Raṇastipūṇḍi grant of Vimalāditya

Editor: Dániel Balogh.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSVengiCalukya00049.

Hand description:

Halantas. Final T is a reduced and raised ta shape with a curly tail instead of a headmark. Final N is a slightly reduced na with the arm low down and a long, sinuous stem without a headmark. Final M is a small circle at foot height, with a long, slightly sinuous stem upward. Final K in line 69 is unclear but seems to be much like final M.

Original punctuation marks are straight or slightly bent vertical bars with a (more or less explicit) serif on top and sometimes also a knob at the foot. The opening and closing symbols are flowers comprised of a circle, four petals in the cardinal directions, and four spikes in the intercardinals, all detached from the centre.

Other palaeographic observations. Anusvāra is to the right of the character to which it belongs, usually at headline height but occasionally lower. Consonants are frequently doubled after anusvāra. Dependent o is often written with two separate strokes, but the single-stroke form also occurs. Dependent au differs from cursive dependent o in being asymmetrical, with a much larger right hump. Rare initial Ai occurs in line 6; its body is unclear but seems to be the regular form of Ai for this period and area (in turn resembling initial E plus a curly arm on the left), but in addition to this body, the present character also has an upper stroke identical to that for cursive o. Rare initial R̥ occurs in line 7; its shape is like the consonant bha with two extra arms on top (resembling an ā marker and its mirror image). Subscript n apparently takes two forms, a plain one like regular na and a looped one; both are visible in line 16, where aviccinna uses the plain form and ekānna uses the looped one. The consonants ṭ, ḍ, ḷ and d are not confidently distinguishable; in the Telugu parts, I accept VV’s reading of these characters.

Languages: Sanskrit, Telugu.

Repository: Eastern Cālukya (tfb-vengicalukya-epigraphy).

Version: (0661ab5), last modified (b885bdb).

Edition

Seal

⟨1⟩ śrī-tribhuvanāṁkuśa

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1⟩ ✤

I. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

śrī-dhāmnaḫ puruṣottamasya mahato nārāyaṇasya prabhor

a

nnābhī-paṁkaruhād babhūva jagatas sraṣṭā svayaṁbhūs ta⟨2⟩taḥ

b

jajñe mānasa-sūnur atrir iti yas tasmān muner atritas

c

somo vaṁśa(ka)ras sudhāṁśur udita⟨ḥ⟩ śrīkaṇṭha-cūḍāmaṇiḥ|

d
II. Anuṣṭubh

⟨3⟩ tasmād āsīt su⟨dhā⟩-sūter

a

bbudho bu(dha)-nutas tataḥ

b

j¿a?⟨ā⟩taḥ pur¿u?⟨ū⟩ravā nāma

c

cakrava(rttī sa)-vikramaḥ|

d

gadyaM|

tasmād āyur⟨.⟩ ā⟨4⟩yuṣo nahuṣaḥ⟨.⟩ nahuṣād yayātiś cakravarttī vaṁśa-ka(r)ttā⟨.⟩ tataḫ purur i(ti) cakravarttī⟨.⟩ tato janamejay¿ā?⟨o⟩ ⟨’⟩śvamedha-tritaya⟨5⟩sya kartt¿a?⟨ā⟩| tataḫ prācīśaḫ⟨.⟩ prācīśāt s{y}ainyayātis⟨.⟩ sainyayāter ha(ya)patir⟨.⟩ hayapates sārvvabhaumas⟨.⟩ sārvvabhau⟨6⟩māj jayasenaḥ⟨.⟩ jayasenān ma(hā)bhaumaḥ⟨.⟩ mahābhaumā(d ai)śānakaḥ⟨.⟩ Aiśānakāt krodhānanaḥ⟨.⟩ krodhānanād devakiḥ⟨.⟩ ⟨7⟩ devake ¡ri!⟨r̥⟩¿c?⟨bh⟩ukaḥ⟨.⟩ ¡ri!⟨r̥⟩¿c?⟨bh⟩ukād r̥kṣakaḥ⟨.⟩ R̥kṣak(ān ma)ti¿n?⟨v⟩aras satra-yāga-yājī sarasvatī-nadī-nāthaḥ⟨.⟩ tataḥ kātyā⟨8⟩yanaḥ⟨.⟩ kātyāyanān nīlaḥ⟨.⟩ nīlād ¿y?⟨d⟩uṣyanta{ḥ}s ta(t-s)¿(ū)?⟨u⟩taḥ|

āryy¿a?⟨ā⟩(|)

III. Āryāgīti

gaṁgā-yamunā-tīre yad avic¿c?⟨ch⟩inna¡ṁ nn!⟨ṁ n⟩ikhāya y¿u?⟨ū⟩⟨9⟩p¿a?⟨ā⟩n kramaśaḥ

ab

k¡ri!⟨r̥⟩tvā tathāśvamedh(ā)n nāma mahā-karmma-bharata ¡yi!⟨I⟩ti yo ⟨’⟩labhata{ḥ}|

cd

tato bharatād bhūmanyur⟨.⟩ bhūmanyos suhotras⟨.⟩ suhotrā⟨10⟩d dhastī⟨.⟩ hasti⟨no viroca⟩naḥ⟨.⟩ virocanād ajam(ī)laḥ⟨.⟩ Ajamīlāt saṁvaraṇaḥ⟨.⟩ saṁvaraṇasya tapana-sutāyās tapatyāś ca sudhanvā⟨.⟩ sudhanva⟨11⟩naḫ parikṣit⟨.⟩ parikṣito bhīmasenaḥ⟨.⟩ bhīmasenāt pradīpanaḫ⟨.⟩ pradīpanāc ¿c?⟨ch⟩anta(nuś)⟨.⟩ (śa)ntanor vvicitravīryyaḥ⟨.⟩ vicitravīryy¿a?⟨ā⟩t pāṇḍu-rājaḥ|

Ā⟨12⟩ryy¿a?⟨ā⟩|

IV. Upagīti

putrās tasya ca dharmmaja-bhīmārjuna-nakula-sahadevāḥ

ab

paṁcendriyavat paṁca syur vviṣaya-ggrāhiṇas tatra{ḥ}|

cd

vr̥ttaṁ|

V. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

yenā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨13⟩dāhi vijitya ¿k?⟨kh⟩āṇḍavam atho (g)ā(ṇ)ḍīvinā vajriṇaṁ

a

yuddhe pāśupatāstra(m andhaka)-ri¿ṣ?⟨p⟩oś cālābhi daityān bahūn

b

indrārddh¿a?⟨ā⟩sanam adhyarohi ja⟨14⟩yinā yat kālikeyādikān

c

(ha)tvā svairam akāri (vaṁ)śa-vipina-cchedaḥ (kurūṇāṁ vi)bhoḥ|

d

tato ⟨’⟩⟨r⟩junād abhimanyur⟨.⟩ abhimanyoḫ parikṣi⟨T| parikṣi⟩to jana⟨15⟩mejayaḥ⟨.⟩ janamejayāt k⟨ṣ⟩emuk⟦ā⟧⟨⟨a⟩⟩ḥ⟨.⟩ kṣemukān naravāhanaḥ⟨.⟩ nara(vāhanāc) ¿c?⟨ch⟩atānīkaḥ⟨.⟩ śatānīkād udayanaḥ⟨.⟩ tataḫ paraṁ tat-prabhr̥⟨16⟩ti¿s?⟨ṣ⟩v avic¿c?⟨ch⟩inna-santāneṣv ayodhyā-siṁhāsanāsīneṣv ekānna-ṣaṣṭi-cakravarttiṣu gateṣu ta{ṁ}d-va⟨ṁ⟩śyo vijayādityo nāma rāj¿a?⟨ā⟩ vijigīṣa⟨17⟩yā dakṣiṇāpathaṁ gatvā ttrilocana-pallava{ṁ}m adhikṣipya daiva-durīhayā lokāntaram aga{ṁ}maT|

tasmin saṁkule ⟨18⟩ purohitena sārddham antarvvatnī tasya mahādevī muḍiv(aimu nā)māgrāhāram upagamya tad-vāstavyena viṣṇubhaṭṭa⟨19⟩-somayājinā duhitr̥-nirvviśeṣam abhirakṣitā sa(tī) ⟦[1×]⟧ viṣṇuvarddhanam asūta⟨.⟩ sā tasya ca kumārakasya mā⟨20⟩navya-sagotra-hārit¡a!-putrādi-sva-kṣatra-gotra-kramo(ci)tāni karmm¿a?⟨ā⟩ṇi kārayitvā tam avarddhayaT| sa ca mā⟨21⟩trā vidita-v¡ri!⟨r̥⟩t⟨t⟩āṁtas san nirggatya (ca)lukya-girau na(nd)āṁ bhagavatīṁ gau(rī)m ārādhya kumāra-(n)ārāyaṇa-mātr̥-gaṇāṁś ca saṁtarpya śvetā⟨22⟩tapatraika-¿g?⟨ś⟩aṁkha-paṁca-mahāśabda-pāli-ketana-pratiḍhakkā-varāha-(lāṁc)¿(c)?⟨ch⟩(a)na-piṁc¿c?⟨ch⟩a-kuṁ(ta-s)i(ṁ)hāsana-makara-toraṇa-kana⟨ka⟩-daṇḍa-gaṁggā⟨23⟩-yamunādīni sva-kula-kramāgatāni nikṣiptānīva sā¡ṁb!⟨m⟩r¿a?⟨ā⟩jya-ci(h)n(āni) samādāya (kaḍa)ṁba-gaṁggād(i)-bh(ū)mipān nir¡j!itya setu-na⟨24⟩rmmadā-madhyaṁ sārddha-sapta-lakṣaṁ (da)kṣiṇāpa¿dh?⟨th⟩aṁ pālayām āsa|

