There are many small boulders on the coast of Mamallapuram. Sometimes the sea would rise and the waves would crash against the rocks. Sometimes the sea recedes and gives the rocks time to dry. The great sculptors of Mamallapuram did not spare even a small rock among them. They created immortal sculptural figures, large and small, according to each rock.
Athitha Karikalan and the other two approached the spot where two small rocks were facing each other. They got down from the chariot. Considering the two rocks as two thrones, Karikalan and Malaiamman sat down. Parthipenthiran stood a little away from them. Frequent waves came and soaked them up to their knees. Droplets from the waves crashing against the rocks sometimes rained down on them like pearls. At a distance, rows and rows of boats were tearing through the sea, laden with all kinds of merchandise. They were being unloaded from the boat onto large wooden vessels with outstretched masts.
"My heart boils when I think that all the goods stored for the Twin Mandalam invasion have to go to Ilankai!" said Parthipenthiran.
"Then what does it do? The chosen warrior army of Chola Nadu is in Ilankai. They are winning victory after victory on the battlefield. Anuradhapura, where the kings of Sri Lanka had ruled for thousands of years, was captured and planted with Jayakodi. Should we let such soldiers starve to death?" said Athitha Karikalan.
"Who told you to leave it like that? Food has to be sent. But from Chola Nadu one has to board the Nagapattinam port. Or send it from Pandya Nadu to Sethkarai. What was the need to get out of this dry throat zone? I thought that this would hinder our march to the north!" said Parthipenthiran.
"My heart boils when I think about it. I don't know what the intentions of those poor Pazhuvertaraiyars were. How long can we put up with all this? Grandfather! Why are you still keeping your mouth shut? Open your mouth and say something!" said Karikalan.
"Baby! The waves of the sea are constantly roaring. Your friend Parthipenthiran is also shouting in competition with the waves of the sea. What am I to say in the meantime? I have become old and impotent...!" said Malaiamman Miladudaiyar.
"Parthipenthira! Stay quiet for a while. Let grandfather give his opinion!" said Athitha Karikalan.
"I've kept my mouth shut. Sin! Grandfather had come down from the hill fort at a tender age and had suffered so much. Should I open my mouth in front of him? This sea has no sense! It is roaring incessantly! There is no one to suppress it. It seems that the ocean king is not at all afraid of our mountain king!" said Parthipenthiran.
"Brother! Parthipenthira! There was a time like that. All the kings of Cassini will tremble when they hear the name Thirukovalur Malaiamman. The Chalukas, Vallathu Vana Govaraiyars, Vaidumparayars, Gangas and Kongars of the twin mandalams would hide in the hole like a serpent that heard the thunder of Malaiamman as soon as they heard the name of Malaiamman. The king of the ocean is also a little subdued. Now that this body has relaxed a little, everyone is jumping. The Pazhuvertaraiyars who came from the west yesterday are trying to eliminate me, who belongs to a thousand year old tribe! It's never going to happen! Karikala! Didn't you say just now that you don't know what the Pazhuvertaraiyars' intentions were? Listen, I will tell you what their purpose is! Their aim is to weaken you and your brother individually. Your brother Arulmozhi should be defeated in Ilankai. He should be ashamed of it. Here you must be angry with your brother. You two should fight. The old man must be sorry to see it! This is their secret intention.....," said Miladudaiyar angrily when Karikalan interrupted him.
"They're never going to succeed in this mission, Grandpa! No one can separate my brother and me. I will die for Arulmozhi. It seems to me every now and then; – Can I go to Ilankai by ship? What a hardship he is suffering there! I eat and dress comfortably here and sleep in the palace. My sword and spear are rusting. Every moment seems like an age to me. I don't like being here. Grandfather! Tell me! Shall I board one of these ships and go to Ilankai?" asked Karikalan.
"King! Great idea! You are saying what I have been thinking about for a long time. Let's go, come on! There was no use in asking grandfather for advice. If you ask him, he will advise you, 'No, wait!' We can leave tomorrow. You can take half of the Thondaimandalam force. We can finally end the Ilankai war and land at Nagapattinam directly. Let's get down and go to Thanjavur and have a look at those Pazhuvertaraiyars...!"
"Karikala! See? What did I say at the beginning? Didn't you say I would only speak if he kept his mouth shut?"
"I'll keep my mouth shut, Grandpa! Finish everything you say!" said Parthipenthiran covering his mouth with his hand.
"Karikala! You are a brave warrior. Not many people like you have been born even in this brave Tamilnadu. By the time I was eighty, I too had seen many great battlefields. But I have never seen another soldier who sneaked into a crowd of enemies and fought like you. You were not even sixteen when the great battle of Sevur took place. At that age I have never seen you as swift as you walked through a crowd of enemies, swung your sword from left to right, and the heads of your enemies rolled. The scene still stands before my eyes. Like you, your friend Parthipenthiran is also a brave warrior. But you two are nervous; Those who are short-tempered. As a result, your ability to think decreases. I feel like doing the opposite of what I have to do...."
"Grandfather! How many times have you given such advice before..."
"I have done it. But to no avail, you say? Are you asking me to go back to town without speaking?"
"No, no! Now tell me what is to be done."
"You should call your brother Arulmozhi to this place immediately. You and your brother should never have been separated..."
"Grandfather! What idea is this? If Arulmozhi comes here, what will happen to the Ilankai war?"
"The war in Sri Lanka has now come to a point, Anuradhapura has been captured. Now it's rainy season there. Nothing can be done for four months. You have to protect your favorite place. Other commanders will do this. It is very important for Arulmozhi to be here at this time. Karikala! What's the point of keeping the truth under wraps? Disaster has come to Vijayalaya Cholar's tribe and the Chola empire he founded. Now you and all your people must stay in one place and be very careful. We must muster all our strength. There is no telling when and what kind of danger will come....
"Grandfather! Why are you frightening me like this? As long as I have a sword in my hand, what am I afraid of? What kind of danger do you have? I will stand alone and manage. I am not afraid of any danger.....
"Bhai! Do you want to tell me what kind of courage you are? However, what Thiruvalluvar has said should also be considered sometimes.
"To be afraid is to be fearful, to be afraid is to be afraid
Mail knows business!"