Author - Virarajendra
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References to Tamil - Dynasties, Countries, in Vaalmiki Raamaayana
The "original Sanskrit Raamaayana written by Sage Vaalmiki" has many references to the Tamil Royal Dynasties and to the Tamil Countries of South India, and other geographical locations within, that were known to him during the period of composition of the great Sanskrit epic the Raamaayana. I trust same will be of much interest to the research - scholars and students of Tamil History, and append below same for their reading.
I have selected the version of "original Sanskrit Raamaayana" translated into English Prose by “.....Sri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao (Bala, Aranya and Kishkindha Kanda ) and Sri K. M. K. Murthy (Ayodhya and Yuddha Kanda) with contributions from Durga Naaga Devi and Vaasudeva Kishore (Sundara Kanda); Smt. Desiraju Kumari; Smt. K. Rajeswari......" and published in the Website having the following URL
http://www.valmikiramayan.net/kishki...a_41_frame.htm
from which the following have been extracted "with my very kind acknowlegement to the Website Owners".
Kishkindha Kanda
Verse Locator
tathaa vangaan kalingaam ca kaushikaan ca sama.ntataH |
anviikSya daNDaka araNyam sa parvata nadii guham || 4-41-11
nadiim godaavariim caiva sarvam eva anupashyata |
tathaiva aandhraan ca puNDraan ca colaan paaNDyaan keralaan || 4-41-12
11, 12. tathaa= like that; vangaan kalingaam ca=, Vanga, Kalinga [kingdoms,] also; sam antataH= verily, at its fringes; available; kaushikaan ca= Kaushika [territories,] also; you search and then; sa parvata nadii guham daNDaka araNyam = with, mountains, rivers, Dandaka, forest, caves; anviikSya= on seeing - on searching Dandaka; godaavariim nadiim caiva= Godavari, river, also, thus; tathaiva= like that; aandhraan ca= Andhra territory; puNDraan ca colaan paaNDyaan keralaan= Pundra, Chola, Paandya, Kerala [provinces]; sarvam eva= all of them; anu pashyata= closely, see - make a through search.
"Like that Vanga, Kalinga territories shall be searched along with Kaushika territories available on their fringes, then cast about the Dandaka forest all over its mountains, rivers, and its caves, then River Godavari that courses through Dandaka forest, and then the provinces of Andhra, Pundra, Chola, Paandya, Kerala are to be searched thoroughly. [4-41-11, 12]
Some other mms have Matsya desha in this verse instead of the Vanga desha. The Vanga is the present day Bengal and this territory retained its epical name, but while pronouncing it becomes banga because the Sanskrit grammar allows to pronounce or write va as ba by the rule va ba yoH abhedaH and thus it is called Baangla or Bengal as British used to call. Kaushika in some other mms is read as kaashika. Kalinga is Orissa which touches Bengal at its north, and it is the Kie-ling-kia as said by Huet Tsang.
The Andhra is the present day Andhra Pradesh and Chola is the present Tamil Nadu, especially northern area, and Pundra is roughly in between Andhra and Chola. Paandya is south-most area where in Kanyakumari district the Cape Camorin is there, and Kerala is the present Kerala state from Gokarna to Kanyakumari. Its historical name was chera raajya and in Ashoka's time, it was called Kerala putra.
Verse Locator
ayomukhaH ca ga.ntavyaH parvato dhaatu maNDitaH |
vicitra shikharaH shriimaan citra puSpita kaananaH || 4-41-13
suca.ndana vanoddesho maargitavyo mahaagiriH |
13, 14a. dhaatu maNDitaH= with ores, crowded with; vi citra shikharaH= verily, amazing, with crests; shriimaan= prosperous [mountain]; citra puSpita kaananaH = motley, flowered, with forests; such a; ayaH mukhaH parvataH= iron, mouths, mountain - a mountain having iron-ore mines in the shape of mouths, namely Mt. Malaya]; gantavyaH= reachable - you shall go to; su candana vanaat deshaH= best, sandalwood trees, with copses, places; mahaa giriH maargitavyaH = great mountain, is to be searched.
"You shall go to the prosperous Mt. Malaya which is crowded with iron-ore mines as its vast mouths, and with amazing crests and motley flowered forests. Search shall be carried out on that great mountain in the places that are with the copses of sandalwood trees. [4-41-13, 14a]
This Mountain is also called Agastyamalai and it is in Western Ghats from which River Tamraparni emerges.
