1847.] 



on Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



153 



the different tribes of Brahmans and of tribes only a little inferior; the 

 offspring of Brahmans and the higher castes. Most of these distinc- 

 tions have been before fully abstracted, or attended to, from preceding 

 documents. In the other section servile tribes are enumerated. 



Not less than two hundred distinctions of tribes, and names, are spe- 

 cified. 



8. Manuscript Book. No. 60, C. M. 

 Ancient inscriptions in the Malayalam country. 



One or two relate merely to the building of a fane, by the sons of a 

 Brahman. One follows, which dates the reign of Vara-Kara Pandu/an 

 in Sal. Sac. 1377. (A. D. 1455.) Another is S. S. 1468, a gift by Vara- 

 guna Pandiyan to the shrine of Crishna. A gift by Adi-vira-Pandyan 

 has merely the ISth year of his reign. One inscription is dated in the 

 42d year of the Collam era, commemorating repairs of a fane by a private 

 individual. Some details are given as to Bhagavati, a local goddess, with 

 reference to a passage-boat, heretofore abstracted from another book. 

 Another legend is contained as to blood drawn by whetting a sword on a 

 stone; over which stone a shrine was afterwards built, and it was worship- 

 ped as divine. Notices of the Congani, who immigrated hither from Cow- 

 can near Goa. Mention of donations by Kula Sec'hara Perumal, to a 

 shrine of Crishna. Details of a local goddess, with lists of expenses at 

 festivals. Some reference to Mar Thomas, who by sanction of Cheruman 

 Perumal^ taught religion. Then a reference to Rama-raja^ and gifts re- 

 ceived from the Cochin-raja, 



A return to the reign of Vara-guna Pandiyan^ dated in 8al. Sac. 14G7. 

 (A. D. 1545.) Vira Paracrama Pandiyan is placed in S. S. 1470, a gift 

 of land was made by him. The name of Simdara Pandiyan also occurs. 

 (From the dates I think these must be the illegitimate sons of the Pan- 

 diyaji ; referred to in accounts of that period.) 



Eemark. — There appears to be nothing in this book of higher date 

 than the middle of the 15th Century; and these dates are not appa- 

 rently of consequence. If I could suppose that these Pandiya7is were 

 those of like names who figure in the history of the Madura kingdom, the 

 case would be otherwise. The book is in tolerable preservation; and 

 there is nothing claiming restoration. 



9. Manuscript Book. No. 23, C. M. 195. 

 Sivajiryana Sactiyar urai, a moral work. 



The instructions given, are stated to be from Siva to Nandi. The 

 poetical original is accompanied by a prose explanation termed urai. The 

 subject is the Tatva system, delivered in Sanscrit; and translated into 

 Tamil, by Mekanda-devan of Venne-nellur. The five elementary principles 

 in the human body, their combinations and effects are stated. The men- 

 tal faculties acquire strength, with the growth of the body, and decay as 

 it decays. 



V 



