178 Analysis of the Mackenzie Manuscripts. [March, 



in bodily strength. The Pandiya king then ruled the Chola-mandalam ; 

 but, wishing to place over it a viceroy, he made public proclamation in 

 order to meet with a suitable person. A great concourse of claimants 

 assembled. The Pdndiyan then put a golden pot containing water on 

 the head of an elephant, and a wreath of flowers in its trunk, announcing 

 that the person on whom the elephant should place the wreath, and 

 anoint by pouring on him the water would be regarded as chosen, and to 

 that person the king would give his own daughter in marriage. The 

 elephant being let loose, avoided all the people in the town, and going- 

 direct to the aforesaid brahman's house, there selected the youth by 

 depositing the wreath on his head, and pouring the water over him» 

 The young man was as strong as ten elephants, but in order to diminish 

 his strength the brahman rubbed the sole of one of his feet with char- 

 coal, and thereby took away the strength of nine elephants, leaving him 

 only as strong as one elephant. He was subsequently installed at 

 Combaconum ; and had the name of Cari Cala Cholan given him to 

 commemorate the rubbing of charcoal f cari J on his foot. But the 

 king's daughter was not given him. He strengthened and enlarged his 

 capital town. The young man learning from his mother that his father 

 was before him king of the Chola country, that his father had feared 

 to encounter the Pdndiya king, and had died during the disturbance 

 that had arisen ; resolved on vindicating his own, and his father's right : 

 and, assembling an army, set out to make war on the Pandiya king % 

 The army is stated at 250,000 cavalry, under commanders whose names 

 are given, who approached the Vaigai river. The Pdndiyan alarmed, 

 brought to him treasure and jewels, and after much nattering homage, 

 embraced him, and conducting him to his palace seated him, on terms 

 of equality, on half of his throne, and married him to his daughter Sid'- 

 he'svari, after which Cari Cala Cholan returned to Combaconum, 

 where there were great rejoicings. He allowed the cultivators three 

 parts of the produce, and took one-fourth (the ordinary rate used to be 

 one-sixth), with which revenue he built and repaired many sacred 

 edifices, gave large donations to brahmans, heard many religious stories 

 recited, and was a firm votary of Siva. In order to see if his people 

 were firm in that way, and with a view to discover and rectify evils, he 

 was accustomed to go out in disguise, covered with a common dark- 

 coloured hair blanket, during the night. Out of this custom arose the 

 following circumstances. 



There was an aged brahman who, as the result of long penance, had a 

 son born to him, who when grown up was married, and the old man 

 died, but not before having charged his son to carry his bones to Cdsi y 