Verse Locator
tataH taam aapagaam divyaam prasanna salilaashayaan || 4-41-14
tatra drakSyatha kaaveriim vihR^itaam apsaro gaNaiH |
14b, 15a. tataH= from there; divyaam= divine one; prasanna salila ashayaan= limpid, waters, receptacle of; apsaraH gaNaiH vihR^itaam = by apsara, throngs, make pleasure-trips; taam kaaveriim= her, Kaveri; aapa gaam= water, flowing [river]; tatra drakSyatha = there, you shall see.
"From there you shall go and see the divine River Kaaveri there, a receptacle of limpid waters, to where throngs of apsara-s will be making pleasure-trips. [4-41-14b, 15a]
The River Kaaveri is the best river in southern peninsula of India that flows from Braham Giri Mountains in Coorg of Western India to the East draining in Bay of Bengal and irrigating a major chunk of land. Many legends are associated with this river, of which one is that when Sage Agastya was bringing waters of River Ganga, they sprinkled from his kamandulau, the handy water-vessel, and flooded like Kaaveri. The original Tamil name is kakaviri where kaakam is 'crow...' viri 'spread out...' When Agastya is bringing water it sprinkled from his handy vessel and flooded the kaa 'the garden...' in Tamil, the garden of Indra. Then it is called kaaviri, but Shilpadikkaaram records its name as Kaaveri only pulavoy vazhi kaaveri... nadanthai vazhi kaaveri...
Verse Locator
tasya aasiinam nagasya agre malayasya mahojasam || 4-41-15
drakSyatha aaditya sa.nkaasham agastyam R^iSi sattamam |
15b, 16a. mahaa ojasam= highly resplendent [mountain]; tasya malayasya nagasya agre = of that, Mt. Malaya, mountain, on the top of it; aasiinam= who is sitting; aaditya sankaasham= Sun, in similarity; R^iSi sattamam agastyam drakSyatha= Sage, the eminent, Agastya, you shall see.
"You shall see the eminent sage Agastya, whose resplendence is akin to that of the Sun, and who will be sitting on the top of that highly resplendent Mt. Malaya. [4-41-15b, 16a]
Verse Locator
tataH tena abhyanuj~naataaH prasannena mahaatmanaa || 4-41-16
taamraparNiim graaha juSTaam tariSyatha mahaanadiim |
16b, 17a. tataH= from there; prasannena mahaa aatmanaa= when he becomes complaisant, great-soul [Agastya]; tena= by him; abhi anuj~naataaH= well permitted; graaha juSTaam taamraparNiim = capturers [crocodiles,] highly cherished by, River Taamraparni; such a; mahaa nadiim= great river; tariSyatha= you shall cross over.
"And when that great-souled Agastya complaisantly permits you, then you shall leave that mountain and cross over the great River Taamraparni, a highly cherished river of crocodiles. [4-41-16b, 17a]
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saa candana vanaiH citraiH pracChannaa dviipa vaariNii || 4-41-17
kaantaa iva yuvatii kaantam samudram avagaahate |
17b, 18a. citraiH candana vanaiH = with amazing, sandalwood trees, copses; pracChannaa dviipa vaariNii= with overlapped, islands, water; saa= she [the river]; yuvatii= a young woman [Taamraparni]; kaantaa = one who is yearning for; kaantam iva= for whom she is yearning - her love, as with; samudram= to ocean; avagaahate = [she will be] rendezvousing.
"She whose water is overlapped with amazing copses of sandalwood trees and islands that River Taamrapani will be drifting for a rendezvous with her much yearned lover, namely the ocean, as with a young woman who will be coursing to have a rendezvous with her yearned lover. [4-41-17b, 18a]
The romantic touch is that the River Taamraparni has sandalwood trees alongshore and by constant rubbing of her waters, those trees that yield sandalwood paste to her. And her island-like breasts are smeared with that sandal paste supplied by the trees alongshore, while she is nearing her husband, namely the ocean.
The name of the river Taamraparni or Tamiravarani or Taamravarni derives from the words taamra 'coppery...' varNa 'colour...' 'a river with coppery riverbanks...' where those riverbanks have light coppery sandalwood trees. And she flows from Agastyamalai in Western Ghats of India, and courses through Papanaasham, a holy place. And covering Tirunalveli it drains into Bay of Bengal at the Gulf of Mannaar. There are hosts of vainavatiruppadigal 'Vaishnavaite temples...' throughout its riverbanks and this river is held holy. There are many legends about it, of which one says that Sage Agastya led the course of this river to the ocean for twenty-seven days from its source.
