NO. 44.— 1893.] CHILAPPATIKARAM. 



81 



CHILAPPATIKARAM. 



By the Hon. P. Coomaraswamy. 



THIS poem, known as GhilappatiJcdram, is of great interest 

 to the Ceylonese— firstly, because it is the only Tamil work 

 of any antiquity that refers to Ceylon after the period of 

 Ravana ; and secondly, because it is, so far as I know, the 

 only one which records the history of Pattini, whose worship 

 is more largely prevalent in this Island than anywhere else. 



No apology is therefore needed for attempting a short 

 account of (1) the author of this work ; (2) the period at 

 which he lived ; and (3) the work itself. 



It will be remembered that Southern India was in ancient 

 times under the rule of three Tamil dynasties, known as the 

 " Cheras," " Cholas," and « Pandiyas."* 



* The whole Tamil land in those times, according- to the author of 

 Cliilappatiharam, was between the sea on the east and west, Kumari 

 (Comorin) on the south, and Tiruvenkadam on the north. 



(&)LDiflQ<siJiEJ<st—/Ei (§6m(&)i—-au.to0(r — LDemi^-essflLLQ^rEiQp p<sm ip 



The three different dynasties ruled over the following- regions, according 

 to ancient authority : — 



G<£fTiJSI<£<9k.(B. <5i—p&a»in£lQ<gB)irLDjg} Q^pdsir^Qinir Qjremu^earsfr 

 <3Lo G&iriEin-LQt—etidso Qium&Q&u\-\. 



The Chera kingdom extended on the north to Palani, on the east to 

 Tenkasi, on the south to the sea, and on the west to Kojikkudu (Calicut) ; 

 in length 80 katams. 



(2) &i—<sd Q£&(&jpQpp(3)& <SQnfrQuir(rF) Qw&Terrrfj^j (gjL-jglQn&d 



(&j<9S Q<9SITLL<Si5)L-S <£E6GilT LUITLD. (SLIt— jslGS)<3 1 <i&6$5T GJ^ffi)ll.(Bu Quemdsm 



The Cholas land was bounded on the east by the sea, on the south by 

 the river Vellaru, ever engaged in strife with its shore, on the west by 

 Koddaikkarai, and on the north by river Pennai ; in length 24 katams. 



(3) Q&Ksh-errn p/Sek Qpp&(T(& ) Qmp^u QuQfrQeiKsfilujirih Q@<srr 



<z5)&LDU^pjpi&(r<5Lc> uiTemi^L/BirLL Qi—Gddsouujgl. 



The boundaries of the Pandiyan Kingdom are, north Vellaru, west 

 Peru-veli [" great plain " ?J, south Kaimi [" virgin " = Kumari], and east 

 the sea ; in length 56 katams. 



42—93 G 



