Vākūr (Pākūr) plates, time of Nṛpatuṅgavarman, year 8
Editors: Sylvain Brocquet, Emmanuel Francis.
Identifier: DHARMA_INSPallava00155.
Summary: Grant of three villages (Ceṭṭuppākkam, Viḷāṅkāṭṭāṅkaṭuvaṉūr and Iṟaippuṇaiccēri) in the Kīḻvaḻivākūrnāṭu in the Aruvānāṭu as vidyābhoga and brahmadeya to the vidyāsthāna of Vāgūr/Vākūr.
Languages: Sanskrit, Tamil.
Repository: Pallava (tfa-pallava-epigraphy).
Version: (e8a670e), last modified (18e0138).
Edition
Sanskrit portion 1 of 2
⟨Page 1r⟩ ⟨1r1=1⟩ svast¡ī!⟨i⟩ śrī
I. Drutavilambita
diśatu va⟨ḥ⟩ śriyam ambuja-locanas
atridaśa-mauli-nighṛ⟨1r2=2⟩ṣta-padāmbujaḥ
bsakala-loka-bhayaṁ-kara-rākṣasa-
cpraśama-hetur a⟨1r3=3⟩j¿e?⟨o⟩ madh¿a?⟨u⟩-sūdanaḥ ⁋
dII. Praharṣiṇī
śrī-bhartuś śayana-parasya netre
ayat teja⟨ḥ⟩ sthiti-laya-sū⟨1r4=4⟩ti-hetuḥ
btan-nābher ajani samasta-b¡i!⟨ī⟩jam
cabjam ātma-yonis tato ’bhavat ⁋
dIII. Anuṣṭubh
⟨1r5=5⟩ A⟨ṁ⟩girās tata utpan(n)o
aloka-nāthāc catur-mmukhāt
bbṛhaspatis tato ⟨1r6=6⟩ mantr¡i!⟨ī⟩
cśakrasya vala-bhedinaḥ ⁋
dIV. Anuṣṭubh
tataś śaṁyus tato j¿e?⟨a⟩jñe
abharadvāja-sa⟨1r7=7⟩māhvayaḥ
btato droṇo maheṣvāsas
csamare śakra-vikramaḥ ⁋
dV. Anuṣṭubh
tato ⟨1r8=8⟩ dro(ṇā)n mahā-bāhus
asarvva-yu⟨d⟩dha-viśāradaḥ
bAśvatthāmā kilāṁśena
csa{(r)}mba⟨1r9=9⟩bhū¿pa?⟨va⟩ pinākinaḥ ⁋
dVI. Anuṣṭubh
aśvatthāmnas tato rājā
apallavākhyo babhūva ¿U?⟨yaḥ⟩
bra⟨Page 1v⟩⟨1v1=10⟩ra¡t!⟨k⟩ṣa nava-khaṇḍa-sthān
cbhūpatīn sa-kṛṣ¡i!⟨ī⟩valān· ⁋
dVII. Drutavilambita
vimala-koṁkaṇikādi ta⟨1v2=11⟩d-anvayād
aajani bṛndam ari-pramadānatam·
bnihita-śāsanam anya-nṛpeśv api
c⟨1v3=12⟩ priyatamañ jaya-ghoṣam anāratam· ⁋
dVIII. Anuṣṭubh
bhuktvā bhuvaṁ sva-v¡i!⟨ī⟩ryyeṇa
acatus-(sā)⟨1v4=13⟩gara-mekhalām·
btata⟨ḥ⟩ svargga¡m!⟨ṁ⟩ vimānena
cgateṣu vimalādiṣu ⁋
dIX. Anuṣṭubh
Ā⟨1v5=14⟩s¡i!⟨ī⟩t purandara-samo
arājā dṛ¿p?⟨ḍha⟩a-bhaktir mmura-dvi¿p?⟨ṣ⟩i
b¿t?⟨d⟩antivarmmā mahā-(b)āhuḥ
c¿t?⟨k⟩ṣmā⟨1v6=15⟩pāla-makuṭānataḥ ⁋
dX. Anuṣṭubh
dharmmeṇa pālanā¿t?⟨d⟩ bhūmiṁ
akalāv api yuge nṛpaḥ –
bva⟨1v7=16⟩rṣaṇād api dānasya
cparjjanya Iva nirbabhau ⁋
dXI. Anuṣṭubh
Ātmano bandi-yuktān⟨y⟩ā(ṁ)