Down south of the River Taamraparni it is simhala desha or senga-kia-lo the present day Sri Lanka. 'This was first made known to the European world by the expedition of Alexander, as Taprobane. The true form however would appear to be Ta'mba panni or the 'red-leaved one...' from the Sanskrit T'amparni and Ptolemy calls it Salike, corrupt from Simhalaka Abu Rihaan gives the form of Singal-dip and then the Arabic name Tilaan came and that resulted into Cylone. After a long lost time they have renamed it as per the nomenclature given in Ramayana as Lanka, but adding a Sri before it. [After Ancient Geography of India.]
Verse Locator
tato hemamayam divyam muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam || 4-41-18
yuktam kavaaTam paaNDyaanaam gataa drakSyatha vaanaraaH |
18b, 19a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tataH= from there; yuktam= joined to - braced to the wall of fortress; hemamayam divyam= full with gold, beautiful one; muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam= pearls, gemstones, decorated with; paaNDyaanaam kavaaTam= of Paandya [kingdom's,] castle-door; gataaH= having gone there; drakSyatha= you shall see; search inside that gateway.
"From there, on going to the Paandya Kingdome you shall see a fully golden castle-door bracing the compound-wall of the fortress, which is decorated with pearls and jewels, and conduct your search even in that kingdom. [4-41-18b, 19a]
Verse Locator
tataH samudram aasaadya sa.mpradhaarya artha nishcayam || 4-41-19
agastyena antare tatra saagare viniveshitaH |
citra saanu nagaH shriimaan mahendraH parvatottamaH || 4-41-20
jaata ruupamayaH shriimaan avagaaDho mahaarNavam |
19b, 20, 21a. tataH samudram aasaadya= then, [southern] ocean, on reaching; artha nishcayam sampradhaarya = purpose's, resolve, on resolving; agastyena= by Agastya; tatra= there; saagare antare vi niveshitaH= in ocean, inside, verily, penned up [one end of mountain]; citra saanu nagaH= one with marvellous, terraces, trees; shriimaan mahendraH = glorious, Mt. Mahendra; parvata uttamaH= among mountains, best one; jaataruupamayaH= completely golden; shriimaan mahaa arNavam= august [Mt. Mahendra,] into great, ocean; avagaaDhaH= will be steeping in.
"Then on reaching the southern ocean, and on taking a resolve with regard to the purpose of your task, viz., importance of the mission undertaken vis-à-vis your individual capacities to leap the ocean, you reach the glorious Mt. Mahendra. Sage Agastya once penned its one end in the ocean, and the other end is now visible. That august and best one among all mountains will be completely golden with marvellous terraces and trees, and it will be steeping into ocean on the other side of land, and this mountain becomes the jumping-off point for you vanara-s. [4-41-19b, 20, 21a]
There are three mountains in Kanyakumari district, the southern promontories of India, at the end of Western Ghats, namely Thadaka malai, Mahendra giri, Marunthuva malai, where the word malai, giri is 'mountain...' in Tamil. The Thadakamalai is held as the forest of Tataka, the demoness, and Rama is believed to have come up to this south most part of India to eliminate Tataka in his boyhood. The Mahendragiri is the mountain from which Hanuma leaps to Lanka and the river that emerges from this mountain is named after Hanuma. The Marunthuvamalai is believed to be a mound fallen from the main Himalayan mountain which Hanuma brought while bringing sanjiivini herb, to bring Lakshmana to conscious. Even now, the local people benefit from the herbs that grow on this mountain and even the bitter leaves when cooked on this mountain will turn to sweet taste. This is being the story of this end of the ocean for Herbal Mountain, on the other end in Sri Lanka also there is a similar herbal mountain called Rhumassala Kanda, in Singhalese.
