Velaṁbaṟṟu (spurious?) grant of Amma I

Editor: Dániel Balogh.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSVengiCalukya00063.

Hand description:

Halantas. Final M (e.g. l3, l8) is a stylised, reduced ma with a slightly sinuous vertical tail. Final N (e.g. l9) is a reduced na with a slightly sinuous tail on the right-hand side of the stem. Final T (e.g. l17) is likewise a reduced ta with a tail attached on the right.

Original punctuation marks are plain verticals.

Other palaeographic observations. Anusvāra is normally at head height after the character to which it belongs; occasionally atop the next character, e.g. l19 aṁbhodhi; l28 velaṁbaṟṟu. Initial O occurs in line 1; initial Ī in l30 and l31.

Languages: Sanskrit, Telugu.

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

Version: (0661ab5), last modified (5c0a816).

Edition

Seal

⟨1⟩ śrī-tribhuvan(ā)ṁkuśa

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1⟩ On namo nārāyaṇāya| svasti⟨.⟩ śrīmatāṁ sakala-bhuvana-saṁstūyamāna-mānavya-sa⟨2⟩gotrāṇāṁ hārīti-putrāṇāṁ kauśikī-vara-prasāda-labdha-rājyānāṁ mātr̥-gaṇa-pari⟨3⟩pālitānāṁ svāmi-mahāsena-pādānudhyātānāM bhagavan-nārāyaṇa-prasā⟨4⟩da-samāsādita-vara-varāha-lāñchanekṣaṇa-kṣaṇa-vaśīkr̥tārāti-maṇḍalānām a⟨5⟩śvamedhāvabhr̥tha-snāna-pavitrīkr̥ta-vapuṣāṁ calukyānāṁ kulam alaṁ⟨6⟩kariṣṇoḥ satyāśraya-vallabhendrasya bhrātā kubja-viṣṇuvarddhano ⟨’⟩ṣṭādaśa varṣā⟨7⟩ṇi| tat-putro jayasiṁha-vallabhas trayastriṁśataṁ| tad-anujendrarāja-nandano vi⟨8⟩ṣṇuvarddhano nava| tad-ātmajo maṁgi-yuvarājaḥ paṁcaviṁśatiM| tat-putro jaya⟨9⟩siṁhas trayodaśa| tasya dvaimāturānujaḥ kokkiliṣ ṣaṇ māsāN| taj-⟨j⟩yeṣṭh(o) ⟨Page 2r⟩ ⟨10⟩ ⟨’⟩nujam uccāṭya viṣṇuvarddhanas saptatriṁśataM| tat-putro vijay(ā)ditya-bhaṭṭārakaḥ ⟨11⟩ Aṣṭādaśa(|) tat-suto viṣṇuvarddhanaṣ ṣaṭtriṁśataM| tat-sūnur aṣṭottara-śata-narendreśva⟨12⟩rāyatanānāṁ sva-yuddha-jaya-saṁkhyānāṁ karttā vijayādityo ⟨’⟩ṣṭacatvāriṁśata(M)⟨|⟩ ⟨13⟩ tad-ātmajaḥ kali-viṣṇuvarddhano ⟨’⟩ddhyarddha-varṣaM| tat-putro vijayāditya-mahārā⟨14⟩jaś catuścatvāriṁśataM| tad-anuja-yuvarāja-vikramāditya-sūnu⟨15⟩ś cālukya-bhīma-bhūpālas triṁśataṁ varṣāṇi| tat-putro vijayāditya-mahā⟨16⟩rājaṣ ṣaṇ māsān veṁgī-deśam anupālya nāka-lokālayaṁ yayau|

