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



one known as Ettuttokai,*' or "the Eight Anthologies," 

 whereof Purandnuru is one. An ancient stanza, quoted 

 both by Mr. Tamotarampillai and Mr. Swaminatha Iyer,f 

 gives the names of the "eight anthologies," namely, 

 Nattrinai, Kuruntokai, Ainkurunuru, Padittuppattu, 

 Paripadal, Kalittokai, Akanaiiuru, and Purananuru. Of these 

 only two have yet been printed : Kalittokai in 1887 and 

 Purananuru in 1894. 



The Purandnuru^ is cited by the great Tamil commentator 

 Nachchinarkkiniyar in several of his commentaries. In the 

 commentaryon Tolkdppiyam he cites it very often. Nachchi- 

 narkkiniyar, according to the author of the Tamil Plutarch, 

 lived prior to the tenth century. Mr. Tamotarampillai, to 

 my thinking, more correctly places him before the eighth 

 century. Parimelalakar, the commentator of the Rural and 

 a contemporary of Nachchinarkkiniyar, also cites the Purana- 

 nuru, and so does Adiyarkkunallar in his commentary on 

 Chilappatikaram. Swaminatha Iyer believes that Adiyark- 

 kunallar lived prior to Nachchinarkkiniyar, but this is open 

 to doubt. 



Therefore the tradition that this collection Purandnuru 

 was made by the Sangam of Madura is well founded. 



A series of short Papers under the heading "Gleanings from 

 Ancient Tamil Literature," which I shall from time to time 

 contribute, will, I venture to think, convince the reader that 

 all the poets and princes mentioned in the Purandnuru 

 flourished before the end of the second century of the 

 Christian era. The proposed Papers will also give an 

 account of whatever is known of the lives of some of these 

 poets and their patrons. 



* Cf. Kalittokai, p. 16, preface, for the names of all the collections. 



f Mr. C. W, Tamotarampillai, b.a., b.l., Tamil examiner for the 

 University of Madras, and editor of ; ' Tolkapiyam," " Kalittokai," &c. Mr. 

 Swaminatha Iyer, Tamil Pandit at Kumbhakonam College, editor of 

 " Purananuru," " Chintamani," &c. 



% Cf. Asiriyappa mentioned in p. 18, footnote, which also gives Purana- 

 nuru as one of the collections made by the last Sangam. 