Verse Locator
naanaa vidhaiH nagaiH phullaiH lataabhiH ca upashobhitam || 4-41-21
deva R^iSi yakSa pravaraiH apsarobhiH ca sevitam |
siddha caaraNa sa.nghaiH ca prakiirNam sumanoharam || 4-41-22
tam upaiti sahasraakSaH sadaa parvasu parvasu |
21b, 22, 23a. naanaa vidhaiH= numerous, sorts of; phullaiH nagaiH= with flowered, trees; lataabhiH ca upashobhitam= with climbers, also, glorified; deva R^iSi yakSa pravaraiH= by gods, sages, yaksha-s, important ones; apsarobhiH ca= by apsara-s, even; sevitam= adored; siddha caaraNa sanghaiH ca = by siddha-s, caarana, groups of, also; pra kiirNam= well, overspread; su manaH haram= truly, heart-stealing [for a look]; tam= it - to that mountain; sahasraakSaH= Thousand-eyed Indra; parvasu parvasu= on auspicious day, on auspicious day - on every auspicious day; sadaa = always - regularly; upaiti= he comes.
"Mt. Mahendra is glorified with numerous kinds of flowered trees and climbers. Important gods, sages, yaksha-s and even apsara-s will adore it, and it is overspread with the groups of siddha-s and caarana-s, and thus it will be heart-stealing for a look. And the Thousand-eyed Indra will always be visiting that Mt. Mahendra on every auspicious day. [4-41-21b, 22, 23a]
The auspicious day for Tamil almanac is no moon day amavaashya because of its neutrality from the wax and wane affects of lunar phases. So, it is believed that Indra will come to this mountain on every no-moon-day in the Indian month.
Verse Locator
dviipaH tasya apare paare shata yojana visR^itaH || 4-41-23
agamyo maanuSaiH diiptaH tam maargadhvam sama.ntataH |
23b, 24a. tasya= its - Mt. Mahendra's; apare paare= on the other, shore; shata yojana visR^itaH= hundred, yojana, in breadth; maanuSaiH= by humans; a + gamyaH = not, passable; diiptaH= a dazzling; dviipaH= island - is there; tam samantataH maargadhvam = that, till its fringes, you have to search.
"There is a dazzling island on the other side of the shore of Mt. Mahendra, which is breadthwise a hundred yojana-s, and which is an impassable one for humans, and you have to search that island up to its fringes. [4-41-23b, 24a]
This island on the other shore of the ocean is Ravana's Lanka, and it is believed to be the present day Sri Lanka. That island's association with River Taamraparni is as noted above.
Verse Locator
evam niHsa.mshayaan kR^itvaa sa.mshayaan naSTa sa.mshayaaH |
mR^igayadhvam narendrasya patniim amita ojasaH || 4-41-27
27. evam= in this way; samshayaan niH+samshayaan kR^itvaa = about doubtful [places,] without, doubt [you have to become doubtless,] on making [by thorough search]; naSTa samshayaaH= loosing, doubts [doubts when cleared]; amita ojasaH= of one with - infinite, vital power - Rama; nara indrasya patniim = people's, king's, wife - Seetha; mR^igayadhvam= shall be searched.
"In this way, you should clear your doubts about the presence of Seetha at any doubtable place by thorough searching, and you have to go on searching somewhere else for Seetha, the wife of the king of people with infinite vitality, namely Rama, only after getting rid of your doubts about her possible presence at any given place. [4-41-27]
Verse Locator
tam atikramya lakSmiivaan samudre shata yojane |
giriH puSpitako naama siddha caaraNa sevitaH || 4-41-28[/i]
28. tam= that [isle]; ati kramya= on over, stepping [crossing over]; shata yojane samudre = hundred, yojana-s, in ocean - hundred yojana-s after that island; lakSmiivaan= an august one; siddha caaraNa sevitaH= by siddha-s, caarana-s, adored; puSpitakaH naama= Pushpitaka, named; giriH= mountain; is there.
"On crossing over that isle and after a hundred yojana-s a mountain named Pushpitaka is there in that august ocean, which is adored by the celestials like siddha-s, caarana-s. [4-41-28]
Verse Locator
candra suurya a.mshu sa.nkaashaH saagara a.mbu samaashrayaH |
bhraajate vipulaiH shR^ingaiH ambaram vilikhan iva || 4-41-29
29. candra suurya amshu sankaashaH= moon's, sun's, rays, similar to; saagara ambu sam aashrayaH = in oceanic, waters, well, settled in; vipulaiH shR^ingaiH= with lofty, crests; ambaram vi likhan iva= on sky, verily, scribbling, as if; bhraajate= [that mountain] shines forth.
