Inscriptions of the Early Pandyas: From C. 300 B.C. to 984 A.D.

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The seal presented overleaf was used by the Pandyas on the seals soldered to the rings holding the sets of copper-plate charters issued by them. They show the tiger, the fish and the bow which are really emblems of the Chola, the Pandya and the Chera kings. It does not indicate the position regarding the supremacy of one over the other two, though it is usually interpreted to mean that, if it is also supported by any internal evidence. A legend, not shown here, is used to be written around these figures stating that the edict was issued by one of the three powers. Refer No. 90 verse 28 in text translation and note on p. 97. See also No. 61 in this case where such a statement is made in respect of the Pandyas. No. 7, Velvikudi plates of Neduncheliyan (line 67 and corresponding translation) refers to the fact of all these symbols of chilai (bow), puli (tiger) and kayal (fish) having been engraved by the Pandyas on the slopes of the Himalayas. The truth seems to be that the seal was in fact that of the three Tamil kings who are collectively referred to in the Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela as a confederacy of Tamil kings, obviously Chera, Chola, and Pandya kings. It is possible that the Tamil kings operated as one against all non-Tamil sovereigns.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR K.G. Krishnan

K.G. Krishan (born1923) is a descendant of Nilakanta Dikshita, the famous minister of Tirumalai Nayak of Madurai and a great poet. He learnt Sanskrit from his father at home and he specialized in Tamil at Annamalai University under the guidance of K. Subramania Pillai, Panditamani Kathiresan Chettiar, Dr. A.C. Chettiyar, etc. He retired in 1981 as Chief Epigraphist in the Government of India. He has presented numerous papers on various subjects besides editing two volumes in the south Indian Inscriptions Series, the annual Report on Indian Epigraphy and also six parts of one volume off Epigraphia Indica. Besides preparing the present volume of the Inscriptions of the Pandyas for the I.C.H.R., he has also edited one Memoir No. 79 Karandai Tamil Sangam Plates of Rajendra I (the biggest copper-plate of the world), for the Archaeological Survey of India and two volumes of Prakrit and Sanskrit Inscriptions, Vol. II, 257 B.C. to 320 A.D. to 600 a.D. for the Uttankita Vidya-Aranya Trust set up at the instance of the late Paramacharya of Kanchi.