SII 3.19: original edition by Eugen Julius Theodor Hultzsch

Alternative title: “II.—INSCRIPTIONS AT MELPADI. No. 19.—ON THE SOUTH WALL OF THE SOMANATHESVARA SHRINE.”

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: This inscription is dated in the 14th year of the reign of the Chōḷa king Rājarāja I. and mentions the conquest of Kuḍamalai-nāḍu and of the Śeḻiyas (i.e. Pāṇḍyas) in addition to those recorded in No. 3 of this volume. Instead of Taḍigai-pāḍi, Taḍīga-pāḍi or Taḍiya-vaḻi¹ it reads Taḍiya-pāḍi. The king is designated by two different names, viz. Rājarāja-Rājakēsarivarman and Mummuḍi-Chōḷadēva. The second name means ‘the Chōḷa king (who wears) three crowns,’ viz. those of the Chōḷa, Pāṇḍya and Chēra kingdoms.²

The inscription records that Īrāyiravaṉ Pallavayaṉ, a well-known officer of Rājarāja I. and Rājēndra-Chōḷa I.,³ made over 15 kaḻañju of gold to the assembly of Tiruvallam,⁴ who, in return, assigned 1,000 kuḻi of land in the hamlet of Vāṇasamudram near Tiruvallam to the Chōḷēndrasiṁhēśvara (now Sōmanāthēśvara) temple at Rājāśrayapuram (i.e. Mēlpāḍi). This land was made over to an inhabitant of Rājāśrayapuram, who had to supply ghee for a lamp in the temple.

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

Repository: South Indian Inscriptions (Original Edition) (south-indian-inscriptions).

Identifier: DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0019.

File path: SII03/DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0019.xml.

Version: 2026-04-19 12:07 (615297c), last modified 2026-04-08 17:36 (6ceb43a).

Edition

⟨1⟩ svasti śrī [∥] tirumakaḷ pola(p)perunilaccelviyu-
⟨2⟩ n=tanakkeyurimai pūṇṭamai maṉakkoḷkkarutikkān=taḷūr-
⟨3⟩ ccālai kalamaṟutta(ru)ḷikkaṅkapāṭiyuṉuḷampapāṭi(yu)m
⟨4⟩ taṭiyapāṭiyu⟨m⟩ veṅkaināṭuṅkuṭamalaināṭun=taṇṭāṟk(o)-
⟨5⟩ ṇṭa taṇṇeḻil vaḷaroḷi (c)eḻiyaraittecu ko(ṇ)ṭa
⟨6⟩ śrīmummuṭicoḻadeva(ṟ)ku ko rājarājar(ā)jake(sa)-
⟨7⟩ rivanmaṟkiyāṇṭu 10 4 Āvatu (pa)ṭuvūrkkoṭṭat(tu) miy(yā)-
⟨8⟩ ṟunāṭṭu tiruvallattu sabhaiyom coṇāṭṭu teṉkarai(p)-
⟨9⟩ pāmpu(ṇi)kkūṟṟattaraicūrarai(cūru)ṭaiyāṉ ¿I?rāyirava(ṉ) pal-
⟨10⟩ lavayaṉāṉa mummuṭiccoḻapocaṉ pakkal nāṅ(kaḷ) ko(ṇ)ṭu
⟨11⟩ kaṭava (p)oṉ ¿ddh?armmakaṭṭaḷaittuḷai niṟai patiṉaiṅkaḻañcu [|] (I)-
⟨12⟩ ppo⟨ṉ⟩ 10 5 kaḻañcukkumākattūynāṭṭirājāśr¿i?(yapu)ra(ttu) coḻe-
⟨13⟩ ntraciṅkaī(śva)ramuṭaiya mahādevaṟku ca(ntr)ādityavat· Orutirunan=tā-
⟨14⟩ viḷakkerippataṟku (E)ṅkaḷ (m)elpiṭākai vā(ṇa)samu(dra)tti(ṉ)
⟨15⟩ kīḻmañcikkamāṉa nilam ciṟṟampalattukkolāl vaitta
⟨16⟩ kuḻiyāyiram [|] Ivvāyiraṅkuḻiyuṅ(ko)ṇṭivvirājāśra-
⟨17⟩ yapurattu Arumoḻitevap(p)erun=te(ru)viṟcaṅkarappāṭi-
⟨18⟩ yāṉ kaṇṭaṉ maṟavaṉāṉa coḻentiraciṅkamā(yi)laṭṭiye
⟨19⟩ Ittirunan=tāviḷakkuk=ku nicatam Uḻa(k=ku) (n)eyyaṭṭuva(ta)ṟku (I)⟨p⟩(bhūmi)
⟨20⟩ ko(ṇ)ṭu Aṭṭu¿(n)?āka kuṭuttom sabhaiyom [|] Iddha⟨r⟩mma(m) panmā(he)-
⟨21⟩ śvarar rakṣai [∥]