I. Anuṣṭubh

tasmāl lo⟨17⟩kamahādevyāṁ

a

gauryyāṁ guha iveśvarāT|

b

Ammarāja Iti khyātas

c

suto jā⟨18⟩tas sat¿o?⟨ā⟩m mataḥ|

d
II. Anuṣṭubh

sarvva-lakṣaṇa-sampannas

a

sarvva-loka-manoharaḥ

b

śukla-pakṣa-(śa)⟨Page 2v⟩⟨19⟩śīvāsau

c

prāptavān sakalāḥ kalāḥ|

d
III. Anuṣṭubh

catur-aṁbhodhi-mālā-san-

a

-me(kha)lālaṁkr̥tā⟨20⟩vaniṁ

b

saṁrakṣituṁ sa dhr̥tavāN

c

paṭṭam ā-candra-tārakaM|

d

yaś ca Indur iva mr̥du-ka⟨21⟩rānandita-kuvalayo dinakara Iva sad-vr̥tta-maṇḍalo vainateya Iva vinatāna⟨22⟩nda-janano guha ivāpratihata-śaktis sa sarvva-lokāśraya-śrī-viṣṇuvarddhana-mahā⟨23⟩rājādhirāja-parameśvaraḥ parama-brahmaṇyo velanāṇṭi-palliya-viṣaya⟨24⟩-nivāsino rāṣṭrakūṭa-pramukhān kuṭuṁbinas sarvvān ittham ājñāpayati

vi⟨25⟩ditam astu vaḥ kauśika-gotrāya vemūru-vāstavyāya mādhavaśarmmaṇaḥ pautrā⟨26⟩ya viṣṇuśarmmaṇaḥ putrāya ṣaṭ-karmma-niratāya veda-vedā¿gaṁ?⟨ṁga⟩-pāragāya taitti⟨27⟩rīya-sabrahmacāriṇe koḍaliśarmmaṇe karppaṭam mocayitvā dakṣiṇāyana-ni⟨Page 3r⟩⟨28⟩mitte sodaka-pūrvvaṁ sarvva-kara-parihāram agrāhārī-kr̥tya| velaṁbaṟṟu nāma grā⟨29⟩mo ⟨’⟩smābhis saṁpradatta Iti

Asyāvadhi-grāmāḥ⟨.⟩ pūrvvataḥ krāpa| dakṣiṇataḥ tūrkkave⟨30⟩lli| paścimataḥ kuccaripaṟṟu| Uttarataḥ Īṁpaṟṟu| kṣetrāvadhayaḥ⟨.⟩ Āgneyato ⟨31⟩ nairr̥tyāṁ vāyavyataḥ Īśānataś ca| muyyali-kuṭla| Asyopari na kenacid bādhā ⟨32⟩ karttavyā⟨.⟩ yaḥ karoti sa pañca-mahāpātaka-saṁyukto narakaṁ gamiṣyati⟨.⟩ ⟨33⟩ tathā coktaṁ|

IV. Anuṣṭubh

bahubhir vvasudhā dattā

a

bahubhiś cānupālitā

b

yasya yasya ⟨34⟩ yadā bhūmis

c

tasya tasya tadā phalaM|

d
V. Anuṣṭubh

sva-dattāṁ para-dattāṁ vā

a

yo hareta vasundha⟨35⟩rāṁ

b

ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣa-sahasrāṇi

c

viṣṭhāyāṁ jāyate k¡ri!⟨r̥⟩miḥ|

d
VI. Anuṣṭubh

ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣa-sahasrāṇi

a

svargge ti⟨36⟩ṣṭhati bhūmi-daḥ

b

ākṣeptā cānumantā ca

c

tāny eva narake vaseT|

d

Ājñaptiḥ kaḍaya-rā⟨37⟩jaḥ

⟨Page 3v⟩

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

⟨9⟩ taj-⟨j⟩yeṣṭh(o)⟨Page 2r⟩ ⟨10⟩ ⟨’⟩nujam ⬦ taṁ| jyeṣṭho ⟨Page 2r⟩ ⟨10⟩ ’nujam NV • There is neither an anusvāra nor a punctuation mark here. NV’s taṁ is in principle an acceptable emendation, but I prefer to assume that jy was written instead of jjy. There seems to be a quarter anuṣṭubh here; see also the commentary.