śl(o)ka⟨ḥ⟩|

VI. Anuṣṭubh

tasyāsīd vija(yā)dityo

a

viṣṇuvarddhana-bhūpateḥ

b

pallavānvaya-j¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨Page 2v⟩⟨25⟩t¿a?⟨ā⟩yā

c

mahādevyāś ca nan(d)anaḥ

d

(tat-suta)ḥ ¿b?⟨p⟩olakeśi-vallabhaḥ⟨.⟩ tat-putraḥ kīrttivarmmā⟨.⟩ tasya tanayaḥ|

svasti⟨.⟩ śrīmatāṁ sakala-bhu⟨26⟩vana-saṁst¿u?⟨ū⟩yamāna-mānavya-sagotrāṇāṁ ¡hāriti!-putrāṇāṁ kauśi(kī-vara)-prasāda-labdha-rājyānāṁ mātr̥-gaṇa-paripālitānā⟨ṁ⟩ ⟨27⟩ svāmi-mahāsena-pādānudhyātān(āṁ bhagavan-n)ārāyaṇa-prasāda-sa(m)āsādita-vara-varāha-lāṁc¿c?⟨ch⟩anekṣaṇa-kṣaṇa-vaśīkr̥tārā⟨28⟩ti-maṇḍalānām aśvamedhāvabhr̥tha-snāna-pavitrīkr̥ta-vapuṣāṁ cālukyānāṁ kulam alaṁkariṣṇos sat(y)āśraya-vallabhendrasya ⟨29⟩ bhrātā (ku)bja-viṣṇuvarddhano ⟨’⟩ṣṭādaśa varṣāṇi veṁgī-deśam apālayaT| tad-ātmajo jayasiṁha-vallabhas trayastriṁ⟨30⟩śata(M)| tad-anujendrarājas sapta dinān¿ī?⟨i⟩⟨|⟩ tat-suto viṣṇuvarddhano nava| tat-sūnur mmaṁgi-yuvarājaḥ paṁcaviṁśa⟨31⟩ti(M)| tat-putro jayasi⟨ṁ⟩has trayodaśa| tad-avarajaḥ kokkiliṣ ṣaṇ māsāN| tasya jyeṣṭho bhrātā viṣṇuvarddhana⟨32⟩s tam uccāṭya saptatriṁśataṁ| tat-pu(tro) vijayāditya-bhaṭṭārako ⟨’⟩ṣṭādaśa| tat-tanujo viṣṇuvarddhanaṣ ṣaṭtriṁśa⟨33⟩taṁ| tat-sūnur vvijayāditya-narendra-mr̥garājaś cāṣṭaca(tvā)riṁśataṁ| tat-s¿ū?⟨u⟩taḥ kali-viṣṇuvarddhano ⟨’⟩dhyarddha-varṣaṁ| tat-suto guṇaga-vija⟨34⟩yādityaś catuścatvāriṁśa⟨ta⟩ṁ| tad-bhrātur vvikramāditya-bhūpates tanayaś cālukya-bhīmas triṁśataṁ| tat-sutaḥ kollabigaṇḍa-vijayādi⟨35⟩tyaṣ ṣaṇ māsāN| tat-sūnur ammarājas sapta va(r)ṣ(āṇi)| (tat-sutaṁ vi)jayādityaṁ bālam uccāṭya tāḷapo m¿a?⟨ā⟩sam ekaṁ| taṁ jitvā cālu⟨36⟩kya-bhīma-tanayo vikram¿a?⟨ā⟩ditya Ekādaśa mās(āN)| ta(t)-t(āḷa)pa-rāja-(s)uto yuddhamallas sapta varṣāṇi|

VII. Indravajrā

taṁ yuddhamallaṁ parihr̥⟨Page 3r⟩⟨37⟩tya deśāt

a

piṣṭvetareṣām api śātravā¿n?⟨ṇ⟩āM

b

kṣmām ammarāj¿a?⟨ā⟩(nuja-rā)ja-bhīmo

c

bhīmas samā dvādaśa rakṣati sma|

d
VIII. Anuṣṭubh

tat-s¿u?⟨ū⟩nur ānatārā⟨38⟩tir

a

ammarājo nr̥pāgraṇīḫ

b

paṁcaviṁśati varṣāṇi(|)

c

veṁgī-(bhu)va(m a)pā(la)yaT|

d
IX. Gīti

dvaim¿a?⟨ā⟩turo ⟨’⟩mma-nr̥pater ddān{n}a{ṁ}-nr̥po rāja-bhīma-nr̥⟨39⟩pa-tanayaḥ

ab

vidyā-kalāpa-caturaś caturaṁta-dharām apāt samās (t)¿(r̥)?⟨i⟩sraḥ

cd
X. Anuṣṭubh

Anu dā⟨nā⟩rṇ¿n?⟨ṇ⟩avād āsīd

a

daiva-du(śce)ṣṭayā tatas

b

sapta⟨40⟩vi⟨ṁ⟩śati varṣāṇi

c

veṁgī-mahir a¿ṇ?⟨n⟩āy¿i?⟨a⟩kā|

d
XI. Indravajrā

Atrānt¿ā?⟨a⟩re dāna-narendra-sūnu⟨ḥ⟩

a

śrī-śaktivarmm¿a?⟨ā⟩ sura-rāṭ-sadharmm¿a?⟨ā⟩

b

yaś śauryya-śaktyā vi⟨41⟩nihatya śatrūN

c

{n}sa dvādaśābdā{N}n samarakṣad urvvīM|

d
XII. Udgīti

tasyaiva dāna-nr̥pates sādhvyāś cāryy¿a?⟨ā⟩-mahādevyāḥ

ab

sū⟨42⟩nu⟨r⟩ vvimalādityas satyāśraya-vaṁśa-varddhano devaḥ|

cd
XIII. Gīti

Analānala-randhra-gate śaka-varṣe vr̥ṣabha-māsi ⟨43⟩ sita-pakṣe

ab

yaṣ ṣaṣṭhyāṁ guru-puṣye siṁhe lagne prasiddham abhiṣiktaḥ|

cd
XIV. Āryāgīti

śaśi-viśada-yaśo-vyāptyā sva⟨44⟩-śarīra-vibodhanārttham avahat kaṇṭhe

ab

śaśalakṣma-lakṣma-lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩ṁ śaṁbhu(r) bbirudaṁka-bhīma-nr̥pater yyasya(|)

cd
XV. Āryāgīti

⟨45⟩ Ari-karaṭi-kuṁbha-vidalana-mukta-samāmukta-rucira-muktā-nika(raḥ)

ab

hāra ¡y!iva yasya dor-asir ¿ā?⟨a⟩dhyāsita-jaya-śr¿ī?⟨i⟩yo ⟨46⟩ bhāti ciraM|

cd
XVI. Āryāgīti

yat-tejaḫ-prapalāyita-ripu-pura-gr̥ha-śālabhaṁjikā-mukha-rodhī

ab

lūtā-paṭas tu para-jana-vilokanā⟨47⟩sahana-baddha-paṭa ¡y!i(va bh)ā(t)i|

cd
XVII. Vasantatilakā

(du)ssādhanādhika-virodhi-gaje(ndra)-saṁgha-

a

-nirbbhedatas tribhuvanāṁkuśa-nāma yuddhe

b

Anvarttha⟨48⟩t¿a?⟨ā⟩n nijam ajīgamad uddhata(ṁ) y(o)

