Inscriptions are the most authentic and vital source forreconstructing the history of India. Epigraphs were composed inSanskrit in various parts of India and the ancient Tamil countrywas no exception to this practice. Among the thousands of epigraphsfound all over Tamil Nadu, a large number are composed in chasteSanskrit and these as well as the Sanskrit portions of thebi-lingual copper-plate records serve as an important source ofdata about the conditions which existed in the ancient Tamilcountry. These Sanskrit inscriptions are also excellent pieces ofprose and poetry and reveal the high standard which this languagehad attained in the ancient past in the Tamil country. This is acomprehensive and interesting work dealing with the Sanskritinscriptions of ancient Tamil Nadu belonging to the period of thePallavas, Pandyas and Colas and their vassals. It focuses attentionon aspects of civil and military administration, social andeconomic life, education, literature and also the religious andcultural conditions of those ages. These inscriptions serve tohighlight the cultural richness which Tamil Nadu enjoyed speciallyunder the Pallavas, Pandyas and Colas. This book is a valuablecontribution to the field of epigraphy and to the history of TamilNadu.