The second book which was written by Kannanar of Kunnattur is addressed to the Chera king Imaya Varman Nedum Seraladan. In the epilogue to this book we are informed that this king was the nephew of Udiyan by Venmal Nallini and Veliyan, that he engraved the 'bow' on the Himalayas and that he conquered and subdued the far-famed Aryans and the hard-tongued Yavanas (lonians). He was the uncle of Senguttuvan, a contemporary of Gajabahu I (169-191) of Ceylon. Regarding the Andhra king Viliyakura II (113-138 A. D.) Mr. V. A. Smith writes that he prided himself on his prowess in expelling the Sakas, Yavanas and Pahlavas from his dominions on the West-coast.' Further, it is said that 'the Scythians from the north raided southwards and there was war. In an inscription at Nasik the Andhra Gotamiputra is stated to have defeated the Sakas, Yavanas and Pahlavas, the Saka chief being the Kshatrapa Nahapana. This was about A. D. 125.' As Imaya Varman—a Chera king of the west coast and the uncle of Senguttuvan-also boasts of having fought with the Yavanas, there is every reason to believe that this king might have had a share in the expulsion of this Greek or Ionian people from Western India. These two kings were probably contemporaries, as Imaya Varman Neduin Seraladan is stated to have reigned for fifty-eight years. Thus it will be seen that this Chera king and the Brahman poet Kannanar must have flourished during the first half of the second century A. D.