c

ba(ṁhi)ṣṭha-(si)ṁha-parihāsi-parākrama-śrīḥ|

d
XVIII. Vasantatilakā

yas sārvvabhauma-dharaṇīśvara-nīta-kalpa-

a

⟨Page 3v⟩⟨49⟩-prāghūrṇṇakebha-mada-sikta-mahī-vibhāgaḥ

b

yas tarjjitānila-javāśva-sahasra-saṁgha-

c

-(dhāṭ)y-ā(hr̥)tāhita-śiro-⟨’⟩ṅkita⟨50⟩-śūla-koṭiḥ|

d
XIX. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

Ādau śaṁbhu-śiromaṇis sa ca sudhā-sūtis sudhāṁśus tatas

a

tad-vaṁ(śyo bha)rata⟨s ta⟩taś ca vijayāditya⟨51⟩ś calukyāṁkitaḥ

b

śrī-satyāśraya-vallabhas tad api ca śrī-sarvvalokāśrayo

c

(devo) mum(m)aḍi-(bh)īma-nāma nr̥pati(r) yyo va⟨ṁ⟩⟨52⟩śa-kartt¿a?⟨ā⟩bhavaT|

d
XX. Sragdharā

saurāṣṭrān dārayantī niśita-paraśu-dhārāyamānā (śa)kānāṁ

a

lā(ṭā)nāṁ gu(rjja)rā(ṇā)m atha bhavati mano⟨53⟩-hāriṇī vallabhā vā|

b

śūrān sva⟨ḥ⟩-sthān vidhatte su(kr̥)tivad akhilā(n sv?)(ai)ra-(m) (anyā?)(n vi)bhītāN

c

kāṣṭhāntan tat-ta⟨54⟩pa⟨ḥ⟩-śrīr i¿(rṣā)?⟨va⟩ nayati raṇe śauryya-sampad yadīyā(|)

d

sa vīra-makara-dhvajaḥ (maka)ra-dhvaja ¡y!iva dhvasta-vigra⟨55⟩haḥ grahapatir ivāhitāndha-tamasāpaharaḥ hara (Iva) rāja-kalā-dharaḥ dharaṇīdhara ¡y!iva ⟨56⟩ ramā-rāmābhirāmaḥ rāma ¡y!iva paraśu-kriyā-sa(haḥ sahad)eva ¡y!iva dev¿a?⟨ā⟩dhvaryyu-nandanaḥ ⟨57⟩ nandana-viśeṣa ¡y!ivābhilaṣita-phala-samut-kavi-sahasraḥ sahasrākṣopamānaḥ mānavya-sagotraḥ gotra-ni⟨58⟩stārakaḥ tārakādhipānvaya-varddh¿i?⟨ī⟩ vr̥ddhi-niśākaraḥ karadī-kr̥tārāti-para(mpa)raḥ para-narapati-nikara-mukuṭa⟨59⟩-taṭa-ghaṭita-maṇi-gaṇa-kiraṇa-parikarita-samaruṇita-cara(ṇe)n(d)ī(varaḥ) vara-varāha-lāṁcchanālokana-m¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨60⟩tr¿ā?⟨a⟩-vitrāsitākhila-dharādhīśa-cakraḥ cakravartt(i)-padavī-(sam)ucitā(ne)ka-dhavala-c¿c?⟨ch⟩atrac¿c?⟨ch⟩āyā-c¿c?⟨ch⟩ādita-sarvva⟨Page 4r⟩⟨61⟩-lokaḥ s{s}arvva-lokāśraya-śrī-viṣṇuvarddhana-mahārājādhirāja-parameśvara-parama-bhaṭṭ(ā)raka-parama-brahmaṇya-parama⟨62⟩-māheśvaraḥ| gud¡dh!avādi-vi⟨ṣa⟩ya-nivāsino rāṣṭrak¿u?⟨ū⟩ṭa-pramukhāN kuṭuṁbi(na)s sarvv(ā)n samāhūya mantri-purohi⟨63⟩ta-senāpati-yuvarāja-dauvārikādhyakṣam ittham ājñāpayati

yathā|

XXI. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

Ādyo ya⟨ḥ⟩ svayam udbabhūva parama-bra⟨64⟩hmā visr̥jyānv apo

a

vīryyan tāsv avasr̥ṣṭam aṇḍam abhavad dhaimam mahat tena yaT|

b

tasmāl loka-pitāmaho vidhir abhūt ta⟨65⟩smā(n ma)rī¿th?⟨c⟩y-ādayaḥ

c

putrā ye daśa jajñire śrutimay¿a?⟨ā⟩ varccasvino m¿a?⟨ā⟩nasāḥ|

d
XXII. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

teṣāṁ śreṣṭhat¿ā?⟨a⟩⟨66⟩mo vasiṣṭha Iti yas sārun(dh)atīko munis

a

tasmāt k¿a?⟨u⟩ṇḍina Ity abhūd a¿dh?⟨th⟩a ca tat-kauṇḍinya-gotre kra⟨67⟩m¿a?⟨ā⟩T

b

yo vidvān uditodita-dvija-varo droṇaḥ pramāṇī-bha¿r?⟨v⟩a(d)-

c

-(vr̥)tta⟨ḥ⟩ stutya-ya[–⏑–⏑⏑]-matir nnityodaya⟨68⟩s satyavāK|

d
XXIII. Vallarī

dattābhidhāna-sacivo hara-datta-vara-prasāda ¡y!(i)va tasya sutaḥ

ab

śubha-kr̥t prabhā⟨69⟩va-mahitaḥ prabhu-mantrotsāha-śakti{ya}-saṁyuktaḥ|

cd
XXIV. Lalitā

tasya ca sad-guṇa-dhāmnaḥ pati-vratāyāś ca cīḍamaṁbāy¿a?⟨ā⟩ḥ

ab

va⟨70⟩jrābhidhāna Iti yas sūnus sūnr̥ta-vacās sumedhās suma¿ṇa?⟨nā⟩ḥ|

cd
XXV. Anuṣṭubh

nityākar¿nn?⟨ṇṇ⟩anayā saśvad

a

vaṭubhiḫ paṭubhir ggr̥he

b

veda⟨71⟩-śāstrāṇi yad-dhāmni

c

pa¿dh?⟨ṭh⟩anti śu(ka)-śārikāḥ|

d
XXVI. Anuṣṭubh

(bh)īmeśvara-samo devo

a

veṁgīśvara-sa(mo nr̥)paḥ

b

vajrāmātya-samo ⟨’⟩mā⟨72⟩tyo

c

na (bhūto) na bhavi(ṣ)yati|

d
XXVII. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

nāgendr¿e?⟨ai⟩r ddig-ibhaiś ca ṣoḍaśa-nr̥pair ādy¿e?⟨ai⟩r ddh¿i?⟨r̥⟩tāṁ kṣm(ā-dhu)rā(ṁ)

a

vīrair apy ati(śū)draka-prabhr̥ti⟨Page 4v⟩⟨73⟩bhiś cāj(e)r ddhuraṁ dussahāṁ

b

bibhrad ya(ḫ p)⟨r⟩athita(ṁ) kramān naya-balād ¡bāhā!-balā(t) prā(ptavān)

c

(s)¿(a)?⟨ā⟩(hāy)yaṁ bi¿k?⟨r⟩u(da)ṁka⟨74⟩-bhīma-nr̥pateḥ kāryyeṇa kha(ḍ)gena ca|

d
XXVIII. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

gotra-c¿c?⟨ch⟩ettur ari-kṣamādhara-kulodbhedān ma(h)e(nd?)(rā)(t kṣama?)⟨ḥ⟩

a

(śr)ī(mā)n bhūpa-mahe(ndra) ⟨75⟩ Eva nitarāṁ gotraika-nistārakaḥ

b

tad-vajrād atiri¿bh?⟨c⟩cyate laghutarād vajrābhidho ⟨’⟩yaṁ (g)ur(u)r

c

yyan-n(ā)tho ⟨’⟩pi ca (yad-bha)⟨76⟩ṭaś ca vibudha-vrātair i⟨ti⟩ stūyate|

d
XXIX. Śārdūlavikrīḍita

(ya)t-⟨t⟩redhānala-dhūmra-dhūma-ghaṭitair abhrair nnijehāhita-

a

-kṣo(ṇībhr̥)t-pu(ra-dāha)-dhūma-jani⟨77⟩tāṁbhobhr̥t-sahasrais sama⟨ṁ⟩|

b

vyāptaṁ vyoma tadīya-śatru-lalanā-dr̥k-pāthasā (ca kṣamā?)

