# Babbēpalli plates, time of Kumāraviṣṇuvarman, year 13 Emmanuel Francis Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis Identifier: DHARMA_INSPallava00377 Repository: Pallava (tfa-pallava-epigraphy) File path: DHARMA_INSPallava00377.xml Language: Sanskrit [Southern Brāhmī (unspecified)] Commit: 2026-11-11 17:29 (458e70c), last modified 2026-09-29 11:09 (6edbbfa) ## Summary ... ## Palaeographic description ... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## Edition ### Plates ⟨Page 1r⟩ ⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1v1=1⟩ svasti jitaṁ bhagavatā{t} kāñc¡i!⟨ī⟩purādhiṣṭhān¿a?⟨ā⟩t - parama-brahmaṇyasya sva-bāhu-ba[lā]⟨1v2=2⟩rjjitorjjita-kṣātra-taponidhe(r) vvidhi-vihita-sarvva-maryyādasya mahārājasya ⟨1v3=3⟩ śrī-vīrakorccavarmmaṇaḥ prapautro - ’bhyutthita-śakti-siddhi-saṁpa⟨n⟩nasya prat(ā)¿t?⟨p⟩o⟨1v4=4⟩panata-rāja-maṇḍalasya vasudhā-talaika-vīrasya mahārājasya śrī-karā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1=5⟩ḷavarmmaṇaḥ pautro - deva-dvija-guru-vr̥¿dh?⟨ddh⟩¿ā?⟨o⟩pacāyina⟨ḥ⟩ pravr̥¿dh?⟨ddh⟩a-⟨dha⟩rmma-sañcaya⟨2r2=6⟩sya prajā-pāla⟨na⟩-dakṣasya lokapāl¿a?⟨ā⟩nāṁ pañcamasya lokapāla¿nāṁ?⟨sya⟩ satyā⟨2r3=7⟩tmano mahārājasya śrī-skanda-mūlavarmmaṇaḥ putro - bhagavat-pādānu⟨2r4=8⟩ddhyāto bappa-bhaṭ¿ṭh?⟨ṭ⟩āraka-pāda-bhakta⟨ḥ⟩ parama-bhāgavato bhāradvāja-sago⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1=9⟩tra¿a?⟨o⟩ yathāvad-āhr̥¿d?⟨t⟩āne⟨kā⟩śvame¿th?⟨dh⟩ānāṁ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁ pallava-śrī-mahārāja¿sya?⟨ḥ⟩ ⟨2v2=10⟩ śrīmāN kum¿a?⟨ā⟩ra-viṣṇu-varmmā Imam arttham ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñāpayati tad yathā karmmarāṣṭre - ka⟨2v3=11⟩ligoṇḍa-nāma-grāma-vīri-grāma-pa¡te!⟨thaḥ⟩ pūrvvataḥ - cuṇoprāḷu-grāma-sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩a ⟨2v4=12⟩ ¿pu?⟨U⟩ttarataḥ - koṇḍamujunūru-grāma-pa¡te!⟨thaḥ⟩ paścimataḥ - sarppāḷa(ya)-dakṣiṇata ⟨Page 3r⟩ ⟨3r1=13⟩ Eta⟨c⟩ catur-avadhi-dakṣiṇ¿a ?⟨e⟩ sukṣetre - doṇāvadi-grāma-sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ paścimataḥ - cuṇoḷū⟨3r2=14⟩prāḷu-grāma-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ Uttara[taḥ] - sarppagr̥h¡e!⟨a⟩-pūrvvataḥ - vr̥¡dh!⟨ddh⟩a-taṭāka-dakṣiṇata Eta⟨c⟩⟨3r3=15⟩catur-avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩-dakṣiṇa-pūrvve sukṣetre - sarppagr̥h¡e!⟨a⟩-pūrvvataḥ - mahiṣaśira-grām¡e!⟨a⟩⟨3r4=16⟩-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ) dakṣiṇata⟨ḥ⟩ - pullaḷūru-grām¡e!⟨a⟩-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ paścimata⟨ḥ⟩ - kaṁsāri-taṭāka⟨sya⟩ Uttararataḥ ⟨Page 3v⟩ ⟨3v1=17⟩ Eta⟨c⟩ catur-avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩-pūrvvottare sukṣetre trai-bhūmyā(ṁ) cauṣaṣṭi nivarttanāni kāśy¿ā?⟨a⟩⟨3v2=18⟩pa-gotrāya Isara-¿s?⟨ś⟩armmaṇ(e) dattavāN Āyur-bala-puṇyārogya-nimi¿t?⟨tt⟩a(M) saṁ⟨3v3=19⟩pra⟨tta⟩s tad avagamya rāja-valla¿v?⟨bh⟩a-naiyogika-gopāla-vatsapāla-sañcara⟨3v4=20⟩ntakā⟨ḥ⟩ parih¿a?⟨ā⟩rai⟨ḥ⟩ pa⟨ri⟩ha⟨ra⟩ntu parihārayantu ca yo ’smac chā¿ś?