aya⟨1v8=17⟩mālaya-didṛ¡t!⟨k⟩ṣayā –
bpātheyam iva kṛtvār¡i!⟨ī⟩n
c¿pa?⟨kā⟩ṇḍāni visa⟨sa⟩rjja yaḥ ⁋
dXII. Anuṣṭubh
nandi⟨1v9=18⟩varmmā mahā-bāhus
asa⟨ṁ⟩jāto ¡ta!⟨da⟩ntiva⟨r⟩mmanaḥ
bsamare vijitā bhūmir
casahāye⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1=19⟩na yena saḥ ⁋
dXIII. Anuṣṭubh
Āsīc chaṅkhāhvayā devī
atanv-aṁgī nandivarmmaṇaḥ
brāṣṭra⟨2r2=20⟩kūṭa-⟨ku⟩le jātā
cla¿t?⟨k⟩ṣmīr iva mura-dviṣaḥ ⁋
dXIV. Anuṣṭubh
kṣamāvatī dharitrīva
amā⟨tṛ⟩vaj jagataḥ ⟨2r3=21⟩ priyā
bbabhau śaṁkhāhvayā devī
crājña⟨ḥ⟩ śrīr iva rūpiṇī ⁋
dXV. Vasantatilakā
tasyām· ⟨2r4=22⟩ (ba)bhūva mati-kānti-kalādi-matyām
amānyaḥ kulena guṇavān bhuvana-traye⟨2r5=23⟩śaḥ
bUtpadyamāna-tapanādhipa-tulya-tejā
cjiṣṇuḥ kalā¿vān?⟨pa⟩-samare ⟨2r6=24⟩ nṛpatu(ṁ)ga-devaḥ ⁋
dXVI. Anuṣṭubh
yat-prasādā⟨r⟩jjitā senā
apāṇḍyena samare purā
b⟨2r7=25⟩ pārericit sa rājā(gn)ir
cddadāha ripu-saṁhatim· ⁋
dXVII. Anuṣṭubh
nṛpatuṁga Iti khyāto
a⟨2r8=26⟩ bālo ’pi bhuvaneśvaraḥ –
bkhyāto na kevalam bhūmāv
camuṣminn api rāmavat ⟨2r9=27⟩ ⁋
dXVIII. Anuṣṭubh
tasyopakāra-saṁyukto
arājñaḥ kuru-kulodbhavaḥ
bveśāli-vaṁśa-m(ā)⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1=28⟩(r)ttā(ṇḍaḥ)
cprajānāṁ śaraṇe rataḥ ⁋
dXIX. Anuṣṭubh
śaśivat tilako loke
agāmbhīryyādau ⟨2v2=29⟩ samudravat
bsū⟨r⟩yyavad rakṣaṇāl lokā¿n?⟨ṁl⟩
clokānān nilayo nṛpaḥ ⁋
dXX. Anuṣṭubh
⟨2v3=30⟩ tasmāt tasyocitan nāma
an(i)laitāṁgīti devavat
bAthavā sutarān nāma
cpra⟨2v4=31⟩tyakṣatvād viśām pateḥ ⁋
dXXI. Anuṣṭubh
grāma-trayaṁ sva-rāṣtre saḥ
akuru-vaṁśa-vivarddha⟨2v5=32⟩na(ḥ)
bvijñā[pya] nṛpatuṁgeśāl
clabdham ājñapti-pū(r)vvaka(m‧) ⁋
dXXII. Anuṣṭubh
ceṭṭu⟨2v6=33⟩p-pākkam phalādhāraṁ
agrāmam ekam a(thā)param‧
bgrāma¿ḥ?⟨ṁ⟩ vidyāviḷāṁgādi-
cre¿(bh/h)?⟨ph⟩ā⟨2v7=34⟩nta-pada-nāmaka(m‧) ⁋
dXXIII. Anuṣṭubh
tasmād iṟaippuṉaiccerin
atṛtīyaṁ sarvva-(sampa)dam
b(E)vaṁ ⟨2v8=35⟩ grāma-trayaṁ labdha¡m!⟨ṁ⟩
cvidyā-sthānāya dattavān ⁋
dXXIV. Anuṣṭubh
mandākin¡i!⟨ī⟩ṁ samāyānt¡i!⟨ī⟩m
aū(r)mmi⟨2v9=36⟩v(e)ga-samākulām‧
bsa (ba)bhāra yathā devo
cdhū⟨r⟩jaṭir jaṭayaikayā
dXXV. Anuṣṭubh
