yan cults attained in Dravidian lands fuller
and more independent development than in the countries colonized by
the Aryans, so that the portrait of Siva, especially as drawn by Tamil
writers, does retain the features of some old Dravidian deity, a deity
who dances, who sports among men and bewilders them by his puzzling
disguises and transformations.[522] But it is not proved that Siva was
the chief god of the early Tamils. An ancient poem, the Purra-Porul
Venba-Malai,[523] which contains hardly any allusions to him mentions
as the principal objects of worship the goddess Kottavai
(Victorious) and her son Muruvan. Popular legends[524] clearly
indicate a former struggle between the old religion and Hinduism
ending as usual in the recognition by the Brahmans of the ancient gods
in a slightly modified form.

We have no records whatever of the introduction of Brahmanism into
southern India but it may reasonably be supposed to have made its
appearance there several centuries before our era, though in what form
or with what strength we cannot say. Tradition credits Agastya and
Parasu-rama with having established colonies of Brahmans in the south
at undated but remote epochs. But whatever colonization occurred was
not on a large scale. An inscription found in Mysore[525] states that
Mukkanna Kadamba (who probably lived in the third century A.D.)
imported a number of Brahman families from the north, because he could
find none in the south. Though this language may be exaggerated, it is
evidence that Brahmans cannot have been numerous at that time and it
is probable that Buddhism and Jainism were better represented. Three
of Asoka's inscriptions have been found in Mysore and in his last
edict describing his missionary efforts he includes "the kings of the
Pandyas and Colas in the south" among the conquests of Buddhism.
Mahinda founded a monastery in the Tanjore district and probably
established Buddhism at various points of the Tamil country on his way
to Ceylon.[526] There is therefore no reason to be doubtful of
Buddhist activity, literary or other, if evidence for it is
forthcoming. Hsuean Chuang in 640 A.D. deplores the decay of Buddhism
and speaks of the ruins of many old monasteries.

According to Jain tradition, which some think is supported by
inscriptions at Sravana-Belgola,[527] Bhadrabahu accompanied by
Candra Gupta (identified with the Maurya king of that name) led a
migration of Jains from the north to Mysore abo