⟨s⟩anam atikra⟨Page 4r⟩⟨4r1=21⟩me⟨t⟩ saḥ pāpaḥ śār(ī)raṁ daṇḍam arhati Api cātrārṣā⟨ḥ⟩ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩¿kl?⟨k⟩āḥ 1. Anuṣṭubh bhūmi-dānā ⟨4r2=22⟩ t paraṁ dānaṁ na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣyati tasyaiva haraṇ¿a?⟨ā⟩t pāpaṁ na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣya⟨4r3=23⟩ti ∥ 2. Anuṣṭubh bahu{r}bhi⟨r v⟩vasudhā datt¿a?⟨ā⟩ bahubhiś cānupālitā yasya yasya ya⟨4r4=24⟩dā bhūmi⟨s⟩ tasya tasya tadā ¿p?⟨ph⟩ala⟨ṁ⟩ ∥ 3. Anuṣṭubh sva-datt¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨ṁ⟩ para-datt¿a?⟨ā⟩¿ṇ?⟨ṁ⟩ v¿a?⟨ā⟩ yo hareta ⟨Page 4v⟩ ⟨4v1=25⟩ vasundharā⟨ṁ⟩ g¿ā?⟨a⟩vāṁ śata-sahasrasya hantuḫ pibati kil¡v!⟨b⟩iṣa(M) 4. Anuṣṭubh brahma⟨4v2=26⟩-svan tu viṣa⟨ṁ⟩ ghoraṁ na viṣaṁ viṣam ucyate viṣam ekākinaṁ hant¿u?⟨i⟩ ⟨4v3=27⟩ brahma-sva⟨ṁ⟩ putra-pautrika¡ṁ!⟨m⟩ 5. Anuṣṭubh kāñcīpurādhip¿o?⟨ena⟩ datta(M) bhaktena brāhma⟨4v4=28⟩ṇāya ca rakṣaṇārtthaṁ y¿ā?⟨a⟩dā bhūmi- -vallabha-pallava⟨ḥ⟩ sadā (∥) ⟨Page 5r⟩ ⟨5r1=29⟩ pravarddhamāna-vijaya-rājya-saṁvatsare trayoda(śe) mahā-kā⟨5r2=30⟩rttik¿ā?⟨a⟩-māse śukla-pakṣa-pañcamy¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨ṁ⟩ viśā¿k?⟨kh⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩-nakṣatre guruv¿a?⟨ā⟩re ⟨5r3=31⟩ lāḍarāj¿a?⟨ā⟩jñ¿ā?⟨a⟩ptyā rudraśarmm¿ā?⟨a⟩ṇ¿a?⟨ā⟩ (l)i(kh)i(tam i)daṁ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anaṁ Ācandra⟨5r4=32⟩-¿d?⟨t⟩ārakaṁ kr̥tvā dattavā(N) svasti go-brāhmaṇebhyaḥ ꩜ ∥ ⟨Page 5v⟩ ## Apparatus ### Plates ⟨1⟩ jitaṁ ⬦ jitam EI. — ⟨1⟩ kāñc¡i!⟨ī⟩° ⬦ kāñcī° EI. — ⟨1⟩ °ba[lā]° ⬦ °balā° EI. ⟨2⟩ °taponidhe(r) ⬦ °taponidher EI. ⟨3⟩ °prat(ā)¿t?⟨p⟩o⟨1v4=4⟩panata° ⬦ pratā(p)o⟨1v4=4⟩panata° EI. ⟨5⟩ pravr̥¿dh?⟨ddh⟩a-⟨dha⟩rmma° ⬦ pravr̥⟨ddha⟩-dharmma° EI. ⟨8⟩ bhāradvāja° ⬦ bhāradvaja° EI. ⟨9⟩ °⟨kā⟩śvame¿th?⟨dh⟩ānāṁ ⬦ °⟨kā⟩śvamedhānāṁ EI. — ⟨9⟩ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁ ⬦ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿am?⟨ām⟩ EI. ⟨10⟩ °viṣṇuvarmmā ⬦ °viṣṇuvar¿mma?⟨mā⟩ EI. — ⟨10⟩ ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñāpayati ⬦ ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñapayati EI. ⟨11⟩ cuṇoprāḷu° • Emend to cuṇolūprāḷu (see line 13)? ⟨13⟩ dakṣiṇ¿a ?⟨e⟩ sukṣetre ⬦ dakṣiṇa-sukṣetre EI • ... ⟨14⟩ s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ ⬦ sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ EI. ⟨15⟩ °avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩° ⬦ °avadhi° EI. ⟨16⟩ s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ) ⬦ sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ) EI. ⟨17⟩ °avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩° ⬦ °avadhi° EI. — ⟨17⟩ °pūrvvottare ⬦ °pūr¿v?⟨vv⟩ottare EI. ⟨19⟩ rāja-valla¿v?⟨bh⟩a° ⬦ rā(ja-va)lla¿v?⟨bh⟩a EI. ⟨21⟩ śār(ī)raṁ ⬦ śārīraṁ EI. — ⟨21⟩ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩¿kl?⟨k⟩āḥ ⬦ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩kāḥ EI. ⟨24⟩ ¿p?⟨ph⟩ala⟨ṁ⟩ ⬦ ¿p?