⟨Page 3r⟩ ⟨3r1=37⟩ vidyā-nad¡i!⟨ī⟩ tathāg¿ath?⟨ādh⟩ā
acaturddiśa-gaṇākulā
bvāgū(r)-grāma-juṣ[āṁ] ⟨3r2=38⟩ sthānaṁ
cvyāpya yasmād vyavasthitā ⁋
dXXVI. Anuṣṭubh
tat sthānam evaṁ viduṣāṁ
avidyā⟨3r3=39⟩sthānam pracakṣate
btebhyo da⟨t⟩tvā sa bhūpālo
cgramān ājñapti⟨3r4=40⟩pu(r)vvakān ⁋
dXXVII. Anuṣṭubh
hasti-sañcāri-s¡i!⟨ī⟩māntān
aātmānam bahu-manyate
byuktān sa⟨3r5=41⟩rvva-par¡i!⟨ī⟩hārair
cakaratvena rakṣitān ⁋
dXXVIII. Anuṣṭubh
Ājñaptir uttamaśīlas
atrai-lo⟨3r6=42⟩kyeśvara-pūjitaḥ
b(ma)ntrī bṛhaspati-prakhyo
crājña⟨ḥ⟩ śrī-tuṁgava(r)mmaṇaḥ ⁋
dXXIX. Anuṣṭubh
⟨3r7=43⟩ Āgāminaḥ prajāpālān
ayācate kuru-nandanaḥ
bdha⟨rmma⟩syaitasya sāmānyā⟨3r8=44⟩t
cpālanīya Iti svayam‧ ⁋
dXXX. Anuṣṭubh
dāsa⟨ḥ⟩ sthānasya vidyāyā
avāgūr-grāma-juṣām a⟨3r9=45⟩yam‧
bkṛtavā¿n?⟨ñ⟩ śāstra-ta⟨t⟩tva-jñaḥ
cpraśa(s)tin nāgayas su⟨kṛ⟩t ⁋
dTamil portion 1 of 2
kō-vicaiya-nṛ⟨Page 3v⟩⟨3v1=46⟩(pa)t¡o!⟨u⟩ṅkavarmmaṟku yāṇṭu Eṭṭāvatu
vēcāli-p-pēraraiyaṉ viṇṇap ⟨3v2=47⟩ pattāl viṭēlviṭuku-kāṭupaṭṭi-t-tamiḻ-p-pēraraiyaṉ Āṇaṭṭi Āka ⟨3v3=48⟩ Aruvā-nāṭṭu k-k¡i!⟨ī⟩ḻ-vaḻi-vākūr-nāṭṭu nāṭṭār kāṇka
ta¡n-n!āṭṭu ceṭṭu⟨3v4=49⟩p-pā⟨k⟩kam-um viḷaṅkāṭṭaṅkaṭuvaṉūr-um Iṟaippuṇaiccēri-y-u⟨3v5=50⟩m āka I-m-muṉṟūr-um paḻ¡a!⟨ai⟩ya-v-aṟam-um brahmadeyam-um n¡i!⟨ī⟩kki mu⟨3v6=51⟩ṉ-peṟṟār-ai māṟṟi yāṇṭu Eṭṭāvatu vākūr vidyā-sthāṉat⟨3v7=52⟩tārkku vidyā-bhogam-āka-p paṇittōm
tāṅkaḷ-um paṭākai naṭan⟨3v8=53⟩tu kallum kaḷḷiyum n¿a?⟨ā⟩ṭṭi Aṟai-y-ōlai ceytu viṭu takav’ eṉ(ṟu) ⟨3v9=54⟩ nāṭṭārkku-t tirumukam viṭa nāṭṭār tirumukaṅ kaṇṭu toḻutu talai⟨3v10=55⟩(k)ku vaittu-p paṭākai naṭantu kalluṅ kaḷḷiyu⟨m⟩ nāṭṭi Aṟai-[y]-(ō)[lai] ⟨Page 4r⟩ ⟨4r1=56⟩ ceytu nāṭṭār viṭunta Aṟai-y-ōlai-p paṭi nilattukk’ ellai
viḷā⟨4r2=57⟩ṅkāṭṭaṅkaṭuvaṉūrk=kuñ ceṭṭuppāk=kattuk=kum-āka Iraṇṭūrk=kuṅ
- k¡i!⟨ī⟩⟨4r3=58⟩ḻpāṟk’ ellai kāṭṭu Ellai¡Iṉṉ!⟨y-iṉ⟩um neṉmalippāk=kattu Ellai¡I!⟨y-i⟩ṉ ⟨4r4=59⟩ mēṟkun
- teṉpāṟk’ ellai neṉmalippākkatt’ Ellai¡Iṉṉ!⟨y-iṉ⟩un nelvā⟨4r5=60⟩yippāk=katt’ ellai¡Iṉṉ!⟨y-iṉ⟩um Uṟattūr ellaik=ku vaṭak=kum
- mēlpā⟨4r6=61⟩ṟk’ ellai māmpāk=katt’ ellai¡Iṉṉ!⟨y-iṉ⟩um Iv-viḷāṅkāṭṭ¿ā?⟨a⟩ṅkaṭuvaṉū⟨4r7=62⟩r-p pāṟ piramatēyam-ā¡I!⟨yi⟩ṉa Aṟupatu ceṟuvuk=ku k=kiḻakkum
