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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIV. 



in Sinhalese, the Kavsilumina, was the work of King Pandita 

 Parakrama Bahu, and coming to a more modern period one is reminded 

 of the Buddhistic legendary poem, the Asadrisa Jdtaka, from the pen 

 of King Rajadi Rajasinha of Kandy. 



Mr. Coomaraswamy in reply said : — It must be borne in mind that in 

 giving an account of the Sangam from ancient Tamil works, I do not 

 commit myself to any opinion with regard to it except as to the time 

 when it ceased to exist, which I believe to be about the first century of 

 the Christian era. There can be no doubt that Tolkdppiyam is very old, 

 but I cannot agree with Mr. Senathi Raja that it is modelled after 

 any Sanskrit grammar. I believe it to be quite independent of 

 Sanskrit, and that it is based on a purely Tamil system as it existed 

 in previous treatises which are not extant now. 



The present occasion is not the time to discuss the age of Jnana 

 Sambandha. I would refer those who take an interest in the matter 

 to the essay on the subject by Mr. Sundaram Pillai, a copy of which 

 is in our Library. 



I agree with Mr. Senathi Raja that an English translation of the 

 Tamil works referred to in my Paper just read would be very 

 interesting, but such an undertaking is quite unnecessary for the 

 purposes of my Paper. I have merely to cite— as I have cited — my 

 authority, and readers can easily verify them. 



Dr. W. G. Vandort regretted his ignorance of Tamil literature pre- 

 vented him from making any observations on the Paper which would be 

 acceptable to the Society; but referring to the remarks of the previous 

 speaker, who claimed for the antiquity of Tamil poetic literature 

 evidence of a superior character, he trusted that such evidence would 

 be found of a more reliable kind than that adduced that evening by 

 the Hon. Mr. Coomaraswamy in support of the three Sangams. For 

 instance, the extraordinary coincidence in point of number between 

 the poets accepted by each Sangam, and the number of years assigned 

 to the same Sangam, was suspicious, to say the least of it. Again, 

 the average period of government assigned to each of the Pandiyan 

 sovereigns, fifty years and more, was simply incredible, and savoured 

 of the usual mystic and legendary character peculiar to traditional 

 evidence. 



6. A vote of thanks was accorded to the writer of the Papers 

 (Mr. Coomaraswamy), on a motion proposed by Mr. P. Ramanathan 

 and seconded by Mr. C. M. Fernando. 



Mr. Coomaraswamy replied, acknowledging the vote of thanks. 



7. A vote of thanks to the Chair, proposed by Mr. Senathi Raja 

 and seconded by Mr. Harward, terminated the proceedings of the 

 meeting. 