[i]"Well-settled in oceanic waters that Mt. Pushpitaka will be shining forth with a resplendence similar to sunrays on one side and with that of moonshine on the other, and its lofty crests will look as if they are scribbling on the sky. [4-41-29]
Verse Locator
tasya ekam kaa.ncanam shR^i.ngam sevate yam divaakaraH |
shvetam raajatam ekam ca sevate yam nishaakaraH |
na tam kR^itaghnaaH pashyanti na nR^isha.msaa na naastikaaH || 4-41-30
30. tasya= its; ekam shR^ingam kaancanam= one, summit, is golden; yam= which; divaa karaH= day-maker [Sun]; sevate = will be adoring [on his rising]; ekam shvetam raajatam ca= one, whitish, silver, also; yam= which; nishaa karaH= night-maker [Moon]; sevate = will be adoring [on his rising]; tam= it - that mountain; kR^itaghnaaH= unfaithful ones; na pashyanti= not, will be seeing; nR^ishamsaaH na = unkindly ones, no; naastikaaH na = unbelievers, no.
"One of its summit will be golden which the Sun adores, and the other will be silvery whitish which the Moon adores, and that mountain is unperceivable to the unfaithful ones, or to the unkindly ones or to unbelievers. [4-41-30]
Verse Locator
praNamya shirasaa shailam tam vimaargatha vaanaraaH |
tam atikramya durdharSam suuryavaan naama parvataH || 4-41-31
adhvanaa dur.hvigaahena yojanaani caturdasha |
31, 32a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tam shailam= that, mountain; shirasaa= with head [bowing]; praNamya= on venerating; vi maargatha= thoroughly, search; dur dharSam= inviolable; tam atikramya = that - mountain, on going across; durvigaahena [dur vi gaahena]= by highly, impassable; adhvanaa= by route; catur dasha yojanaani= after four, ten, yojana-s; suuryavaan naama parvataH= Suuryavaan, named, mountain; is there.
"Oh, vanara-s, venerate that Mt. Pushpitaka by bowing your heads and search it thoroughly. Then on going across that inviolable mountain and taking a highly impassable route there is a mountain named Suuryavaan after fourteen yojana-s from Mt. Pushpitaka. [4-41-31, 32a]
Verse Locator
tataH tam api atikramya vaidyuto naama parvataH || 4-41-32
sarva kaama phalaiH vR^ikSaiH sarva kaala manoharaiH |
32b, 33a. tataH= from there; tam api= that, even; atikramya= on crossing over; sarva kaama phalaiH= for all, tastes, [fulfilling] with fruits; sarva kaala manoharaiH= all, times, heart-pleasing ones; vR^ikSaiH= [with such] trees; vaidyutaH naama parvataH= Vaidyuta, named, mountain; is there.
"On crossing over even that Mt. Suuryavaan after searching, there is a mountain named Vaidyuta whose trees will be all-time heart-pleasing and they yield fruits satiating every taste. [4-41-32b, 33a]
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tatra bhuktvaa vara ar.hhaaNi muulaani ca phalaani ca || 4-41-33
madhuuni piitvaa juSTaani param gacChata vaanaraaH |
33b, 34a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tatra= there - at that place, on Mt. Vaidyuta; vara arhaaNi= for chosen few, appropriate - choicest fruits and tubers; muulaani ca phalaani ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; bhuktvaa= on devouring; juSTaani madhuuni piitvaa= precious, honey, on drinking; param gacChata= farther, you proceed.
"Oh, vanara-s, you proceed farther after devouring choicest fruits and tubers growing on Mt. Vaidyuta, and even on consuming precious honey at that place. [4-41-33b, 34a]
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tatra netra manaH kaa.ntaH ku.njaro naama parvataH || 4-41-34
agastya bhavanam yatra nirmitam vishvakarmaNaa |
34b, 35a. tatra= at that place; netra manaH kaantaH= to eye, heart, one that is pleasing; kunjaraH naama parvataH = Kunjara, named, mountain - is there; yatra= where - on which; vishvakarmaNaa = by Vishvakarma; agastya bhavanam nirmitam= Agastya's, mansion, is built.
"At that place a mountain named Kunjara is there which will be pleasing both to eye and heart, on which Vishvakarma built the mansion of Agastya. [4-41-34b, 35a]
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tatra yojana vistaaram ucChritam dasha yojanam || 4-41-35
sharaNam kaa.ncanam divyam naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam |
35b, 36a. tatra= there - on that mountain; yojana vistaaram= a yojana, in breadth; dasha yojanam ucChritam = ten, yojana-s, in height; divyam= a beautiful one; naanaa ratna vibhuuSitam = numerous, gemstones, decorated with; kaancanam sharaNam= a golden, abode - Agastya's mansion - is there.