- vaṭapāṟk’ ellai vā⟨4r8=63⟩kūr ellai¡I!⟨y-i⟩ṉ ṟeṟkum
Iṟaippuṇaiccērikk’ ellai
- k¡i!⟨ī⟩ḻpāṟkellai natta⟨4r9=64⟩m Uḷḷiṭṭa kāṭṭuk=ku mēṟkun
- teṉpāṟk’ ellai neruñci kuṟumpiṉ Ellai⟨4r10=65⟩¡I!⟨y-i⟩ṉ vaṭakku
- mēlpāṟk’ ellai vākūr ellai¡I!⟨y-i⟩ṉ kiḻak=kum
- vaṭapāṟkellai ⟨Page 4v⟩ ⟨4v1=66⟩ kiṟimāṉpātti Ellai¡I!⟨y-i⟩ṉ ṟeṟkum-āka
Ivvicaitta perunāṉk’ ellai⟨4v2=67⟩kaḷil-um akappaṭṭa nilaṉ n¡i!⟨ī⟩r-nilaṉum puṉ-ce¡yy!⟨y⟩um Ū¿ma?⟨ru⟩m Ūr-irukkaiyu⟨4v3=68⟩maṉaiyu maṉai-p-paṭappu maṉṟuṅ kaṉṟu-mē¡yi!⟨y⟩-pāḻuṅ kuḷamuṅ koṭṭakāra⟨4v4=69⟩muṅ kiṭaṅkuṅ kēṇiyuṅ kāṭuṅ kaḷarum Ōṭaiyum Uṭaipp-um Uḷḷiṭṭu n¡i!⟨ī⟩(r)⟨4v5=70⟩pūci neṭum paramp’ eṟintu Uṭump’ ōṭi Āmai tavaḻntat’ ellā⟨4v6=71⟩m Uṇṇilaṉ oḻi-v-iṉṟi vākūr-vidyā-sthāṉattārkku vidyā{[1×]}⟨4v7=72⟩bhogam-āyi vākūrōṭē Ēṟi vākūr peṟṟa parihāram-um vyavas¿te?⟨thai⟩(yu)⟨4v8=73⟩m peṟṟu sarvva-parihāram-āyi brahmatēyam-āyi-p paradatti ceṉṟa⟨4v9=74⟩ tu ⁋
Sanskrit portion 2 of 2
XXXI. Vasantatilakā
puṇyaṁ samaṁ kṛtavatām‧ parirakṣatāñ ca
atad rakṣateti nṛpatir nnṛ⟨4v10=75⟩patuṅgavarmmā
bĀgāminaḥ kṣitipat¡i!⟨ī⟩n praṇamaty ajasram‧
cmūrd(dhnā mu)kunda-(caraṇā)⟨m⟩⟨Page 5r⟩ ⟨5r1=76⟩ buja-śekhareṇa ⁋
dXXXII. Āryā
Uditodita-kula-tilaka⟨ḥ⟩
asuvarṇṇa-kṛt sarvva-ś[āstra]⟨5r2=77⟩niṣṇātaḥ
bAlikhan nṛpatuṁgākhyaḥ
cpallava-kula-(m)ūla-bhṛtyo ’tra ⁋
dTamil portion 2 of 2
⟨5r3=78⟩ kaccipēṭṭu k¡i!⟨ī⟩ḻ-paicārattu Uditodaya-peru⟨n⟩-taṭṭā⟨ṉ⟩ makaṉ mādevi-peru⟨n⟩-taṭṭā⟨5r4=79⟩ṉ maka¡n!⟨ṉ⟩ nṛpatuṁga⟨ṉ⟩ Eḻuttu ⁋
⟨Page 5v⟩
Apparatus
⟨1⟩ svast¡ī!⟨i⟩ śrī ⬦ svasti śrī⟨ḥ⟩ EH.
⟨3⟩ yat teja⟨ḥ⟩ ⬦ yat teja⟨ḥ⟩ EH • EH suggets to read ’bhūt tejaḥ.
⟨8⟩ dro(ṇā)n ⬦ droṇān EH • The ṇā is akwardly written. — ⟨8⟩ sa{(r)}mba⟨9⟩bhū¿pa?⟨va⟩ ⬦ samba⟨9⟩bhūva EH • According to EH, pa and va are not distinguished.
⟨9⟩ ¿U?⟨yaḥ⟩ ⬦ ¿U?⟨yaḥ⟩ EH.
⟨14⟩ °(b)āhuḥ ⬦ °(b)āhuḥ EH • The letter bā looks like yā.
⟨16⟩ yuktānā(ṁ) ⬦ yuktā¿(nāṁ)?⟨nyān⟩ EH • EH’s emendation is tentative.
⟨17⟩ ¿pa?⟨kā⟩ṇḍāni ⬦ ¿pa?⟨kā⟩ṇḍāni EH • EH’s emendation is tentative.
