The Bhikṣuṇī Maṇimēkhalai

54 - How Far Historical in Character?
creeper toṇḍai (Indian Caper, Caphalandra Indica) tied to the ankle
he apparently brought him up as a prince, and in course of time he
grew up to be a ruler of Kāñcī. This identification rests merely upon
the probability of [20] the case and not upon the certainty of a
knowledge of established identity. But so many of the details
connected with the first story are in agreement with the other that it is
very probable that they refer to the same incident, the birth of
Toṇḍamāṉ Iḷaṁ-Tiraiyaṉ. We shall revert to the importance of this
particular point later.
So far as there are references to the Pāṇḍyan kingdom in this work,
Madura was all through the capital and is referred to as Dakṣiṇa
Madura, and the contemporary ruler is referred to as ‘Seḻiyaṉ of the
beautiful car’. The alternative capital of the Pāṇḍyas, Korkai, is also
referred to. Beyond that there is not much that is said about Madura
unless it be that the existence of a temple of the ‘goddess of Learning’
is considered of sufficient importance for the purpose.
Coming to the third capital, Vañji, of the Cēras, there is much more
said of it, than of the Pāṇḍyan country or of its capital. It is in
reference, as under the rule of Śenguṭṭuvaṉ at the time, and
Śenguṭṭuvaṉ’s extensive dominions and of his invasion of northern
India are also referred to. The other details connected with his war
across the Ganges and his enemies are also specifically mentioned
here as in other works. 15 In speaking of the battle of Kāriyāṟu
referred to before, Vañji is stated to be the place from where the
invasion started.
15 XXVI, ll. 77-90