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tradition that Saint Tolkappiar was a son of Jamathagni in & way confirms this view. The reason for the shift of the Capital from Kapadapuram to Manavur, was that the sccond deluge swept away the part of the land up to Cape Comorin and this flood appears to have taken place early in the age of the Mahabaratha. For a better understanding of the age of Tolkappiam, it is worthwhile to briefly refer to the accounts of Saint Akattyar and Saint Tolkappiar. The life of Akattyar is being written by the disting. uished Tamil scholar Mr. M. Venkatasami Nattar, Head Tamil Pandit of SP.G. College, Trichinopoly. Here we shall attempt only a brief sketch of the identity of this Saint. There is a conflict of opinion as to whether the term Akatiyar is a Tamil or Sanskrit one. The history of the great sage lies recorded in a fragmentary fashion in several ancient books of both the languages. The author of Skandapuranam in Tamil styles bim as, 'பண்டமிழ் காமுனி' 'மூதுரைத்தமிழ் முற்றுணர் மாமுனி 'சந்த நூற்றமிழ்த் தாபதன் 'மறையொன்று தீஞ்சொத்தமிழ் மாமுனி' He also states that before the sage performed the miracle of suppressing the Vindyan range he, dried up the sea by drinking it in order to help Indra to pursue and smite his enemy who had hid himself beneath the waters. We learn from Tiruvilaiyadalpuranam that Indra approached the sage on the Pothia hills and made his request. After the levelling down of the Vindyan mountain he is said to have resided in Pothia hills before he went north to attend God Siva's marriage in the Himalayas. Thus we understand tbat as Kambar put it, the Pothia hills were his permanent abode and that he several times went north on special missions and returned south after fulfilling them. When describing, his return from the north the author of Skandapuranam does not state that he prayed to God for a knowledge of Tamil which was foreign to him. Although the author of Kanjippuranam a later work, makes mention of the Saint's prayer for efficiency in Tamil learning; he dors not say that the language was originally foreign to the dyan Tanpara to be waters the sage