Translation by Hultzsch 1899

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 14th year (of the reign) of Śrī-Mummuḍi-Śōḻadēva, (alias) king Rājarāja-Rājakēsarivarman, who, (in his) tender youth, during which,—having formed the belief⁵ that, as well as the goddess of fortune, the goddess of the great earth had become his wife,—(he) was pleased to destroy the ships (at) Kāndaḷūr-Śālai and conquered by (his) army Gaṅga-pāḍi, Nuḷamba-pāḍi, Taḍiya-pāḍi, Vēṅgai-nāḍu and Kuḍamalai-nāḍu,—deprived the Śeḻiyas, whose lustre had been growing, of (their) splendour;—we, the assembly of Tiruvallam in Mīyāṟu-nāḍu, (a subdivision) of Paḍuvūr-kōṭṭam, have received fifteen kaḻañju of gold, weighed by the balance (used in the case) of charitable ediets (dharma-kaṭṭaḷai), from Īrāyiravaṉ Pallavayaṉ, alias Mummuḍi-Śōḻa-Pōśaṉ, the lord of Araiśūr (and a native of) Araiśūr in Pāmbuṇi-kūṟṟam, (a subdivision) on the southern bank (of the Kāvērī) in Śōṇāḍu.

(L. 11.) For these 15 kaḻañju of gold, (we) assigned one thousand kuḻi, (measured) by the rod of Śiṟṟambalam,⁶ of land which formed the eastern mañjikkam⁷ of Vā[ṇa]samu[dr]am, a hamlet to the west of our (village),⁸ to (the god) Mahādēva of the Śōḻēndrasiṁha-Īśvara (temple) at Rājāśrayapuram in Tūy-nāḍu, for burning one perpetual lamp as long as the moon and the sun endure.

(L. 16.) These one thousand kuḻi of land we, the assembly, made over (to) Kaṇḍaṉ Maṟavaṉ, alias Śōḻendrasiṁha-Mā[yi]laṭṭi, of Śaṅkarappāḍi, (who resides) in the high-street of Arumoḻidēva in this Rājāśrayapuram, in order to supply to this perpetual lamp (one) uḻakku of ghee daily.

(L. 20.) This charity (is placed under) the protection of all Māhēśvaras.

Bibliography

Digital edition of SII 3.19 by Hultzsch 1899 converted to DHARMA conventions by Emmanuel Francis.

Primary

[SII] Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1899. South-Indian inscriptions. Volume III: Miscellaneous inscriptions from the Tamil country. Part I: Inscriptions at Ukkal, Melpadi, Karuvur, Manimangalam and Tiruvallam. South Indian Inscriptions 3.1. Madras: Government Press. Pages 29–30, item 19.

Notes

1. See above, page 23.
2. Compare Ep. Ind. Vol. III. p. 17, note 5.
3. See above, p. 14 and notes 2, 3 and 4.
4. The inscriptions at this place will be published below.
5. See Vol. II. p. 249, note 2.
6. This is the Tamil name of Chidambaram.
7. The same word occurs in an inscription at Māmallapuram; see Vol. I. p. 66, note 5.
8. Compare above, No. 12, text line 3.