⟨11⟩ viṣṇuvarddhanaṣ ṣaṭtriṁśataM ⬦ viṣṇuvarddhan¿aṣṭastriṁśataN?⟨o ’ṣaṭtriṁśataṁ⟩ NV.

⟨16⟩ nāka- ⬦ nā{ṁ}ka- NV.

⟨22⟩ -janano ⬦ -janako NV. — ⟨22⟩ -śaktis sa sarvva- ⬦ -śaktis sarvva- NV.

⟨26⟩ -vedā¿gaṁ?⟨ṁga⟩- ⬦ -vedāṁga- NV • The anusvāra is to the right of ga at head level.

⟨27⟩ karppaṭam ⬦ karppaḍam NV • Compare ṭa in l26 ṣaṭ-karmma and ḍa in l27 koḍali.

⟨30⟩ Īṁpaṟṟu ⬦ Iṁpaṟṟu NV.

⟨33⟩ co◯ktaṁ ⬦ coktaM NV.

Translation by Dániel Balogh

Seal

Plates

(1–16) Om! Obeisance to Nārāyaṇa! 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 Hārīti, 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 the realms of adversaries 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 [reigned] for eighteen years. His son Jayasiṁha Vallabha (I), for thirty-three. His younger brother Indrarāja’s son Viṣṇuvardhana (II), for nine. His son Maṅgi Yuvarāja, for twenty-five. His son Jayasiṁha (II), for thirteen. His younger brother by a different mother, Kokkili, for six months. His eldest brother Viṣṇuvardhana (III), after dethroning his younger brother, for thirty-seven [years]. His son Vijayāditya (I) Bhaṭṭāraka, for eighteen. His son Viṣṇuvardhana (IV), for thirty-six. His son Vijayāditya (II), who commissioned a hundred and eight temples of Narendreśvara in the number of his victories in battle, for forty-eight. His son Kali-Viṣṇuvardhana (V), for a year and a half. His son King (mahārāja) Vijayāditya (III), for forty-four. The son of his younger brother the heir-apparent (yuvarāja) Vikramāditya, King (bhūpāla) Cālukya-Bhīma, for thirty years. His son King (mahārāja) Vijayāditya (IV) passed on to reside in the heavenly world after having protected the country of Veṅgī for six months.

I
A son named Ammarāja (I?),1 honoured by the worthy, was begotten by him on Lokamahādevī, as Guha (Skanda) [was begotten] by Īśvara on Gaurī.
II
Endowed with all [good] omens and captivating the minds of all people, he grew to perfection in all arts, like the moon of the bright fortnight {which grows to completeness in all its digits}.
III
He donned the the eternal (ā-candra-tāra) turban [of sovereignty] in order to protect the earth, decorated by the beautiful garland of the four oceans.

(20–24) He—who moreover gladdens the orb of the earth (ku-valaya) by lenient taxes like the moon {which gladdens night waterlilies with gentle beams}; who has a well-behaved country like the sun {which has a perfectly round disc}; who engenders joy in those who bow [to him] like Vainateya (Garuḍa) {who engenders joy in Vinatā}; and whose power is as irresistible as {the spear} of Kārttikeya—His Majesty the supremely pious Supreme Lord (parameśvara) of Emperors (mahārājādhirāja), Viṣṇuvardhana (Amma I?), shelter of all the world (sarva-lokāśraya), commands all householders (kuṭumbin)—including foremost the territorial overseers (rāṣṭrakūṭa)—who reside in Velanāṇṭi Palliya district (viṣaya) as follows:

(24–29) Let it be known to you [that] on the occasion of the summer solstice we have granted the village named Velaṁbaṟṟu, converted into a rent-free holding (agrahāra) by a remission of all taxes, [the donation being] sanctified by (a libation of) water, to Koḍaliśarman of the Kauśika gotra and the Taittirīya school, a resident of Vemūru, grandson of Mādhavaśarman and som of Viṣṇuśarman, who (Koḍaliśarman) is engaged in the six duties (of a brahmin) and is thoroughly learned in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, [thereby] releasing him from [his vow of wearing] rags (karpaṭa).