⟨ph⟩ala(m) EI. ⟨25⟩ kil¡v!⟨b⟩iṣa(M) ⬦ kilbiṣam EI. ⟨26⟩ ekākinaṁ ⬦ ekākina⟨ṁ⟩ EI. ⟨27⟩ datta(M) ⬦ dattaṁ EI. ⟨28⟩ °pallava⟨ḥ⟩ ⬦ °pallava EI. — ⟨28⟩ sadā ⬦ EI • Maybe emend to tādā. ⟨29⟩ °da(śe) ⬦ °daśe EI. ⟨31⟩ lāḍa° ⬦ lā(ḍa) EI. — ⟨31⟩ rudraśarmm¿ā?⟨a⟩ṇ¿a?⟨ā⟩ ⬦ rudraśarmm¿e?⟨a⟩ṇ¿a?⟨ā⟩ EI. — ⟨31⟩ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anaṁ Ācandra° ⬦ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anam ācandra° EI. ## Translation ⟨1⟩ Prosperity! The Lord is victorious ⟨1⟩ From the residence of Kāñcīpura: ⟨1–10⟩ - great grand-son of the glorious mahārāja Vīrakorcavarman ... - grand-son of the glorious mahārāja Karāḷavarman ... - son of the glorious mahārāja Skandamūlavarman ... - the glorious Kumāraviṣṇuvarman, the glorious Pallava mahārāja, ... orders ...: ⟨10–18⟩ This thus in the Karmmarāṣṭra, - east of ... - north of ... - west of ... - south of ... in the good field south within these four boundaries - east of ... - north of ... - west of ... - south of ... in the good field south(est within these four boundaries - east of ... - north of ... - west of ... - south of ... in the good field north-east within these four boundaries, from ⟨these⟩ three land plots, he gave to Īśvaraśarman of the kāsyapagotra sixty-four nivartanas. ⟨18–19⟩ It was given for the purpose of ... ⟨19–20⟩ ... ⟨20–21⟩ Who ... ⟨21⟩ ... 1. A gift superior to the gift of land There has not been and there won’t be. Therefore a sin ⟨superior⟩ to seizing it There has not been and there won’t be. 2. Land has been given by many And by many it has been protected. Whoever owns a land at a given moment, To him does the fruit then belong. 3. Who seizes land Given by oneself or given by another, Drinks the sin of killing One hundred thousand cows. 4. The property of a Brahmin is indeed a terrible poison. It is not poison ... Poison kills a single person. The property of a Brahmin ⟨also⟩ kills the son and the grandson. 5. This has been given by the king of Kāñcī, Who is a devotee, to a Brahmin. When it is a matter of protection There is always a Pallava, a favourite of the earth. ⟨29–32⟩ ... ⟨32⟩ Prosperity for cows and Brahmins! ## Bibliography Edited in Parabrahma Sastry [1992] 1977–1978 (EI 42.5), with visual documentation. This revised edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on photos (2008, by Emmanuel Francis, by courtesy of Andhra Pradesh State Department of Archaeology and Museums; 2016, kindly supplied by Valérie Gillet). ### Primary [EI] Parabrahma Sastry, P. V. [1992] 1977–1978. “Babbēpalli plates of Pallava Kumāravishṇu.” EI 42, pp. 44–54. ### Secondary Francis, Emmanuel. 2013. Le discours royal dans l’Inde du Sud ancienne : inscriptions et monuments Pallava, IV^(ème)-IX^(ème) siècles. Tome I : Introduction et sources. Publications de l’Institut orientaliste de Louvain 64. Louvain-la-Neuve; Paris: Université catholique de Louvain, Institut orientaliste; Peeters. Pages 266–267, item IR 13.