Among the thousands of inscriptions discovered in Tamil Nadu, the majority were written in Tamil, but a fairly large number were composed in Sanskrit as well. These epigraphs which are composed wholly in Sanskrit as well as the Sanskrit portions of the bilingual copper-plate inscriptions have been of copious information about various aspects of life in ancient and medieval periods. Apart from being a source of valuable and authentic historical data, these epigraphs, which are actually royal documents, are also masterpieces of Sanskrit prose and poetry. The Sanskrit verses were composed by very talented poets, who were masters of the language and great scholars, Puranas and Sanskrit works, come to light in this book.
This book highlights the literary beauty contained in the Sanskrit epigraphs belonging to the Pallava, Pandya and Chola times. It is a detailed study of the numerous metres, similes, rhetoric and poetical style employed by the composers of these epigraphs. The way in which the Ramayana of Valmik and the numerous works of Kalidasa, especially the Raghuvamsa have influenced the style of the poets of ancient Tamil Nadu is also clearly seen here. This book is indeed a distinct contribution for epigraphy as well as Sanskrit studies.

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