while burying them the weapons of the deceased were put into big jars along with the corpse.
(1) முதுமாப் போத்திற் கதுமென வியம்புங்
கூகை கோழி யானாத்
தாழிய பெருங்கா டெய்திய ஞான்றே—Pur. 364.
(2) சுட்டுக் குவியெனச் செத்தோர்ப் பயிருங்
கள்ளியம் பறந்தலை--Ibid. 240.
The early Tamils, like the ancient Egyptians and Romans, worshipped the manes of their ancestors, who were also propitiated with offerings of meat and liquor. After the advent of the Aryans from Upper India this animism had to contend against Brahmanisın, then against Buddhism and lastly against Jainism. Until Brahmanism came out triumphant all these four religions-animism, Brahmanism Buddhism, and Jainisin-had been struggling for existence in the Tamil country ; and in the course of this long struggle the first was merged in the second, which from that time forward began to expand absorbing every thing that was good and unobjectionable in the other two. An effective check was also given to the indiscriminate eating of meat and habitual drinking of liquor. We may find all these described in the literature of this epoch.
We know nothing about the works of the first and second academies except what is contained in the brief accounts given in Iraiyanar's Agapporul. The names of works which passed through the third academy will be found given in the following oft-quoted verses :—