c

(si)ktā yat-paripā⟨78⟩vanātithi-pada-prakṣā⟨la⟩nāc¿c?⟨ch⟩āṁbhasā|

d
XXX. Lalitā

ya⟨ḥ⟩ śrī-vajrāmātyo dhana-santa⟨r⟩ppita-jagaj-jana-stutyaḥ

ab

bhūsura-(vaṁ)¿g?⟨ś⟩ā⟨79⟩dityaś śucir aticaturo vaco-niratyaya-satyaḥ|

cd
XXXI. Vallarī

budha-vajra-prākā⟨raḥ kā⟩rāgr̥ha-niyamitāri-sainika-cakra⟨ḥ⟩

ab

⟨80⟩ cakrabhr̥d-udgha-śrīka⟨ḥ⟩ śrīkaṇṭha-padāravinda-ṣaṭ¿bh?⟨c⟩araṇaḥ|

cd
XXXII. Vaṁśastha

sadā sva-vācā manasā ca karmmaṇā-

a

nvakāri ye⟨81⟩nādhiguṇena kuṇḍinaḥ

b

pravr̥tta-vaitānika-{va}dharmma-saṁ¿gg?⟨t⟩atir

c

dvij¿a?⟨ā⟩dhinā¿dh?⟨th⟩o ⟨’⟩ya¿ya?⟨m u⟩dāratā-nidhiḥ|

d
XXXIII. Indravajrā

cālukya-cūḍāmaṇi-p(ā)⟨82⟩da-bhakto

a

bhaktaika-cūḍāmaṇir īśa-(mū)r(tt)iḥ

b

kīrtyānvit(o) ⟨’⟩(m)ātya-śikhāmaṇi⟨ḥ⟩ śrī-

c

-saujanya-rat(n)ākara-nāmadheyaḥ|

d
XXXIV. Vasantatilakā

saptāṁgake nr̥⟨83⟩pa-pade prabhutā pradhānā

a

tādr̥śy amātya-padavī khalu tad-⟨d⟩vitīy¿a?⟨ā⟩|

b

śrīdvāra-piṁc¿c?⟨ch⟩a-karakātapa-vāraṇādis

c

tasyāṁ vi⟨84⟩śeṣa-mahimā mad alābhi yena|

d

tasmai mad-bhaktāya kr̥ta-kleśāya kāramaceḷu-vāstavyāya kauṇḍinya-gotrā⟨Page 5r⟩⟨85⟩y¿a?⟨ā⟩mātya-śikhāmaṇaye budha-vajra-prākārāya saujanya-ratnākarāya vajji(ya)peggaḍa Iti prasiddhābhidhā⟨86⟩nāya bhavad-viṣay¿a?⟨e⟩| pāṟuvaḻa (nāma grām)eṇa sārddhaṁ ra(ṇastipūṇḍ)i nāma grāmo ⟨’⟩grahārīk¡ri!⟨r̥⟩tya mat-saṁvarddhi⟨87⟩tatv¿ā?⟨a⟩-nimitte may¿a?⟨ā⟩ datta Iti vi(d)i(ta)m as(tu vaḥ)|

(A)syāva(dhaya)ḥ⟨.⟩ (pūrvvata)ḥ kauta nāḍipiya c(e)ṟuvu paḻumaṭi ka⟨88⟩ṭṭa| Āgneyataḥ mroṁtukaṟtiyuṁ bā(lū)(riyu?) (raṇa)stipūṇḍiyu muyyali-kuṭṟuna velaṁga-guṇṭa paḻumaṭi kaṭṭa| dakṣi⟨89⟩ṇataḥ peṁjeṟuvu kaṭṭa ḍi(ggunā?)li trova| nair¿i?⟨r̥⟩tyataḥ pālūriyuṁ goṟukeṭiyu raṇastipūṇḍiyu ⟨90⟩ muyyali-kuṭṟuna cinta-guṇṭha| paścimataḥ koṟukeṭi podaṟu| v¿a?⟨ā⟩yavyataḥ ḻulla-s¿i?⟨ī⟩maiva s(ī)mā| ⟨91⟩ Uttarataḥ kaḻapaṟtiyun eḻṭayu-s(ī)maiva (s)īmā| ¿Ī?⟨Ai⟩śānataḥ Eḻṭayu mrontukaṟtiyu raṇastipūṇḍi⟨92⟩yu muyyala-kuṭṟu|

(Etad-ra)ṇa{ra}(st)ipūṇḍi-nām¿a?⟨ā⟩grahāra-saṁbandhinaḥ tāṁkaḻapolamu nāma ¿llaṁghana?-kṣe⟨93⟩trasyāvadhayaḥ⟨.⟩ pūrvvato dakṣiṇa(taś ca) (gā?)ṁgal(e)ṟu| paścimataḥ sirip(odipūṇ)ḍiyu goṁganavroliyu ḻullayuṁ bottun⟦u⟧⟨⟨a⟩⟩ kollikuṟṟu| ⟨94⟩ Uttarataḥ siripodipū(ṇḍ)i-(sīmaiva) sīmā|

Asyopari na kenacid bādhā karttavyā⟨.⟩ yaḥ karoti sa paṁc(c)a-(mah)āpāt¿ā?⟨a⟩ko bhava⟨95⟩ti| tathā coktaṁ bhagavatā vyāsa-bhaṭṭ(ā)rake¿b?⟨ṇ⟩āpi|

XXXV. Anuṣṭubh

bahubhir vvasudhā dattā

a

bahubhiś cānupā(litā)

b

(yasya yasya) ⟨ya⟩dā ⟨96⟩ bhūmis

c

tasya tasya tad(ā pha)laṁ|

d
XXXVI. Anuṣṭubh

(sva)dattāṁ pa(ra-dattāṁ) v¿a?⟨ā⟩

a

yo haretu!a vasundharāṁ

b

ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣ¿ā?⟨a⟩-saha(sr)¿a?⟨ā⟩(ṇi)

c

(viṣṭhāyāṁ j)¿(a)?⟨ā⟩yate kr¡ri!⟨r̥⟩⟨Page 5v⟩⟨97⟩miḥ|

d

Aṣṭama-varṣa-varddhane siṁha-m¿a?⟨ā⟩se dattasyāsya śāsanasya śrī-daṇḍanāyaka Iti dvij¿a?⟨ā⟩dhināyakaḥ|

XXXVII. Āryāgīti

Ājñaptir nr̥⟨pa⟩kā⟨98⟩mo (rā)ciya-pedderi-tanaya-bhīmana-bhaṭṭaḥ

ab

karttaiṣāṁ kāvyānām a¿dh?⟨th⟩a śāsana-lekhakaś ca jontācāryyaḥ✤

cd

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

⟨8⟩ avic¿c?⟨ch⟩innaṁ ¡nn!ikhāya • Consonants are frequently doubled after anusvāra in this inscription and the text thus needs no emendation. It is, however, possible that the composer’s intent was avicchinnān nikhāya, as found in the Kolāṟu grant of Vīra-Coḍa (Hultzsch 1890, pp. 49–62, № 39, line 8). Line 10 of the Korumelli grant of Rājarāja II (Fleet 1885), reads avichchinnan nikhāya, which Fleet emends to avicchinnān nikhāya.

⟨9⟩ tathāśvamedh(ā)n ⬦ tathāśvamedhān VV • VV prints the vowel as a clear ā, but the apparent vowel mark may be only noise. The reading is reportedly tathāśvamedhan in the Kolāṟu grant (Hultzsch 1890, pp. 49–62, № 39, line 9), but it is clearly tathāśvamedhān in the Korumelli grant of Rājarāja I (there emended by Fleet to tathāśvamedhan). See also the note to the translation.

⟨13⟩ āstra(m andhaka) ⬦ āstra¿v?⟨m⟩ a(ndhaka) VV.

⟨15⟩ k⟨ṣ⟩emuk⟦ā⟧⟨⟨a⟩⟩ḥ VV • In the facsimile I see no clear indication of this correction, indicated by VV in a footnote.

⟨17⟩ -pallava{ṁ}m ⬦ -pallavam VV. — ⟨17⟩ aga{ṁ}maT ⬦ agamaT VV.

⟨20⟩ -putrādi-sva-kṣatra- • The reading is clear, but the same locus reads -putra-dvipakṣa- in line 21 of the Kolāṟu grant (Hultzsch 1890, pp. 49–62, № 39) and line 24 of the Korumelli grant. The Kalidiṇḍi grant has the same reading as the present text.

⟨22⟩ pratiḍhakkā- ⬦ pratiḍakkā- VV. — ⟨22⟩ kuṁ(ta)- ⬦ -(kaṁta)- VV.

⟨23⟩ (kaḍa)ṁba- • Though VV prints ḍa as clear, it is not so in the estampage. I wonder if the spelling is with a dental d.

