indica are extensive. A list of the English books consulted in the preparation of this work is given separately to avoid numerous foot-notes and references. My sincere thanks are due to Rao Bahadur M. Rangacharyar, M.A.^ Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology, Presidency College, Madras, for the introduction to this volume, and to Mr. P. Subba Rao, B. A., of the Madras Record Office, for valuable suggestions while revising the manuscript and correcting the proofs for the press. ———————— ENGLISH WORKS CONSULTED Bray, Denys. The Brahui Language. Buhler, Dr. Indian Palasography. Burnel], Dr. A. C.- Elements of South Indian Palaeography. On the Aindra School of Sanskrit Grammarians. Caldwell, Bishop. A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Languages. Chitty, Simon Casie. The Tamil Plutarch. Colbrooke, H. T. Miscellaneous Essays. District Gazetteers (New Edition.^ Epigraphia Indica. Farrar, Canon F.W. Language and Languages. Forbes, Capt. The Languages of Further India. Francis, W. Madras Census Report, 1901. Gesenius, Dr. Hebrew Lexicon. Grierson, Dr. The Languages of India. The Linguistic Survey of India. Gundert, Dr. H. The I\Ialayalam Grammar. Malayalam Dictionary. Hasting's Encyclopcedia of Religion and Ethics. Hovelacque, M.— The Science of Language, Hultzsch, Dr. E. — South Indian Inscriptions. Hunter, Sir W. W. Non-Aryan Languages of India, Imperial Gazetteer. Haberlandt, Dr. M. Ethnology. Imperial Gazetteer of India (New Edition). Indian Antiquary. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, London. Liddei and Scott. Greek Lexicon. Kanakasabhai, V. The Tamils 1800 years ago. Keane, A. H. Ethnology. Letourneau, C Sociology. — ————————— ENGLISH WORKS CONSULTED Macleane, Dr. Manual of Administration. Madras Christian College Magazine, The Max Muller, F. The Science of Language. M'Crindie, India &c. J. W.— Ancient Nagamiah, V. The Travancore State Manual. District Nelson, J. H. The Madura Manual. Nesfield, of Indian Castes. J. C— Theory Oppert, Dr. G. The Aboriginal Inhabitants of Bharatavarsha. Pope, Dr. G. U.— The Kural of Tiruvalluvar. The Tiruvachakam. Quatrefages, A. The Human Species. Rangacharya, M. A descriptive Catalogue of Tamil Manuscripts, Vol. I. Rhys Davids, Dr. The Buddhist India. Rice, L. The Mysore Gazetteer. Epigraphia Carnatica. Risley, Sir H. H.— The Peoples of India. Sayce, A. H. Principles of Comparative Philology. Seignohos, Ch. History of Ancient Civilisation. Seshagiri Sastri, M. Report on Sanskrit and Tamil Manuscripts, Nos. 1 and 2. Smith, Vincent A. Early History of India ; Asoka. Stuart, Sir H. A.— Madras Census Report, 1891. Taylor, Meadows. History of India. Thurston, E. The Tribes and Castes of Southern India. Tylor, E. B.— Primitive Culture. Vaidya, C. V.— The Riddle of the Ramayana. Wallace, A. R.— The Malay Archipelago. Whitney, W. D.— The Life and Growth of Language. Wijesinha, L. C. The Mahawanso. Williams, Monier, Sanskrit Dictionary. Wilson, Prof. H. H. Glossary of Indian Terras. INTRODUCTION It is with very great pleasure that I have, in compliance with the wish of the author, written this short introduction to this volume of really interesting essays on subjects relating to the history of the Tamil people and their culture and civilisation. The history of the famous inhabitants of the ancient Pandya, Chola and Chera kingdoms is in no way less edifymg or Jess valuable as a source of inspiration than the history of the inhabitants of any other part of India, which is throughout highly historic. The progress of Tamil civilisation from its primitive rude restlessness and wild aggressive valour to its ordered sense of huma- nity and exalted moral and religious aims of a later day is undoubtedly the result of the operation of various momentous influences, the chief ones among which have naturally been religious in origin and character. It is a fact well known to the students of the history of civilisation that, in some of its earlier stages of deve- lopment,nothing acts so powerfully as an advancingly ethical religion in stimulating and sustaining progress in human communities. Accordingly the virile vitality and undecaying vigour of the Tamil people, subjected to the mellowing influences of Buddhism, Jainism and earlier as well as later Brahmanisra gave rise in due time to their sweet, practical and in more than one respect heart-enthralling culture, of which the great Tamil classics, together with their noble Saiva and Vaishnava hymnology—not to XU INTRODUCTION mention their mighty and majestic God-aspiring temples—constitute even today the enduring monu- ments of beauty and glorious divine enthusiasm. To construct and to explain the history of such a people, characterised by such a noteworthy progress in civili- sation and possessed of such an enduringly valuable and edifying culture, must indeed be always fascinat- ing; and innumerable avenues of enquiry and research are certain to open out before the watchful eyes of the trained and sincerely earnest student trying to help on this work of historic up-buildingand exposition. Here in this field of research, criticism and construction, there is ample scope for ethnological, anthropological, and sociological investigations of more than one kind; there is abundant room for the work of antiquarian discovery and illumination in which all the various types of archaeologists may take part to their heart's content • and written records of various kmds are also available in quantities large enough to satisfy the hunger of many voracious enquirers after historic truth, or literary beauty or linguistic development. The field for cultivation is both wide and well endowed; but earnest and capable labourers are unhappily as yet too few. I have no doubt that these essays will act as an eye- opener to many inhabitants of the Tamil land who take a true and cultured pride in the history of their own country. I am far from saying that all the various opinions, which Mr. Srinivasa Aiyangar has expressed on so many topics in this volume, will be INTRODUCTION XIU found to be absolutely faultless and acceptable to all. It is invariably the fate of opinions, relating to the elements of what may be called constructive history, to undergo more or less rapid modifications as more and more materials become available for examina- tion and subsequent structural utilisation and employ- ment. Moreover, in dealing with problems of cons- tructive history, there arise very often peculiar tempta- tions to base conclusions on insufficieni or inaccurate data as well as to adjust the scantily available evidence to preconceived conclusions. My reading of the essays, comprised in this volume of Tamil Studies, has led me to feel that their author has earnestly end- eavoured