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<title type="alt">II.—INSCRIPTIONS AT MELPADI. No. 19.—ON THE SOUTH WALL OF THE SOMANATHESVARA SHRINE.</title>

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<p>This inscription is dated in the 14th year of the reign of the Chōḷa king Rājarāja I. and mentions the conquest of <hi rend="bold">Kuḍamalai-nāḍu</hi> and of the Śeḻiyas (<hi rend="italic">i.e.</hi> <hi rend="bold">Pāṇḍyas</hi>) in addition to those recorded in No. <ref target="DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0003">3</ref> of this volume. Instead of Taḍigai-pāḍi, Taḍīga-pāḍi or Taḍiya-vaḻi<note>See above, page 23.</note> it reads <hi rend="bold">Taḍiya-pāḍi</hi>. The king is designated by two different names, <hi rend="italic">viz.</hi> <hi rend="bold">Rājarāja-Rājakēsarivarman</hi> and <hi rend="bold">Mummuḍi-Chōḷadēva</hi>. The second name means ‘the Chōḷa king (who wears) three crowns,’ <hi rend="italic">viz.</hi> those of the Chōḷa, Pāṇḍya and Chēra kingdoms.<note>Compare <hi rend="italic">Ep. Ind</hi>. Vol. III. p. 17, note 5.</note> </p>

<p>The inscription records that <hi rend="bold">Īrāyiravaṉ Pallavayaṉ</hi>, a well-known officer of Rājarāja I. and Rājēndra-Chōḷa I.,<note>See above, p. 14 and notes 2, 3 and 4.</note> made over 15 <hi rend="italic">kaḻañju</hi> of gold to the assembly of <hi rend="bold">Tiruvallam</hi>,<note>The inscriptions at this place will be published below.</note> who, in return, assigned 1,000 <hi rend="italic">kuḻi</hi> of land in the hamlet of <hi rend="bold">Vāṇasamudram</hi> near Tiruvallam to the <hi rend="bold">Chōḷēndrasiṁhēśvara</hi> (now Sōmanāthēśvara) temple at <hi rend="bold">Rājāśrayapuram</hi> (<hi rend="italic">i.e.</hi> Mēlpāḍi). This land was made over to an inhabitant of Rājāśrayapuram, who had to supply ghee for a lamp in the temple.</p>

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<lb n="5" break="no"/>ṇṭa taṇṇeḻil vaḷaroḷi <unclear>c</unclear>eḻiyaraittecu ko<unclear>ṇ</unclear>ṭa

<lb n="6"/><hi rend="grantha">śrī</hi>mummuṭicoḻa<hi rend="grantha">de</hi>va<unclear>ṟ</unclear>ku ko <hi rend="grantha">rājarājar<unclear>ā</unclear>ja</hi>ke<hi rend="grantha"><unclear>sa</unclear></hi>

<lb n="7" break="no"/><hi rend="grantha">ri</hi>va<hi rend="grantha">nma</hi>ṟkiyāṇṭu <num value="14"><g type="numeral">10</g> 4</num> Āvatu <unclear>pa</unclear>ṭuvūrkkoṭṭat<unclear>tu</unclear> miy<unclear>yā</unclear>

<lb n="8" break="no"/>ṟunāṭṭu tiruvallat<hi rend="grantha">tu sabhai</hi>yom coṇāṭṭu teṉkarai<unclear>p</unclear>

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<lb n="13" break="no"/><hi rend="grantha">ntra</hi>ciṅkaī<hi rend="grantha"><unclear>śva</unclear></hi>ramuṭaiya <hi rend="grantha">mahāde</hi>vaṟku <hi rend="grantha">ca<unclear>ntr</unclear>āditya</hi>va<hi rend="grantha">t·</hi> Orutirunan=tā<hi rend="grantha"/>

<lb n="14" break="no"/>viḷakkerippataṟku <unclear>E</unclear>ṅkaḷ <unclear>m</unclear>elpiṭākai vā<unclear>ṇa</unclear><hi rend="grantha">sa</hi>mu<hi rend="grantha"><unclear>dra</unclear></hi>tti<unclear>ṉ</unclear>

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<lb n="16"/>kuḻiyāyiram <supplied reason="undefined"><g type="danda">.</g></supplied> Ivvāyiraṅkuḻiyuṅ<unclear>ko</unclear>ṇṭivvirā<hi rend="grantha">jāśra</hi>

<lb n="17" break="no"/>yapurattu Arumoḻitevap<unclear>p</unclear>erun=te<unclear>ru</unclear>viṟcaṅkarappāṭi

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<lb n="21" break="no"/><hi rend="grantha">śva</hi>rar <hi rend="grantha">rakṣai <supplied reason="undefined"><g type="ddanda">.</g></supplied></hi>

