# SII 12.21: original edition by V. Venkatasubba Ayyar

Emmanuel Francis

Alternative title: PARAMESVARAVARMAN I. No. 21. (A.R. No. 532 of 1907).
IN THE ‘DHAMARĀJA-MAṆḌAPA’ IN THE SAME VILLAGE

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis

Identifier: DHARMA_INSSIIv12p0i0021

Repository: SII original (south-indian-inscriptions)

File path: SII_B_clean/SII12/DHARMA_INSSIIv12p0i0021.xml

Language: Undetermined [Script (unspecified)]

Commit: 2026-11-09 23:45 (242ff60), last modified 2026-09-29 11:08
(2b36d53)

## Summary

This inscription is identical in contents with the previous record and
proves that the cave temple now called ‘Dharmarāja-maṇḍapa’ was
originally a shrine dedicated to Śiva. It was called
‘Atyantakāma-Pallavēśvara-gṛiham’, after one of the surnames of
Paramēśvaravarman. As from the style[1] of its architecture, this
maṇḍapa may be assigned to Mahēndravarman I’s time, it is probable, as
also suggested by Mr. A.H.Longhurst (Memoir of the Archl. Sur. No. 33,
page 10), that the present inscription was incised later by
Paramēśvaravarman I who probably completed it.

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## Commentary

Published in South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. I, No. 19, p. 6 and
Epigraphia Indica, Vol. X, No. 21, pages 10 and 11.

## Bibliography

Digital edition of SII 12.21 by Venkatasubba Ayyar & Krishnamacharlu
1943 converted to DHARMA conventions by Emmanuel Francis.

### Primary

[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
10, item 21.

[1] Two other rock-cut temples at Mahābalipuram viz, Kōṭikal-maṇḍapa and
the five-celled Śiva temple close to it, are also of the same style.