⟨22⟩ (ba)bhūva ⬦ (ba)bhūva EH • The letter ba looks like ya.
⟨23⟩ kalā¿vān?⟨pa⟩° ⬦ kalā¿vān?⟨pa⟩° EH • EH’s emendation is tentative. As EH notes, the metre requires the last syllable of this word to be short.
⟨24⟩ nṛpatu(ṁ)ga° ⬦ nṛpatuṁga° EH • The letter ṁ looks like a medial e.
⟨27⟩ °m(ā)⟨Page 2v⟩⟨28⟩(r)ttā(ṇḍaḥ) ⬦ °mā⟨Page 2v⟩⟨28⟩rttāṇḍaḥ EH.
⟨31⟩ saḥ ⬦ sa{ḥ} EH.
⟨34⟩ iṟaippuṉaiccerin ⬦ iṟaippuṇaiccerin EH.
⟨36⟩ (ba)bhāra ⬦ (ba)bhāra EH • What must be ba looks like a conjunct or corrected letter.
⟨37⟩ tathāg¿ath?⟨ādh⟩ā ⬦ tathāg(ā)¡th!⟨dh⟩ā EH. — ⟨37⟩ juṣ[āṁ] ⬦ juṣ(āṁ) EH.
⟨40⟩ pū(r)vvakān ⬦ pūrvvakān EH.
⟨44⟩ a⟨3r9=45⟩yam‧ ⬦ ayam EH • Hultzsch notes: “The reading imām would be more suitable.” But see SB (p. 741, fn. 1476):“Les autres éditeurs proposent imām au lieu de ayam. Cette correction est possible, mais pas absolument nécessaire; praśastim, en effet, peut être dépourvu de démonstatif, et ayam servir de déterminant à nāgayaḥ, ce qui aurait pour effet de mettre en relief le nom de l’auteur.”
⟨53⟩ viṭu takav’ eṉ(ṟu) ⬦ viṭukka-v eṉru JV; viṭu¿tka?⟨kka⟩-v eṉru EH • The editor of SII adds in note: “This word may be read as viṭutaka”. See also Zvelebil. We follow here a suggestion by Jean-Luc Chevillard in reading viṭu takavu eṉṟu, "It is suitable to send".
⟨61⟩ viḷāṅkāṭṭ¿ā?⟨a⟩ṅkaṭuvaṉū⟨62⟩r ⬦ viḷāṅkāṭṭāṅkaṭuvaṉū⟨62⟩r EH • In its other two occurrences (lines 49 and 56) this village’s name is spelled viḷāṅkāṭṭaṅkaṭuvaṉūr. See Hultzsch 1925–1926, p. 15, n. 1.
⟨67⟩ Ū¿ma?⟨ru⟩m ⬦ Ū¿ma?⟨ru⟩m EH.
⟨71⟩ vidyā{[1×]}⟨72⟩bhogam ⬦ vidyā{bho}⟨72⟩bhogam EH • It seems that the engraver intended to write bho at the end of this line, but found place only for bhe, and thus decided to write the full syllable bho at the beginning of the next line.
⟨75⟩ mūrd(dhnā mu)kunda-(caraṇā)⟨m⟩ ⬦ mūrddhnā mukunda-cara(ṇām) EH.
⟨76⟩ °ś[āstra]° ⬦ °(śāstra)° EH.
Translation by Hultzsch 1925–1926
Sanskrit portion 1 of 2
(1) Hail! Prosperity!
I
Let Madhu’s destroyer (Viṣṇu) grant you prosperity, the lotus-eyed one, whose lotus-feet are rubbed by the diadems of the gods (bowing to him), the unborn one, (who became) the means of the destruction of demons that terrified the whole world!
?II
In the eye of the sleeping husband of Śrī (Viṣṇu) was produced the luminary’ (i.e. the Sun?), (which is) the means of duration, destruction, and production. From (Viṣṇu’s) navel arose a lotus-flower, the germ or all. From this (flower) the self-born one (Brahmā) was produced.
?III
From this four-mouthed lord or fhe world, Aṅgiras was born, (and) from the latter, Bṛhaspati, the minister of Śakra (Indra), the splitter of (the demon) Vala.
?IV
From him was born Śaṁyu; from him, he who was named Bharadvāja; from him, the great archer Droṇa, whose valour equalled that of Śakra in battle.
?V
From this Droṇa was produced, it is said, hy a portion or Pinākin (Śiva) the long-armed Aśvatthāman, who was skilled in all fights.
?VI
From this Aśvatthāman was born a king named Pallava, who ruled the kings residing in the nine continents, together with the ploughmen.
?VII
From his family arose a group (of kings) commencing with Vimala and Koṅkaṇika, which was bowed to by the wives of enemies; which imposed commands even on other rulers of men; which was much beloved; (and) which continually shouted ’victory.’