(29–33) Its bordering villages [are as follows]. To the east, Krāpa. To the south, Tūrkkavelli. To the west, Kuccaripaṟṟu. Tot he north, Īṁpaṟṟu. The boundaries of [its] fields [are as follows]. To the southeast, in the southwest, to the northwest and to the northeast: the triple boundary junctures. Let no-one pose an obstacle (to his enjoyment of his rights) over it. He who does so shall go to hell, conjoined with the five great sins. It is said moreover:

IV
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.
V
He who would seize land, whether given by himself or by another, shall be born as a worm in faeces for sixty thousand years.
VI
A donor of land stays in heaven for sixty millennia, [while] a seizer [of granted land] and a condoner [of such seizure] shall reside in hell for just as many.

(36–37) The executor (ājñapti) is the castellan (kaḍaya-rāja).

Commentary

The genealogy seems to contain several anuṣṭubh fragments. Since these are phrases that deviate from the usual form of the prose genealogy, I do not think they are accidental; rather, they were probably lifted verbatim from a version of the genealogy composed fully in anuṣṭubh. Such fragments include taj-jyeṣṭho ’nujam uccāṭya (l9-10; see also the apparatus); tat-putro vijayāditya- (l10, l15); sva-yuddha-jaya-saṁkhyānāṁ (l12); nāka-lokālayaṁ yayau (l16).

Although according to NV, the grant “does not mention anything of historical interest not known from other sources,” stanza 1 says Amma’s mother was Lokamahādevī. This is the name of Amma II’s mother, but I am not aware of Amma I’s mother having the same name. Either this is new historical information, or the grant in fact belongs to a later time and has been inaccurately written to appear as a grant of Amma I. This cannot be a genuine grant of Amma II (omitting by mistake the kings from Amma I to Bhīma II), since the issuing ruler’s cognomen is Sarvalokāśraya Viṣṇuvarddhana, while that of Amma II is Samastabhuvanāśraya Vijayāditya. The Pulivaṟṟu (spurious?) grant of Amma I records Amma I’s mother’s name as Pallava Mahādevī, but the authenticity of that grant is also questionable (see the commentary there), and even if the information is authentic, she may have been Lokamahādevī of the Pallava dynasty. The term kṣetrāvadhayaḥ, found in the boundary close of the present charter, otherwise occurs only in grants of the time of Amma II and later. The granted land is only 15 km from that given in the Pulivaṟṟu grant, which may be a link between these two possibly spurious (antedated) grants. However, the present set of plates is unusually massive, while the Pulivaṟṟu grant is unusually flimsy.

The last plate has been recycled. Traces of earlier writing, rubbed or beaten out, are discernible in several places, e.g. yāditya near the end of line 28; ṣ(ṭ?)ot(ta?) in the line below that (preceded by the upper parts of many other characters); two dependent (i) markers in lines 32 and 33 close to the right side of the ring hole, and (r̥)tya beneath vaseT in line 36. There is no earlier writing on the outer side of this plate, and none discernible on the other plates.

Bibliography

Edited by N. Venkataramanayya (1974), perhaps from the original, with a photograph of the set and seal estampages of the plates; without translation. The present edition by Dániel Balogh is based on photographs taken by myself in 2023 at the Telangana State Archaeology Museum, Hyderabad, collated with the above edition. Only significant typographic mistakes are shown in the apparatus here, and others are silently assumed to have been correctly read by the original editor.

Primary

[NV] Venkataramanayya, N. 1974. “The Velaṁbaṟṟu Grant of Ammarāja Vishṇuvardhana.” In: Epigraphia Āndhrica vol. III. By N. Venkataramanayya. Edited by P.V. Parabrahma Sastry. Epigraphical series 7. Hyderabad: Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, pp. 43–46.

Notes

  1. 1. See the commentary; I wonder if this is in fact a grant of Amma II, with some rulers omitted by mistake.