⟨25⟩ kīrttivarmmā ⬦ kīrttivarmm¿a?⟨ā⟩ VV.

⟨26⟩ hāriti- ⬦ hāritī- VV. — ⟨26⟩ paripālitānā⟨ṁ⟩ ⬦ paripālitānāṁ VV.

⟨30⟩ śata(M) ⬦ śataṁ VV. — ⟨30⟩ dinān¿ī?⟨i⟩ ⬦ dināni VV. — ⟨30⟩ paṁcaviṁśa⟨31⟩ti(M) ⬦ paṁcaviṁśa⟨31⟩tiṁ VV.

⟨35⟩ tāḷapo ⬦ tāḍapo VV.

⟨36⟩ ta(t)- VV • I accept VV’s reading because the closely related parallels cited above share it. However, more distantly related charters (that do not include the Puranic genealogy) normally read tatas here, and it seems possible that the present plate in fact has tas, erroneously for tatas. — ⟨36⟩ -t(āḷa)pa- ⬦ -tāḍapa- VV.

⟨38⟩ ddān{n}a{ṁ}- ⬦ dd¿a?⟨ā⟩n{n}a{ṁ}- VV.

⟨39⟩ (t)¿(r̥)?⟨i⟩sraḥ ⬦ (t)¿(ya)?⟨i⟩sraḥ VV.

⟨44⟩ -lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩ṁ ⬦ -lakṣmīṁ VV.

⟨45⟩ -asir ¿ā?⟨a⟩dhyāsita- • An akṣara may have been omitted by the engraver after -asirā°. If so, then rā may be correct rather than erroneous for ra. Assuming an omitted long syllable here (e.g. -asir agrādhyāsita or -asir ātmādhyāsita) would restore the stanza to a metrically correct āryāgīti, which is the metre of both the preceding and the following stanza. It is also possible that two morae (a long syllable or two short ones) were omitted after ādhyāsita, but it is harder to think of a plausible restoration there. One or the other of these loci thus probably involves an omission, unless the spelling śrīyo is deliberate and used in conjunction with poetic licence by which the a preceding this word is scanned as a short syllable. In this latter case the stanza would be a vallarī. — ⟨45⟩ -śr¿ī?⟨i⟩yo ⬦ -śriyo VV.

⟨53⟩ (sv?)(ai)ra-(m) (anyā?)(n vi)bhītāN • VV prints this stretch as unclear in some places, but nowhere as doubtful. The reading is mostly plausible, but the character read as ma has an e marker above it. Reading svaira-vedhyān may be possible from the estampage, but this does not make good sense. I have no better alternative and thus accept VV’s reading.

⟨54⟩ i¿(rṣā)?⟨va⟩ • The unexpected character may already be corrected in the plate. — ⟨54⟩ yadīyā(|) • There is circle like a vowel marker for i atop the punctuation mark. It may have been corrected from an alphabetic character.

⟨58⟩ -varddh¿i?⟨ī⟩ ⬦ -varddhī VV.

⟨64⟩ visr̥jyā° ⬦ nisr̥jyā° VV. — ⟨64⟩ mahat ⬦ ¿n?⟨m⟩ahat VV • The subscript component looks different from the typical subscript m, found e.g. in tasmāl later in this line, yet it does not look like an n, and is identical to the subscript m (also read as m by VV) in hmā earlier in this line.

⟨67⟩ -(vr̥)tta⟨ḥ⟩ stutya-ya[–⏑–⏑⏑]-matir • I adopt VV’s analysis here, but depending on what the omitted text was, it is possible that there is no need to supply a visarga (but read a compound instead), and/or that the next string should be segmented into stuty-aya°, and/or that the omission took place before ya.

⟨69⟩ -śakti{ya}- • I agree with VV that ya must be deleted here. As a result, the stanza is in the rare metre vallarī. I see no way of emending the text to obtain an āryāgīti stanza. Given that the next stanza is in lalitā, the likewise rare minverse of vallarī, the emandation is in all probability correct. — ⟨69⟩ cīḍamaṁbāy¿a?⟨ā⟩ḥ ⬦ cīḍam¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁbāy¿a?⟨ā⟩ḥ VV.

⟨73⟩ (p)⟨r⟩athita(ṁ) VV • I endorse VV’s emendation, though I find the stanza as a whole somewhat problematic. It may also be possible to read prathitaḥ here, but my interpretation of the stanza would not be changed by that difference.

⟨74⟩ gotra- ⬦ go(tra){(ṁ)} VV • What VV saw as a superfluous anusvāra here must be just damage. The conjunct tra itself is completely clear, and is followed by a pair of dots, but even the upper one is located too low to be an anusvāra or part of a visarga. — ⟨74⟩ ma(h)e(nd?)(rā)(t kṣama?)⟨ḥ⟩ VV • I adopt VV’s reading (which he prints as unclear but with no indication of tentativeness). In the estampage there are only the slightest vestiges of the characters marked here as tentative. The reading is plausible on the basis of these vestiges, but for all I can see, °t paraḥ or °d varaḥ would be equally possible.

⟨77⟩ sama⟨ṁ⟩ • The missing anusvāra may have been added subsequently, at about median height. — ⟨77⟩ -pāthasā (ca kṣamā?) ⬦ -pāthasā(mā kṣa)mā VV • I cannot interpret VV’s reading. My own tentative reading seems to be just as plausible on the basis of the vestiges.

⟨79⟩ -prākā⟨raḥ kā⟩rāgr̥ha- ⬦ -prākār¿ā?⟨o⟩ gr̥ha- VV • VV’s emendation yields a metrically faulty udgīti. As he notes, the syllable sai must be scanned as short for the mora count to work out, but even permitting that, we are left with the pattern ⏑–⏑ in the fifth foot, which is not permitted. Given the author’s penchant for repeating strings (and the use of the same device at the same point in the second hemistich here), I am quite certain the composer’s intent was as I emend the text. In this case, the stanza is a vallarī, metrically correct except for some licence in the second hemistich (for which see the commentary).

⟨81⟩ -{va}dharmma- • The superfluous va may have been inscribed in error for dha, and may have been deleted in the original. — ⟨81⟩ -saṁ¿gg?⟨t⟩atir ⬦ -saṁggatir VV • I resort to emendation because I cannot make sense of the text with saṁgati. VV may have been of the same minds, since he translates as if the reading were saṁtati. If this was indeed the composer’s intent, the intended spelling may still have been with tt.

⟨82⟩ kīrtyānvit(o) ⬦ kīrty-anvi(to) VV. — ⟨82⟩ -rat(n)ākara- ⬦ -rat¿k?⟨n⟩ākara- VV • The conjunct uses the looped subscript n, and there is a scratch or a slip of the chisel on the right-hand side of that component, but it is not a k.

⟨84⟩ kāramaceḷu- ⬦ kāramaceḍu- VV • VV’s reading is plausible (and a dental d is also not out of the question), but I believe the last character of this name is most likely to be ḷu. Compare the name kārañcedu, mentioned several times in the Koṟṟapaṟṟu grant of Vijayāditya II.

⟨88⟩ -guṇṭa ⬦ -guṇ¿ṭ?⟨ṭh⟩a VV.

⟨92⟩ tāṁkaḻapolamu nāma ¿llaṁghana?- ⬦ tāṁkaḻapolamun ¿āmallaṁghana?- VV • VV apparently interprets tāṁkaḻapolamun as a Telugu locative. See also the note to the translation. It seems more likely to me that we have the Sanskrit word nāma here, although I cannot interpret the word llaṁghana. It may need emendation to nāmollaṁghana-, but the meaning of this is still not clear (perhaps a non-contiguous field that is nonetheless part of the donation?). A more drastic emendation may be lāṁgala, which seems to make sense intuitively (a ploughfield), but the compound lāṁgala-kṣetra is not attested.

Translation by Dániel Balogh

Seal

Plates

I
From the lotus in the navel of the great Lord Nārāyaṇa, the supreme person and the abode of Śrī, there arose (Brahmā,) the self-born creator of the world. From him was born a son of the mind called Atri, and from that sage Atri [was born] the founder of a dynasty: the Moon (soma) whose rays are nectar and who is the turban jewel of Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva).
II
From that nectar-yielding one there came into being Mercury (budha), praised by the wise (budha), [and] from him was born the valiant universal sovereign (cakravartin) named Purūravas.

(3) [What follows is] prose.

