# Image of Viṣṇu probably donated by Cōḷaṟaviti

J. Ramayya Pantulu

Author of digital edition: J. Ramayya Pantulu

Contributor: Jens Thomas

Identifier: DHARMA_INSTelugu00004

Repository: Telugu Inscriptions (tfb-telugu-epigraphy)

File path: texts/DHARMA_INSTelugu00004.xml

Language: Telugu [Script (unspecified)]

Commit: 2026-09-09 14:31 (ea24452), last modified 2026-09-09 14:25
(0ba7051)

## Summary

Probably the name of a female donor.

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## Edition

⟨1⟩ śrī cōḷaṟaviti

## Apparatus

⟨1⟩ śrī cōḷaṟaviti ⬦ śrīcōḷōṟuvṛiti ARIE • I am not sure whether this
spelling indicates that two vowel signs were read or rather simply
renders r̥.

## Translation

Śrī Cōḷaṟaviti

## Commentary

The Annual Report states that the inscription was found “[b]elow the
image of Vishṇu carved in the first cave-temple at Bhairavakōna in
Bhairavakonda” (ARIE 1921–22, p. 79). It may be the name of the donor of
this image. While cōḷa most certainly refers to the dynasty, ṟaviti may
consist of ṟava ’jewel’ and the female suffix -iti ’woman’ (confer
Sastri 1969, p. 139). Hence, the name probably means ’a jewel of a woman
of the Cōḻa (dynasty)’. If this is the case ṟaviti parallels the skt.
expression kanyāratna-. The inscription, albeit short, is therefore of a
certain importance because it is evidence of a donation made by a woman.
Since the dynasty is normally spelt cōḻa or cōḍa (with /ḍ/ from /ḻ/) and
‹ḍa› and ‹ḷa› are often spelt quite similarly, the intended spelling
might have been cōḍa. The following remarks were made in the Annual
Report regarding the reading therein: “This probably means ’the work or
style of Śrīchōḷōṟu. Might Chōḷōṟu be another form of Chōḷōju?” (ARIE
1921–22, p. 79). Accordingly, Sastri summarizes the content as: “Records
the work of Śrī Cōḻāṟu” (Sastri 1969, p. 327), but follows J. Ramayya
Pantulu’s edition.

## Bibliography

The inscription was noted and edited in the Annual Reports on Indian
Epigraphy (ARIE 1921–22, p. 79, № 265) and was re-edited by J. Ramayya
Pantulu in 1948, p. 17, № 40 with few metadata and without translation.

### Primary

[ARIE] ARIE 1921–22. Annual report on Indian epigraphy for the year
1921-1922. Edited by G. Venkoba Rao. Madras: Government Press, 1923.
Page 79, appendix C/1922, item 265.

[JRP] Ramayya Pantulu, Jayanti. 1948. South-Indian inscriptions (texts).
Volume X: Telugu inscriptions from the Madras Presidency. South Indian
Inscriptions 10. Delhi: Manager of Publications. Page 17, item 40.

### Secondary

Sastri, Korada Mahadeva. 1969. Historical grammar of Telugu with special
reference to Old Telugu c. 200 B.C. - 1000 A.D. Anantapur: Sri
Venkateswara Univ. Page 327, item 55.