?VIII–IX
Then, after Vimala, etc., having enjoyed by their own valour the earth girt by the four oceans, had gone to heaven on aerial cars, there was the long-armed (king) Dantivarman, who resembled Purandara (Indra), showed firm devotion to Mura’s foe (Viṣṇu), (and) was bowed to by the diadems of the rulers of the earth.
?X
By ruling the earth according to right even in the Kali age, and by showering gifts, (this) ruler of men shone like a rain-cloud.
?XI
He dispatched arrows, furnishing (them) with provisions for (their) visit of the nether world under the guise of (the blood of those of his) enemies who were not (already) confined in his own prisons.1
?XII
From Dantivarman was born that long-armed Nandivarman who subdued the earth unaided in battle.
?XIII
Just as Lakṣmī (is the consort) of Mura’s foe (Viṣṇu), (the wife) of Nandivarman was the slender queen named Śaṅkhā, who was born in the Rāṣṭrakūṭa family.
?XIV
Full or patience like the earth, beloved by the people like a mother, the queen named Śaṅkhā shone as if she were the embodied fortune of the king.
?XV
By her who possessed intelligence, beauty, arts, etc., was born the virtuous Nṛpatuṅgadeva, the lord of the three worlds, noble by birth, resembling the rising sun in splendour, (and) victorious in fights with arrows.
?XVI
Resembling fire, this king, by whose favour the Pāṇḍya had obtained an army formerly, burnt a confederation of enemies in a battle on the further bank of the Aricit (river).
?XVII
Even in his youth (this) lord of the world (was) renowned (by the name) of Nṛpatuṅga (i.e. ’the high one among rulers of men ’). (He was) renowned not only on earth, (but) even in the other (world), like Rāma.
?XVIII
Provided by this king with benefits (was) Mārtāṇḍa of the family of Veśāli, 2 a descendant of the family of Kuru, (and) intent on (affording) refuge to (his) subjects.
?XIX
An ornament to the world like the moon, (and) resembling the ocean in profundity, etc., (this) ruler of men (became) the resort of the people by protecting the people as if (he were) the sun.
?XX
Theerefore the (sur)name Nilaitāṅgi (i. e. ’the support of the world’) (was as) suitable to this ruler of men as (unto) a god, or because (his real) name (Mārtāṇḍa, i.e. the sun) was quite manifest (to all).
?XXI–XXIII
This promoter of the family of Kuru gave to a seat of learning (vidyāsthāna) three villages in his own province (rāṣṭra) which, at (his) request, (he had) received, provided with an executor (ājñapti), from that lord Nṛpatuṅga. viz. the village of Ceṭṭuppākkam, rich in fruit, then another village whose name (consisted of) a word ending in an r and beginning with Vidyāviḷaṅgā,3 (and) thirdly the very prosperous (village of) Iṟaippuṇaiccēri.
?XXIV–XXVI
Just as the god Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva) carried on the single lock of (his) hair the approaching Mandākiṇī (Gaṅgā), agitated by the velocity of waves, thus the deep river of learning, filled with troops (of scholars) from the four directions,4 stayed after it had filled the seat of the residents of the village of Vāgūr. Therefore they call this seat of scholars a seat of learning.
?XXVI–XXVII
This ruler of land thinks highly of himself after he has given to those (scholars) the (three) villages, provided with an executor, their limits having been circumambulated by an elephant,5 accompanied by all immunities, (and) protected by freedom from taxes.
?XXVIII
The executor (was) Uttamaśīla, worshipped by the lord of the three worlds,6 the minister, resembling Bṛhaspati, of the glorious king Tuṅgavarman.
?XXIX
The descendant of Kuru himself entreats future kings:―’As this charity is common (to all kings), it must be preserved (by you as well)!’
?XXX
The servant of the seat of learning of the residents of the village of Vāgūr, the pious Nāgaya, who knew the truth of sciences, composed this eulogy (praśasti).
?Tamil portion 1 of 2
(45) In the eighth year (of the reign) of king Vijaya-Nṛpatuṅgavarman, at the request of Veśāli-pēraraiyaṉ; Viṭēlviṭugu-Kāṭupaṭṭu-Tamiḻa-pērarāiyaṉ being the executor (āṇatti). Let the headmen of Kīḻvaḻi-Vākūr-nāṭu, (a subdivision) of Aruvā-nāṭu, see (this order):7
(48) In the eighth year (of our reign), we have granted three viIlages of nāṭu, viz. Ceṭṭuppākkam, Viḷāṅkāttaṅkaṭuvaṉūr, and Iṟaippuṇaiccēri,―dispossessing the former tenants, (and) excluding ancient charities and Brahmadeyas,―to the residents of the seat of learning at Vākūr as a source of revenue for the promotion of learning (vidyā-bhōga).
