1838.] Chola purva Patayam, or ancient Ckola record, 375 



letters missive addressed to the votaries of Siva and Vishnu, whether 

 in cultivated lands or wastes ; ajways excepting the Samana followers 

 of Sarvesvarer, the purport being a call to assemble at Cv.dvMuriyur, 

 in order to proceed against Salivahana. A great concourse assembled. 

 Salivahana heard of these preparations, (Here the manuscript takes a 

 retrospect in a few lines, and the passage is important.) In former days 

 Vickamaditya ruled in the country of Ayodhya, and built a large town 

 with battlements and other fortifications. When Saliva'hana Bhoja, 

 conquered Vikramaditya as he was not fit to rule in that town, he 

 constructed another town in the same country, called Bhoja raya pur am 

 where the descendants of this Salivahana Bhoja ruled during 1442 

 years*. In their time the three kings aforementioned made their pre- 

 parations which (the descendant of) Salivahana learning, consulted 

 about some place of refuge and hearing of Trichinopoly, inquired con- 

 cerning its origin and antiquity. This statement introduces the ordi- 

 nary legend about that place founded on circumstances connected with 

 the poem of the Rdmdyana. Assembling all his forces Saliva'hana 

 set out with them from. Bhoja rayapur, and overran the whole of the 

 Peninsula, until he came to Trichinopoly, of which he took possession. 

 Ascending the rock, and perceiving the strength of the place, he consi- 

 dered that no one could dispossess him of it, if he made it his citadel, 

 which greatly added to his confidence. Residing in a palace at the foot, 

 he thence administered the affairs of the kingdom. Meantime the three 

 kings continued their preparations at Cudatturiyur. Cachi Viran 

 advised to send an envoy to hear what Salivahana would say, and 

 then to levy war against him. The Cholan accordingly sent Cachi 

 Viran himself, accompanied by some troops: at an interview with 



* Thus in the sense of this author, Sa'liva'hana stands both for an indivi- 

 dual and for a dynasty, of which he was the head ; according to a custom of 

 their oriental, and even scriptural, writers, as has been fully shewn by Bishop 

 Newton in his Dissertations on the Prophecies. The tales about Vikrama'di- 

 tya make Bhoja raja his successor after some interval, in a different town, 

 and on another throne. If the Carnataca rajakal, can be safely followed the 

 town and fortress of Saliva'hana was at the modern Doivlutabad, a truly sin- 

 gular place, according to the description given of it by Captain Seely, while 

 the neighbouring sculptures at Ellore (prevailingly Jaina in fashion) sanction the 

 idea of a great power in the neighbourhood. At that place Deva giri (or Dowlut- 

 cbad) a long list of kings did reign down to Rama deva (or Ram deo), conquer- 

 ed by the Muhammadans, when the place was plundered, and the kingdom sub- 

 jugated. Hence 1 think we have some important indications to be followed out 

 in fuller conclusion. 



[The quasi interregnum of 1442 years is evidently introduced to reconcile the 

 modern with the ancient epoch of the Kali yuga. See next page. — Ed.] 