"There the golden abode of Agastya will be beautiful decorated with numerous gemstones, and it measures a yojana breadthwise and ten yojana-s in height. [4-41-35b, 36a]
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My Re-Interpretation of the meaning of Verse No: - 18a, 19a
tato hemamayam divyam muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam || 4-41-18
yuktam kavaaTam paaNDyaanaam gataa drakSyatha vaanaraaH |
Interpretation of the respectable Translator
18b, 19a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tataH= from there; yuktam= joined to - braced to the wall of fortress; hemamayam divyam= full with gold, beautiful one; muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam= pearls, gemstones, decorated with; paaNDyaanaam kavaaTam= of Paandya [kingdom's,] castle-door; gataaH= having gone there; drakSyatha= you shall see; search inside that gateway.
"From there, on going to the Paandya Kingdome you shall see a fully golden castle-door bracing the compound-wall of the fortress, which is decorated with pearls and jewels, and conduct your search even in that kingdom. [4-41-18b, 19a]
My Re-Interpretation of this same Verse
18b, 19a. vaanaraaH= oh, vanara-s; tataH= from there; yuktam= joined to (ongoing to); paaNDyaanaam kavaaTam= Kavaadam of Paandya; hemamayam divyam= full with gold, beautiful one; muktaa maNi vibhuuSitam= pearls, gemstones, decorated with; gataaH= having gone there; drakSyatha= you shall see;
"From there, ongoing to Kavaadam (capital city) of Paandya (kingdom) full with gold beautiful one, decorated with pearls and gemstones, and having gone there you shall search (the kingdom)". [4-41-18b, 19a]
Discussion
In the above Sanskrit Verse the mention of Kavaadam positively refers to the capital city of Kavaadam of the (Tamil) Paandiyan kingdom where the Second Thamil Sangham existed. From other sources we note the Kavaadam was situated adjacent to the sea. This too is confirmed in the Ramayana verse. The very next verse after the above specifically states after Paandiyan Kaavaadam it was the great ocean.
19b, 20, 21a. tataH samudram aasaadya= then, [southern] ocean, on reaching;
Kavaadam being the capital city of the Paandiyan kingdom and lying closer to the sea is further confirmed by a reference in Kautilya's Arathasastra as follows.
"The Superintendent of the treasury shall, in the presence of qualified persons, admit into the treasury whatever he ought to, gems (ratna) and articles of superior or inferior value. Támraparnika, that which is produced in the Támraparni; PándyaKavátaka, that which is obtained in PándyaKavata; Pásikya, that which is produced in the Pása; Kauleya, that which is produced in the kúla; Chaurneya, that which is produced in the Chúrna; Mahéndra, that which is obtained near the mountain of Mahéndra; Kárdamika, that which is produced in the Kárdama; Srautasíya, that which is produced in the Srótasi....."
Chapter XI. Examination of Gems that are to be entered into the Treasury.
Arathasastra - by Kautilya, Translated from Sanskrit to English by R.Shama Sastry, page 101
In the above, the article of superior value that came from "PandyaKavata" - that is from the city of Kavata of Pandiyan kingdom - was undoubtedly the Pearls, and this variety was hence known as the "PandyaKavataka"
Summary of References to Tamil - Dynasties, Countries, in Vaalmiki Raamaayana
[1]".....then River Godavari that courses through Dandaka forest, and then the provinces of Andhra, Pundra, Chola, Paandya, Kerala are to be searched thoroughly....."[4-41-11,12]
Valmiki Ramayana - Kishkinda kanda by Page 23
Observation:
From the above it is very clear that during the time of 'Ramaayana epic', the three main Tamil dynasties of South India namely the Chera, Chola and Paandiya did exit, and were well known even to the sage poet Vaalmiki.
"You shall go to the prosperous Mt. Malaya which is crowded with iron-ore mines as its vast mouths, and with amazing crests and motley flowered forests. Search shall be carried out on that great mountain in the places that are with the copses of sandalwood trees. [4-41-13, 14a]
Observation:
In Paandiya country on its western border exists the Mt Malaya the Agaththiyar Malai from which