(52) And issued an order (tirumukam) to the headmen of the nāṭu, telling them to circumambulate the limits,8 to plant stones and milk-bush (along the boundaries), and to draw up and submit a report (aṟaiyōlai)!
(54) When the headmen of the nāṭu saw the order, thet raised (their) joined hands (before it), placed (it) on (their) heads, circumambulated the limits, planted stones and milk-bush, and drew up a report.
(56) According to the report submitted by the headmen of the nāṭu, the boundaries of the land (granted are as follows):―Of the two villages of Viḷāṅkāttaṅkaṭuvaṉūr and Ceṭṭuppākkam, the eastern boundary is to the west of the boundary of a forest and of the boundary of Neṉmalippākkam; the southern boundary is to the north of the boundary of Neṉmalippākkam, of the boundary of Nelvāyippākkam, and of the boundary of Uṟattūr; the western boundary is to the east of the boundary of Māmpākkam and of sixty rice-fields (ceṟuvu) which form a Brahmadeya near this Viḷāṅkāttaṅkaṭuvaṉūr;9 the northern boundary is to the south of the boundary of Vākūr.
(63) The boundaries of Iṟaippuṇaiccēri (are):―The eastern boundary is to the west of a forest surrounding the village (nattam); the southern boundary is to the north of the boundary of Neruñcikuṟumpu; the western boundary is to the east of the boundary of Vākūr; and the western boundary is to the south of the boundary of Kiṟimāṉpātti.
(66) Altogether, the land enclosed by the four great boundaries specified here, including wet land and dry land, villages and village-buildings, houses and house-gardens, clearings and young trees, waste grounds for grazing,10 tanks, store-houses,11 ditches, wells, forests, brackish ground, water-courses and breaches,12 wherever watter is conducted (?), long harrows are applied,13 iguanas run, and tortoises creep, not excluding the cultivated land,14 being joined15 to Vākūr itself as a source of revenue for the promotion of learning to the residents of the seat of learning at Vākūr, enjoying the immunities and agreements,16 enjoyed by Vākūr, possessing all immunities, (and) being a Brahmadeya,―the grant was made.17
Sanskrit portion 2 of 2
XXXI
’The good works of those who perform (them) and of those who preserve (them) are equally (meritorious). Therefore preserve you (this gift)!’ Thus (requesting them), king Nṛpatuṅgavarman perpetually bows (his) head, which bears on its crest the lotus feet of Mukunda (Viṣṇu), to future kings.
?XXXII
The ornament of the family of Uditodita, the goldsmith named Nṛpatuṅga, who was skilled in all sciences (and) a hereditary servant of the Pallava family, wrote (this).
?Tamil portion 2 of 2
(78) The writing of Nṛipatuṅga, the son of Mātēvi-peruntaṭṭāṉ (who was) the son of Uditodaya-peruntaṭṭāṉ, (a resident) of Kīḻ-Paicāram in Kaccippēṭu.
Translation by Emmanuel Francis
Sanskrit portion 1 of 2
(1) Prosperity! Fortune!
I
Let ... show you prosperity!
?II
...
?III
...
?IV
...
?V
...
?VI
...
?VII
...
?VIII
...
?IX
...
?X
...
?XI
...
?XII
...
?XIII
...
?XIV
...
?XV
...
?XVI
... 18
?XVII
...
?XVIII
...
?XIX
...
?XX
... 19
?XXI
...
?XXII
...
?XXIII
...
?XXIV
...
?XXV
...
?XXVI
...
?XXVII
...
?XXVIII
...
?XXIX
...
?XXX
... 20
?Tamil portion 1 of 2
(45–46) Seventh year of the victorious king Nṛpatuṅgavarman.
(46–48) May the nāṭṭārs of the Kīḻvaḻivākūrnāṭu in the Aruvānāṭu see [what follows, which is made] at the petition of Vēcālippēraraiyaṉ, whereas Viṭēlviṭukukāṭupaṭṭittamiḻppēraraiyaṉ is the executor.
(48–52) In their nāṭu, Ceṭṭuppākkam, Viḷaṅkāṭṭaṅkaṭuvaṉūr, and Iṟaippuṇaiccēri, these three [villages], after removing the old pious donations and brahmadeyas, after ousting the earlier possessors, in [our] seventh year, we have ordered [their donation] as vidyābhoga for the members of the vidyāsthāna of Vākūr.
(52–53) It is suitable (takavu) that themselves, [after] having walked [with] the flag (paṭākai naṭantu21), having planted stones and thorny bushes, and having made the palm-leaves settling this (aṟaiyōlai), send (viṭutaka) [them].