(3–8) From him [was born] Āyus. From Āyus, Nahuṣa. From Nahuṣa, the universal sovereign and dynastic father Yayāti. From him, the universal sovereign called Puru. From him, Janamejaya, performer of three Aśvamedha (sacrifices). From him, Prācīśa. From Prācīśa, Sainyayāti. From Sainyayāti, Hayapati. From Hayapati, Sārvabhauma. From Sārvabhauma, Jayasena. From Jayasena, Mahābhauma. From Mahābhauma, Aiśānaka. From Aiśānaka, Krodhānana. From Krodhānana, Devaki. From Devaki, R̥bhuka. From R̥bhuka, R̥kṣaka. From R̥kṣaka, Mativara, performer of a Sattra sacrifice and Lord of the River Sarasvatī. From him, Kātyāyana. From Kātyāyana, Nīla. From Nīla, Duṣyanta. His son [was the one]—

(8) [What follows is] moraic verse.

III
—who, because he unceasingly dug down one sacrificial post (yūpa) after another on the banks of the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā and also performed Aśvamedhas, obtained the name “Bharata of the Great Sacrifices.”1

(9–11) From that Bharata [was born] Bhūmanyu. From Bhūmanyu, Suhotra. From Suhotra, Hastin. From Hastin, Virocana. From Virocana, Ajamīla. From Ajamīla, Saṁvaraṇa. [The son] of Saṁvaraṇa and of Tapatī, the daughter of Tapana, [was] Sudhanvan. From Sudhanvan [was born] Parikṣit. From Parikṣit, Bhīmasena. From Bhīmasena, Pradīpana. From Pradīpana, Śantanu. From Śantanu, Vicitravīrya. From Vicitravīrya, King Pāṇḍu.

(11–12) [What follows is] moraic verse.

IV
He in turn had five sons—(Yudhiṣṭhira) the son of Dharma, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who were to obtain the kingdom (viṣaya) like the five senses {which grasp the sense-objects (viṣaya)}.

(12) [What follows is] syllabic verse.

V
The masterful wielder of the Gāṇḍīva (bow) who, after vanquishing (Indra) the thunderbolt-bearer, burned the Khāṇḍava (forest); who obtained the Pāśupata weapon in combat from (Śiva) the enemy of Andhaka; who, after slaying many Daityas such as Kālikeya, victoriously ascended to share a throne with Indra; who with abandon cut down the forest that was the dynasty of the Kurus—

(14–17) —from that Arjuna [was born] Abhimanyu. From Abhimanyu, Parikṣit. From Parikṣit, Janamejaya. From Janamejaya, Kṣemuka. From Kṣemuka, Naravāhana. From Naravāhana, Śatānīka. From Śatānīka, Udayana. Thereafter, when sixty-less-one universal sovereigns beginning with him (Udayana) had passed in uninterrupted succession, [each] seated on the throne of Ayodhyā, a king of their dynasty named Vijayāditya marched to Dakṣiṇāpatha [driven] by a desire to conquer. He challenged Trilocana Pallava and, by an ill turn of fate, passed to the otherworld.

(17–24) In the midst of that tribulation, his pregnant chief queen went with their chaplain (purohita) to a Brahmanical settlement (agrahāra) named Muḍivaimu, and [there] gave birth to Viṣṇuvardhana while under the protection of its resident the soma-sacrificer Viṣṇubhaṭṭa, [who cherished her] as if she were his own daughter. She raised that boychild, arranging for the performance of the ceremonies traditionally applicable to his particular kṣatriya gotra, [namely] being of the Mānavya gotra, a son of Hārita, and so on.2 He in turn, when her mother had told him the story, went forth to Mount Calukya and worshipped Nandā, [who is] the goddess Gaurī, and also appeased Kumāra, Nārāyaṇa and the band of Mothers. Having [thereby] recovered the hereditary paraphernalia of sovereignty belonging to his family, as though they had been deposited (with these deities for safekeeping)—[namely,] the white parasol, the one conch shell, the five great sounds3, the pennant garland (pāli-ketana), the ¿inverted drum? (pratiḍhakkā)4, the Boar emblem, the peacock fan (piṁcha), the lance (kunta), the lion throne, the makara archway, the golden sceptre, the Gaṅgā and Yamunā and so forth—and having conquered the kings of the Kaḍambas, Gaṅgas and so on, he reigned over Dakṣiṇāpatha (extending) from (Rāma’s) bridge to the Narmadā (and comprising) seven and a half lakhs (of villages?).

(24) [What follows is a] śloka.

VI
The son of that King Viṣṇuvardhana and his chief queen born of the Pallava dynasty was Vijayāditya.

(25) His son was Polakeśi Vallabha. His son was Kīrtivarman. His son—

(26–36) Greetings. Satyāśraya Vallabhendra (Pulakeśin II) was eager to adorn the lineage of the majestic Calukyas—who are of the Mānavya gotra which is praised by the entire world, who are sons of Hāriti, who attained kingship by the grace of Kauśikī’s boon, who are protected by the band of Mothers, who were deliberately appointed (to kingship) by Lord Mahāsena, to whom enemy territories instantaneously submit at the [mere] sight of the superior Boar emblem they have acquired by the grace of the divine Nārāyaṇa, and whose bodies have been hallowed through washing in the purificatory ablutions (avabhr̥tha) of the Aśvamedha sacrifice. His brother Kubja Viṣṇuvardhana protected (pāl-) the country of Veṅgī for eighteen years. His son Jayasiṁha Vallabha (I), for thirty-three. His brother Indrarāja (Indra Bhaṭṭāraka), for seven days. His son Viṣṇuvardhana (II), for nine [years]. His son Maṅgi Yuvarāja, for twenty-five. His son Jayasiṁha (II), for thirteen. His [brother] of inferior birth, Kokkili, for six months. After dethroning him, his eldest brother Viṣṇuvardhana (III), for thirty-seven [years]. His son Vijayāditya (I) Bhaṭṭāraka, for eighteen. His son Viṣṇuvardhana (IV), for thirty-six. His son Vijayāditya (II) Narendramr̥garāja, for eight and forty. His son Kali-Viṣṇuvardhana (V), for a year and a half. His son Guṇaga Vijayāditya (III), for forty-four. The son of his younger brother King (bhūpati) Vikramāditya, Cālukya-Bhīma, for thirty. His son Kollabigaṇḍa Vijayāditya (IV), for six months. His son Ammarāja (I), for seven years. After dethroning his son the child Vijayāditya (V), Tāḷapa, for one month. After defeating him, Cālukya-Bhīma’s son Vikramāditya (II), for eleven months. [Then] that King (rājan) Tāḷapa’s son Yuddhamalla, for seven years.

VII
Having ousted that Yuddhamalla from the country and having also quashed other enemies, the fearsome (bhīma) King Bhīma (II), younger brother of Ammarāja, protected (rakṣ-) the earth for twelve years.
VIII
His son Ammarāja (II), the foremost of kings who forced his enemies into submission, protected (pāl-) the land of Veṅgī for twenty-five years.
IX
King Dāna (Dānārṇava), the brother of King Amma (II) by a different mother and the son of King Bhīma (II), clever in a whole array of sciences, protected (pā-) the earth up to its four ends for three years.
X
Then, after Dānārṇava, by an ill turn of fate the land of Veṅgī remained leaderless for twenty-seven years.
XI
At this juncture, the son of King Dāna, His Majesty Śaktivarman, who was of the same nature as (Indra) the king of the gods, struck down his enemies by the power of his valour and protected (rakṣ-) the earth for twelve years.
XII
The son of the same King Dāna and his faithful chief queen Āryā is Vimalāditya, the splendid king (deva) who advances the lineage of Satyāśraya.
XIII
who was publicly anointed in the Śaka year found in fires, fires and apertures (of the body) (i.e. 933), in the month of Taurus (vr̥ṣabha), in the bright fortnight, on the sixth (lunar day), on Thursday and under (the asterism) Puṣya, when the ascendant (lagna) was Leo (siṁha).5
XIV
The moon-bright reputation of this King Birudaṁka Bhīma so pervaded [the world] that, in order to make his body perceptible, Śambhu (Śiva) bore on his neck [a dark streak?] which had the beauty of the mark on the hare-marked [moon].6
XV
With a mass of gleaming pearls put on as soon as they were released through the splitting of the forehead lobes of enemy elephants, the sword in his arm looks permanently like the necklace of the victory goddess residing there.7
XVI
The cobwebs covering the faces of the caryatids (śāla-bhañjikā) of the houses in the towns of his enemies who have fled from his wrath look like veils they have put on because they cannot bear the sight of another man.
XVII
He, the excellence of whose courage scorns the strongest lion, has brought his name Tribhuvanāṁkuśa, “elephant goad of the three worlds,” to literal meaningfulness by destroying hosts of the lordly elephants of his numerous recalcitrant foes.
XVIII
His region of the earth is sprinkled by the rut fluid of elephants brought ¿as customary guest gifts? by rulers [from] all over the earth.8 The heads of his antagonists, seized in raids by his hosts of thousands of horses who spurn the speed of the wind, are mounted on the tips of his lances.9
XIX
In the beginning it was the nectar-rayed [moon], that yielder of nectar who is the head jewel of Śambhu; [then it was] Bharata of his [the moon’s] lineage; and then Vijayāditya with the cognomen Calukya; and likewise His Majesty Satyāśraya-Vallabha; [and now it is] His Majesty, the shelter of all the world (sarva-lokāśraya), the divine king named Mummaḍi-Bhīma, who became a [true] founder of the dynasty.10
XX
Becoming like the sharp edge of an axe and splitting the Saurāṣṭras, the abundance of his prowess then becomes like a seductress who drives the Śakas, Lāṭas and Gurjaras out of mind. On a whim, it sends heroes to the otherworld, as good deeds {send people to heaven}, and drives others—those terrified [of him]—to the ends of the horizon, as the excellence of their austerities [might drive them to the supreme end].