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<p>(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 14th year (<hi rend="italic">of the reign</hi>) of <hi rend="bold">Śrī-Mummuḍi-Śōḻadēva</hi>, (<hi rend="italic">alias</hi>) king <hi rend="bold">Rājarāja-Rājakēsarivarman</hi>, who, (<hi rend="italic">in his</hi>) tender youth, during which,—having formed the belief<note>See Vol. II. p. 249, note 2.</note> that, as well as the goddess of fortune, the goddess of the great earth had become his wife,—(<hi rend="italic">he</hi>) was pleased to destroy the ships (<hi rend="italic">at</hi>) <hi rend="bold">Kāndaḷūr-Śālai</hi> and conquered by (<hi rend="italic">his</hi>) army <hi rend="bold">Gaṅga-pāḍi, Nuḷamba-pāḍi, Taḍiya-pāḍi, Vēṅgai-nāḍu</hi> and <hi rend="bold">Kuḍamalai-nāḍu</hi>,—deprived the <hi rend="bold">Śeḻiyas</hi>, whose lustre had been growing, of (<hi rend="italic">their</hi>) splendour;—we, the assembly of <hi rend="bold">Tiruvallam</hi> in <hi rend="bold">Mīyāṟu-nāḍu</hi>, (<hi rend="italic">a subdivision</hi>) of <hi rend="bold">Paḍuvūr-kōṭṭam</hi>, have received fifteen <hi rend="italic">kaḻañju</hi> of gold, weighed by the balance (<hi rend="italic">used in the case</hi>) of charitable ediets (<hi rend="italic">dharma-kaṭṭaḷai</hi>), from <hi rend="bold">Īrāyiravaṉ Pallavayaṉ</hi>, <hi rend="italic">alias</hi> <hi rend="bold">Mummuḍi-Śōḻa-Pōśaṉ</hi>, the lord of <hi rend="bold">Araiśūr</hi> (<hi rend="italic">and a native of</hi>) <hi rend="bold">Araiśūr</hi> in <hi rend="bold">Pāmbuṇi-kūṟṟam</hi>, (<hi rend="italic">a subdivision</hi>) on the southern bank (<hi rend="italic">of the</hi> Kāvērī) in <hi rend="bold">Śōṇāḍu</hi>.</p>

<p>(L. 11.) For these 15 <hi rend="italic">kaḻañju</hi> of gold, (<hi rend="italic">we</hi>) assigned one thousand <hi rend="italic">kuḻi</hi>, (measured) by the rod of <hi rend="bold">Śiṟṟambalam</hi>,<note>This is the Tamil name of Chidambaram.</note> of land which formed the eastern <hi rend="italic">mañjikkam</hi><note>The same word occurs in an inscription at Māmallapuram; see Vol. I. p. 66, note 5.</note> of <hi rend="bold">Vā[ṇa]samu[dr]am</hi>, a hamlet to the west of our (<hi rend="italic">village</hi>),<note>Compare above, No. <ref target="DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0012">12</ref>, text line 3.</note> to (<hi rend="italic">the god</hi>) <hi rend="bold">Mahādēva</hi> of the <hi rend="bold">Śōḻēndrasiṁha-Īśvara</hi> (<hi rend="italic">temple</hi>) at <hi rend="bold">Rājāśrayapuram</hi> in <hi rend="bold">Tūy-nāḍu</hi>, for burning one perpetual lamp as long as the moon and the sun endure.</p>

<p>(L. 16.) These one thousand <hi rend="italic">kuḻi</hi> of land we, the assembly, made over (<hi rend="italic">to</hi>) <hi rend="bold">Kaṇḍaṉ Maṟavaṉ</hi>, <hi rend="italic">alias</hi> <hi rend="bold">Śōḻendrasiṁha-Mā[yi]laṭṭi</hi>, of <hi rend="bold">Śaṅkarappāḍi</hi>, (<hi rend="italic">who resides</hi>) in the high-street of <hi rend="bold">Arumoḻidēva</hi> in this <hi rend="bold">Rājāśrayapuram</hi>, in order to supply to this perpetual lamp (one) <hi rend="italic">uḻakku</hi> of ghee daily.</p>

<p>(L. 20.) This charity (<hi rend="italic">is placed under</hi>) the protection of all <hi rend="italic">Māhēśvaras</hi>.</p>

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