Tiruveḷḷaṟai’s well, gnomic verse

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Contributor: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: Gnomic verse.

Palaeographic description: The puḷḷi is consistently used, although not for most of duplicated consonants and sometimes unduly.

Language: Tamil (tam) [Grantha (grantha), Tamil (tamil)].

Repository: Pallava (tfa-pallava-epigraphy).

Identifier: DHARMA_INSPallava00525.

File path: DHARMA_INSPallava00525.xml.

Version: 2026-08-17 11:27 (08f8cb5), last modified 2026-07-17 15:32 (ecb0276).

Edition

⟨1⟩ śrī kaṇ·ṭār kāṇā-v ulakattiṟ· kātal-a cey⟨·⟩tu nillātē{y} paṇ·ṭē{y} paramaṉ paṭait·ta nāḷ pārttu niṉ·ṟu naiyyātē{y·}

⟨2⟩ taṇ·ṭ’ ār· mūp(·)pu van·t’ uṉ·ṉai-t· taḷara-c· cey·tu nillā muṉ·{ṉ} uṇ·ṭ’ ēl{l} uṇ(·)ṭu mik(·)katu Ulakam·{m} aṟiya vaim(·)miṉ{·}ē{y}

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ kātal-a ⬦ kātal SII • There is not puḷḷi on the final l. One could concur with SII and emend kātala to kātal, or, alternatively, analyse, without emending the original text, this word as kātal-a, an adjectival form of kātal, “things related to love.”

Translation by Subrahmanya Aiyar 1911–1912

Prosperity!

Without being ⟨passionately⟩ attached to this world where men seen ⟨today⟩ are not seen ⟨tomorrow⟩; without giving ⟨yourself⟩ up to despair looking for the ⟨final⟩ day appointed by the Creator; and before your ⟨limbs⟩ become weak at the appearance of old age with its ⟨appendage of a⟩ stick; if you have ⟨wealth⟩ maintain ⟨yourself⟩ and devote ⟨what remains to charity⟩ so that ⟨all⟩ the world may know ⟨it⟩.

Translation into French

⟨1⟩ Fortune !

Dans ce monde que ne voient plus ceux qui ont vu, sans t’affairer à l’amour¹,

Sans dépérir à penser² sans cesse au jour qu’a jadis fixé le Seigneur suprême,

Avant de succomber³ à la venue du vieil âge qui ressemble à un bâton⁴ et te fera décrépir⁵,

Si tu as quelque chose en abondance⁶, afin que le monde sache, donne-le !

Commentary

Bibliography

Reported in ARIE 1905–06 (ARIE/1905-1906/B/1905/541).

Edited in Subrahmanya Aiyar 1911–1912 (EI 11.15). Text and summary in Mahalingam 1988 (IP 98).

This revised edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on autopsy, photos, and visual documentation published in Subrahmanya Aiyar 1911–1912.

Primary

[SII] Subrahmanya Aiyar, K. V. 1911–1912. “Tiruvellarai inscription of Dantivarman.” EI 11, pp. 154–158.

[IP] Mahalingam, T. V. 1988. Inscriptions of the Pallavas. New Delhi; Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Agam Prakashan. Pages 335–336, item 98.

Secondary

ARIE 1905–06. G.O. No. 492, 2nd July 1906. Epigraphy. Recording the annual report of the Assistant Archaeological Superintendent for Epigraphy, Southern Circle, for the year 1905-1906, and directing that the report be forwarded to the Government of India. Edited by V. Venkayya. No place, 1906. Page 33, appendix B/1905, item 541.

[SII] Venkatasubba Ayyar, V. & C. R. Krishnamacharlu. 1943. South Indian inscriptions. Volume XII: The Pallavas (with introductory notes in English). South Indian Inscriptions 12. Madras: Government Press. Page 16, item 40.⁷

Notes

1. Littéralement: sans t’arrêter à faire les choses de l’amour.
2. Littéralement: à regarder.
3. Littéralement: ne plus pouvoir tenir debout.
4. Alternativement: un châtiment.
5. Littéralement: le vieil âge étant venu … et t’ayant fait décrépir.
6. Littéralement: ce qui est abondant et existe, s’il en est.
7. Summary only.