(54–63) He is a veritable crocodile-bannered (Kāma) among heroes; he has annihilated strife, like the crocodile-bannered (Kāma) {whose body has been annihilated}; he dispels the blind darkness of enemies, like the lord of heavenly bodies (the sun) {which dispels malevolent darkness}; he possesses the royal arts, like Hara (Śiva) {who bears a digit of the moon}; he pleases the woman (rāmā) who is Fortune (ramā), like a mountain {which is pleasing with delightful (rama) gardens (ārāma)}; he is a capable wielder of the battleaxe, like Rāma (i.e. Paraśurāma);11 he delights the gods and adhvaryu priests, like Sahadeva {who is the son of the adhvaryu priests of the gods (the two Aśvins)}; he makes thousands of poets (kavi) happy (sa-mud) by [granting them] the desired reward, like a special kind of Nandana (garden)12 {whose desirable fruits thousands of birds (vi) covet (samutka)}; he is comparable to the thousand-eyed (Indra); he is of the Mānavya gotra; he is a saviour of his gotra; an uplifter of the lineage of the overlord of stars (the moon); resplendent in prosperity {a waxing moon}; he has turned a succession of enemies into tributaries; his lotus feet are attended upon and tinted red by the rays of a multitude of jewels fitted to the surfaces of the crowns of flocks of enemy kings; he strikes terror into the entire circle of rulers through the mere sight of his Boar emblem; he casts the shadow of the numerous bright parasols appropriate to his rank of Universal Sovereign (cakravartin) over the entire world. That shelter of all the world (sarva-lokāśraya), His Majesty Viṣṇuvardhana, the supremely pious Supreme Lord (parameśvara) of Emperors (mahārājādhirāja), the Supreme Sovereign (parama-bhaṭṭāraka) and supreme devotee of Maheśvara, convokes all householders (kuṭumbin)—including foremost the territorial overseers (rāṣṭrakūṭa)—who reside in Guddhavādi district (viṣaya), and, witnessed by the minister (mantrin), the chaplain (purohita), the general (senāpati), the crown prince (yuvarāja) and the gate guard (dauvārika), commands them as follows. To wit:

XXI
The primeval supreme Brahmā who came into being spontaneously and then released the waters, discharged his semen into them (the waters), which became a great golden egg. From this egg arose the Creator (vidhi), the grandfather of the worlds; and from him were born ten sons of the mind, steeped in learning and full of splendour, beginning with Marīci.
XXII
The most majestic among them was the one known as Vasiṣṭha, the sage associated with (his wife) Arundhatī. From him arose the one known as Kuṇḍina, and in his Kauṇḍinya lineage (gotra) in due course [arose] Droṇa, a most extraordinarily excellent Brahmin whose conduct set the standards, [being] praiseworthy [5*] and honest.
XXIII
His son was the minister (saciva) named Datta, like a boon given (datta) in grace by Hara (Śiva), of auspicious works, praised for his capability and endowed with the powers (śakti) of mastery (prabhu), counsel (mantra) and energy (utsāha).
XXIV
The son of this abode of honourable virtue and of the faithful Cīḍamambā is named Vajra. He is kindly of speech, keen of intellect and benevolent of mind.
XXV
In his house [even] the parrots and mynahs recite the Vedas and treatises (śāstra), because they hear them ever and anon [being recited] by clever pupils.
XXVI
A god like Bhīmeśvara {a divine king like Lord Bhīma},13 a ruler like the Lord of Veṅgī, [and] a minister like Minister Vajra—has never been and will never be [again].
XXVII
Carrying both the burden of the earth, which had been borne by serpent lords, by the elephants of the quarters, and by the sixteen primeval kings, and the arduous burden of battle, [which had been borne] by heroes who surpassed even Śūdraka and the like, in due succession [but also] on the strength of his polity and the strength of his arm he attained the position of being the aide of King Birudaṅka Bhīma, in government as well as with the sword.
XXVIII
Flocks of learned men praise both the liege and the underling of this [pair] (i.e. Vimalāditya and Vajra) by saying that the majestic Great Indra of Kings (Vimalāditya) is more puissant than the Great Indra (the god), for though both crushed the families of enemy kings {troops of hostile mountains}, the latter was a destroyer of the cowpen (gotra), and only the former is first and foremost the saviour of his family (gotra); and this heavy (i.e. respectable) one named Vajra surpasses the more lightweight thunderbolt of the latter.
XXIX
The sky is pervaded with clouds accumulated from the dark smoke of his (Vajra’s) triple fire along with the thousands of clouds generated from the smoke of the burning of the cities of kings opposed to his own aims; and the earth is showered by tears from the eyes of his enemies’ wives [as well as] by the pure water [he uses] for washing the feet of his immaculate guests.
XXX
This Minister Vajra deserves the praise of the people of the world, whom he gratifies by [donating] wealth. He is a sun to his lineage of Brahmins, extremely clever, and the honesty of his speech is never compromised.
XXXI
This wall of adamant for [the protection of] the wise, {which is the wise Vajra}, keeps the totality of enemy soldiers confined to a prison. He possesses the excellence and majesty of (Viṣṇu) the Discus Bearer, and is a bee to the lotus that is the foot of Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva).
XXXII
In his speech, thought and action he has always taken after (his gotra progenitor) Kuṇḍina, surpassing [even him]. He performs an uninterrupted succession of ritual acts (dharma) related to the three sacred fires. He is an overlord among Brahmins and a treasure-house of generosity.
XXXIII
He is devoted to the feet of (Vimalāditya) the crest-jewel of the Cālukyas and is thus a unique crest jewel among devotees, a manifest Śiva. He has a good reputation as a crest jewel of ministers, and has been named His Honour the Ocean of Benevolence.
XXXIV
In the kingdom consisting of seven constituents (aṅga)14 rulership is essential, [but] no less so is the position of a minister, which is second to the former. In that [position] he (Vajra) has received from me (Vimalāditya) special distinction [represented by] the gateway of honour (śrīdvāra), the peacock-feather fan (piñcha), the water vessel (karaka), the parasol (ātapa-vāraṇa) and so on.

(84–87) To him—the crest jewel of ministers, the wall of adamant for the protection of the wise, the ocean of benevolence, who is popularly known as Vajjiyapeggaḍa, who is my devoted [servant] who has undertaken travails [on my behalf], and who is a resident of Kāramaceḷu and belongs to the Kauṇḍinya gotra—I, for the sake of my [continuing] prosperity, have given the village Raṇastipūṇḍi together with the village named Pāṟuvaḻa [located] in your district, converted into a rent-free holding (agrahāra). Let this be known to you.

(87–92) Its boundaries [are as follows].15 To the east, the western bank of the tank in the middle of Kauta. To the southeast, the western bank of the Wood-apple Pond at the triple boundary juncture of Mrontukaṟṟu, Bālūru and Raṇastipūṇḍi. To the south, the road on the ridge sloping to the bank of the Big Tank. To the southwest, the Tamarind Pond at the triple boundary juncture of Pālūru,16 Goṟukeṭu and Raṇastipūṇḍi. To the west, a bush in Koṟukeṭu17 To the northwest, the border is none other than the border of Ḻulla. To the north, the border is none other than the border of Kaḻapaṟṟu and Eḻṭa. To the northeast, the triple boundary juncture of Eḻṭa, Mrontukaṟṟu and Raṇastipūṇḍi.

(92–94) The boundaries of the … (llaṁghana) field ¿named Tāṁkalapolamu?,18 which is attached to this rent-free holding (agrahāra) named Raṇastipūṇḍi, [are as follows]. To the east and to the south, Gāṁgaleru.19 To the west, Kollikuṟṟu ¿near? Siripodipūṇḍi, Goṅgalanrolu and Ḻulla.20 To the north, the border is none other than the border of Siripodipūṇḍi.

(94–95) Let no-one pose an obstacle (to the enjoyment of rights) over it. He who does so shall have the five great sins. So too has the reverend master Vyāsa spoken:

XXXV
Many (kings) have granted land, and many have preserved it (as formerly granted). Whosoever at any time owns the land, the fruit {reward (accrued of granting it)} belongs to him at that time.
XXXVI
He who would seize land, whether given by himself or by another, shall be born as a worm in faeces for sixty thousand years.

(97) Of this decree issued in the course of the eighth (regnal) year in the month Siṁha, [the recipient is?] the lord of Brahmins, with the title “His Honour the Commander of Law Enforcement (daṇḍanāyaka)”.

XXXVII
The executor (ājñapti) is Nr̥pakāma; Bhīmana Bhaṭṭa, the son of Rāciya Pedderi is the author of these verses; and the writer (lekhaka) of the decree is Jontācārya.21

Commentary

Sandhi-obscured caesura in v19 (śārdūlavikrīḍita) b; v28 (śārdūlavikrīḍita) a; v29 (śārdūlavikrīḍita) b. Unobserved caesura in v20 (sragdharā) a2. The break between an odd and even pāda is obscured by sandhi in v32 (vaṁśastha) ab. Muta cum liquida licence is used in the second hemistich of v31 (vallarī), where udgha-śrīkaḥ must be scanned as –⏑––.

Bibliography

Reported with discussion in ARIE 1899-1900, pp. 12–13. Edited from the original plates by V. Venkayya(1900–1901), with estampages and translation (skipping the legendary and historic genealogy up to line 36). The present edition by Dániel Balogh is based on a collation of Venkayya’s edition with his rubbings. No image of the seal is available.

Primary

[VV] Venkayya, V. 1900–1901. “Ranastipundi grant of Vimaladitya; dated in the eighth year.” EI 6, pp. 347–361.

Secondary

Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1890. South-Indian inscriptions, Tamil and Sanskrit, from stone and copper-plate edicts at Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, in the North Arcot district, and other parts of the Madras Presidency, chiefly collected in 1886-87. Volume I. South Indian Inscriptions 1. Madras: Government Press. Pages 49–62, item 39.

ARIE 1899-1900. G.O. etc., Nos. 833-34, 22nd August 1900. Epigraphy. Passing orders on the annual report on – for 1899-1900. Copy to the Government of India. Edited by Eugen Julius Theodor Hultzsch. Madras: Government of Madras, Public Department, 1900. Pages 12–13.

Fleet, John Faithfull. 1885. “Sanskrit and Old Canarese inscriptions, no. CLIII: Korumelli plates of Rajaraja II, after Saka 944.” IA 14, pp. 48–55.

Notes

  1. 1. The stanza, as I read it (see the apparatus entry on line 9), does not permit the interpretation that he performed the great sacrifice Aśvamedha and obtained the name Bharata. But regardless of the slightly problematic reading, in my opinion the word nāma must in any case be construed as the object of alabhata, and I know of no connection between his sacrifices and the name Bharata. Thus, the interpretation reflected in my translation (as well as in that of VV, but not in Hultzsch’s translation of the parallel cited in the apparatus) is much preferable.
  2. 2. In some parallel versions (see the apparatus to line 20), the ceremonies are described as being applicable to a member of a double gotra, namely Mānavya and Hārītaputra.
  3. 3. The expression pañca-mahāśabda probably refers to being honoured by the sound of five musical instruments, but may also mean five titles beginning with “great”. See Fleet 1888, pp. 296–298, n. 9 for a discussion.
  4. 4. Some Cālukya grants use the words paḍa-ḍhakkā and daḍakkā in similar contexts. See the Ceruvu Mādhavaram plates of Kali Viṣṇuvardhana V and the commentary thereto.
  5. 5. According to Kielhorn’s personal communication reported by VV, the particulars of the date in fact work out for the fifth lunar day and correspond to 10 May, 1011 CE. Kielhorn goes so far as to propose emending yaṣ ṣaṣṭhyāṁ to pañcamyāṁ.
  6. 6. I do not find this stanza fully intelligible, because the sentence lacks an object to the verb avahat and includes only an adjective qualifying that unspecified object. As VV notes, the body of Śiva was probably conceived of as white and thus not really visible in the glare of Vimalāditya’s fame. VV’s translation supplies “a black spot” as the object of the sentence, which Śiva “wore” on his neck. I rather believe the stanza alludes to the dark streak for which Śiva is called Nīlakaṇṭha, and VV too may have had this in mind, though it is not evident from his translation.
  7. 7. The reference is to pearls supposedly found in the heads of elephants. There may well be a word missing from this stanza; see the apparatus to line 45.
  8. 8. I am not certain of the interpretation of the first half of this stanza. Although prāghūrṇaka means a guest and prāghūrṇikā is known to mean the hospitable reception of a guest, I believe the composer’s intent may have been a gift brought by a guest. If this is accepted, I believe kalpa makes good sense in the context as “prescribed (by convention).” VV translates, “The ground (in front of) his (palace) was sprinkled with the rut of strong foreign elephants, brought by the rulers of the country of Sārvabhauma.” He adds that “foreign” in his translation literally means “guest;” and he explains “the country of Sārvabhauma” as the lands to the north, reasoning that Sārvabhauma is the name of Kubera’s elephant, and Kubera is the regent of the north. I find this altogether unconvincing and believe sārvabhauma-dharaṇīśvara should be understood literally as “kings from all over the earth;” or perhaps more strongly as “universal sovereigns.” The rest of VV’s translation is possible, but it strikes me as awkward. I would not expect the elephants to be described as guests.
  9. 9. Or, as understood by VV, on his hundreds of thousands of lances.
  10. 10. As also noted by VV, the Vijayāditya mentioned here is the ruler of Ayodhyā in the legendary genealogy, and Satyāśraya is clearly Pulakeśin II. Mummaḍi-Bhīma and sarvalokāśraya must be titles of Vimalāditya, who claims to be as prominent a figure in the history of his dynasty as those listed here.
  11. 11. I wonder if in the composer’s pronunciation, paraśu-kriyā and para-sukriyā sounded the same. In this case the meaning understood for the king would be “capable of benefitting others.”
  12. 12. VV’s translation speaks of a nandana tree here.
  13. 13. VV feels quite confident that this deity is the Bhīmeśvara of Drākṣārāma. While that, or another image of Śiva patronised by a king Bhīma is indeed probably meant here, I think there is at least a bitextual allusion to Mummaḍi-Bhīma Vimalāditya himself, who has been called deva no less than twice above. If the first line of the stanza is understood in this way, then the second line must be understood as “the anytime Lord of Veṅgī” who is superior to any other king even while Bhīma himself is superior to any other king of Veṅgī.
  14. 14. See Arthaśāstra 6.1.1, svāmy-amātya-janapada-durga-kośa-daṇḍa-mitrāṇi prakr̥tayaḥ.
  15. 15. Throughout this passage, I translate the Telugu phrases tentatively on the basis of VV’s translation and words occurring in other Eastern Cālukya inscriptions.
  16. 16. This name is evidently identical to Bālūru above. VV in his translation normalises the former to Pālūru.
  17. 17. Evidently the same name as Goṟukeṭu above. VV normalises both to Koṟukēṟu in his translation.
  18. 18. The meaning of the text is not clear here; see the apparatus to line 92. VV translates, “The boundaries of the Āmallaṅghana(?) field in the fields of Tāṅkala”.
  19. 19. According to VV, this is the name of a river.
  20. 20. Here too, I follow the translation of VV, including his indication of uncertainty.
  21. 21. VV reads the prose in line 97 with this stanza, taking the prose to be a description of Nr̥pakāma. This is possible, but it seems more likely to me that the prose passage is yet another description of Minister Vajra. Nr̥pakāma is certainly different from the Nr̥pakāma mentioned in the Āruṁbāka grant of Bādapa, who was already old when that grant was issued. Bhīmana Bhaṭṭa, the son of Rāciya Pedderi is also the executor of the Korumelli and Kalidiṇḍi grants of Rājarāja I, where his title is kaṭakeśa and the name or title Nr̥pakāma does not appear. Nonetheless, the Nr̥pakāma mentioned here as executor may be the same person as Bhīmana Bhaṭṭa, in which case Jontācārya was both the composer and the writer. Finally, Jontācārya in turn is probably, but not certainly, different from the Jontācārya who was the writer of several grants of Amma II.