Display Options Word Wrap Line Numbers Comments Processing Instructions

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<l n="1">kaṇ·ṭār kāṇā-v ulakattiṟ· kātal-a cey<supplied reason="omitted">·</supplied>tu nillātē<surplus>y</surplus></l>

<l n="2">paṇ·ṭē<surplus>y</surplus> paramaṉ paṭait·ta nāḷ pārttu niṉ·ṟu naiyyātē<surplus>y·</surplus></l>

<l n="3"><lb n="2"/>taṇ·ṭ’ ār· mūp<unclear>·</unclear>pu van·t’ uṉ·ṉai-t· taḷara-c· cey·tu nillā muṉ·<surplus>ṉ</surplus></l>

<l n="4">uṇ·ṭ’ ēl<surplus>l</surplus> uṇ<unclear>·</unclear>ṭu mik<unclear>·</unclear>katu Ulakam·<surplus>m</surplus> aṟiya vaim<unclear>·</unclear>miṉ<surplus>·</surplus>ē<surplus>y</surplus></l>

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<lem>kātal-a</lem>

<rdg source="bib:SubrahmanyaAiyar1911-1912_01">kātal</rdg>

<note>There is not <foreign>puḷḷi</foreign> on the final <foreign>l</foreign>. One could concur with <ptr target="bib:SubrahmanyaAiyar1911-1912_01"/> and emend <foreign>kātala</foreign> to <foreign>kātal</foreign>, or, alternatively, analyse, without emending the original text, this word as <foreign>kātal-a</foreign>, an adjectival form of <foreign>kātal</foreign>, “things related to love.”</note>

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<p>Prosperity!</p>

<p>Without being <supplied reason="subaudible">passionately</supplied> attached to this world where men seen <supplied reason="subaudible">today</supplied> are not seen <supplied reason="subaudible">tomorrow</supplied>; without giving <supplied reason="subaudible">yourself</supplied> up to despair looking for the <supplied reason="subaudible">final</supplied> day appointed by the Creator; and before your <supplied reason="subaudible">limbs</supplied> become weak at the appearance of old age with its <supplied reason="subaudible">appendage of a</supplied> stick; if you have <supplied reason="subaudible">wealth</supplied> maintain <supplied reason="subaudible">yourself</supplied> and devote <supplied reason="subaudible">what remains to charity</supplied> so that <supplied reason="subaudible">all</supplied> the world may know <supplied reason="subaudible">it</supplied>. </p>

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Fortune !

</p>

<l>Dans ce monde que ne voient plus ceux qui ont vu, sans t’affairer à l’amour <note>Littéralement: sans t’arrêter à faire les choses de l’amour.</note>,</l>

<l>Sans dépérir à penser<note>Littéralement: à regarder.</note> sans cesse au jour qu’a jadis fixé le Seigneur suprême,</l>

<l>Avant de succomber<note>Littéralement: ne plus pouvoir tenir debout.</note> à la venue du vieil âge qui ressemble à un bâton<note>Alternativement: un châtiment.</note> et te fera décrépir<note>Littéralement: le vieil âge étant venu … et t’ayant fait décrépir.</note>,</l>

<l>Si tu as quelque chose en abondance<note>Littéralement: ce qui est abondant et existe, s’il en est.</note>, afin que le monde sache, donne-le !</l>

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<p>

See also inscription <ref target="DHARMA_INSPallava00098.xml">Pallava 98</ref>.

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<p>

In two instances, consonants are unduly duplicated at word <foreign>sandhi</foreign> (<foreign>uṇṭ’ ēl<surplus>l</surplus></foreign>, <foreign>ulakam<surplus>m</surplus></foreign>).

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<p>

The particle <foreign>-ē</foreign> is consistently appended with a <foreign>y</foreign> (<foreign>nillātē<surplus>y</surplus></foreign>, <foreign>paṇṭē<surplus>y</surplus></foreign>, <foreign>naiyyātē<surplus>y</surplus></foreign>, <foreign>vaimmiṉē<surplus>y</surplus></foreign>). <bibl><ptr target="bib:SubrahmanyaAiyar1911-1912_01"/><citedRange unit="page">157</citedRange><citedRange unit="note">7</citedRange></bibl> notes: <q>In these four instances the final <foreign>y</foreign> seems to have been inserted to represent the full sound produced in pronouncing the words.</q>

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<p>Reported in <bibl><ptr target="bib:ARIE1905-1906"/></bibl> (ARIE/1905-1906/B/1905/541).</p>

<p>Edited in <bibl><ptr target="bib:SubrahmanyaAiyar1911-1912_01"/></bibl> (EI 11.15). Text and summary in <bibl><ptr target="bib:Mahalingam1988_01"/></bibl> (IP 98).</p>

<p>This revised edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on autopsy, photos, and visual documentation published in <bibl><ptr target="bib:SubrahmanyaAiyar1911-1912_01"/></bibl>.</p>

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<note>Summary only.</note>

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