(52–53) While the royal order specifying (eṉṟu) [the above] was sent to the nāṭṭārs, the nāṭṭārs having seen the order (tirumukam), having payed homage [to it], having put [it] on their heads, having walked [with] the flag (paṭākai), having planted stones and thorny bushes, having made the palm-leaves settling this (aṟaiyōlai), the boundaries to the land according (paṭi) to the palm-leaves settling this (aṟaiyōlai) that the nāṭṭārs sent [are as follows]:
(56–63) As for both Viḷāṁkāṭṭāṅkaṭuvaṉūr and Ceṭṭuppākkam:
- the eastern-side boundary [is] west of the boundary of the forest and of the boundary of Neṉmalippākkam;
- the southern-side boundary [is] north of the boundary of Neṉmalippākkam, of the boundary of Nelvāyippākkam and of the boudary of Urattūr;
- the western-side boundary [is] east of the boundary of Māmpākkam and of the sixty fields which are the brahmadeya on the side of Viḷāṁkāṭṭāṅkaṭuvaṉūr;
- the northern-side boundary [is] south of the boundary of Vākūr.
(63–66) As for the boundaries of Iṟaippuṇaiccēri:
- the eastern-side boundary [is] west of the forest which includes the nattam;
- the southern-side boundary [is] north of the boundary of the neruñci kuṟumpu;
- the western-side boundary [is] east of the boundary of Vākūr;
- the northern-side boundary [is] south of the boundary of Kiṟimānpātti.
(66–74) The land comprised within these four great boundaries [just] described --- [that is], wet land (nīr-nilam), dry land (puñ-cey), villages (ūr), villages’ buildings (ūr-irukkai), houses (maṉai), gardens of the houses (māṉai-p-paṭappu), ... (maṉṟu), waste land for grazing calves (kaṉṟu mey pāl), tanks (kuḷam), store-houses (koṭṭakāram), canals (kiṭaṅku), wells (kēṇi), forests (kāṭu), ... (kaḷar), ... (ōṭai), ... (uṭaippu), including (uḷḷiṭṭu) [all these], ... (nīr pūci neṭu), ... (paramp’ eṟintu), all [the land where] the iguana runs and the tortoise creeps (uṭump’ ōṭi āmai tavaḻntat’ ellām), the land included (uṇ-ṇilam) [in the above], without [any] exception --- becoming a vidyābhoga for the members of the vidyāsthāna of Vākūr, being joined with Vākūr, having obtained the exemptions and agreements that Vākūr has obtained, being endowed with all exemptions, becoming a brahmadeya, [as far as it is concerned], a donation [as described above] goes.
Sanskrit portion 2 of 2
XXXI
...
?XXXII
...
?Tamil portion 2 of 2
(78–79) Writing of Nṛpatuṅga, son of Mahādeviperuntaṭṭāṉ, son of Uditodayaperuntaṭṭāṉ, of Kīḻpaicāram in Kaccippēṭu.
Translation into French by Brocquet 1997
Sanskrit portion 1 of 2
(1) Salut ! Prospérité !
I
Qu’il vous montre la prospérité, celui dont les yeux sont des lotus, dont les pieds sont des lotus que les diadèmes des Trente usent de leur contact,
?Celui qui causa la perte des Rākṣasa qui terrifiaient le monde entier, le Non né, le meurtrier de Madhu !
?II
Tandis que l’époux de Śrī demeurait allongé, de son œil jaillit un éclat, cause de permanence, de destruction, de création ;
?De son nombril naquit, semence de toute chose, un lotus ; Celui qui est sa propre matrice en sortit.
?III
Puis Aṁgiras apparut, issu de ce maître du monde aux quatre visages ;
?De lui naquit Bṛhaspati, le ministre de Śakra, qui pourfendit Vala;
?IV
Puis Śaṁyu; naquit ensuite celui qu’on appela Bharadvāja; Puis Droṇa, le grand archer qui montre au combat le courage de Śakra.
?V
Issu de Droṇa, naquit ensuite, avec ses bras puissants, expert en toutes les formes de combat,
?Aśvatthāman, que l’on connaît comme incarnation partielle de Pinākin.
?VI
Puis Aśvatthāman engendra le roi nommé Pallava, qui
?Protégea les habitants des neufs continents, rois et paysans.
?VII
Dans sa descendance apparut une série de rois, dont les premiers furent Vimala et Koṁkaṇika, devant lesquels s’inclinèrent les épouses de leurs ennemis,
?Qui imposèrent leur autorité jusqu’aux autres rois, se firent aimer au plus haut point, et répandirent de continuels cris de victoire.
?VIII
Quand, après avoir, grâce à leur propre valeur, régné sur la Terre ceinte des quatre océans,
?Vimala et ses successeurs furent partis au ciel sur un char céleste,
?IX
Apparut un roi semblable à Purandara, infaillible dévôt de l’ennemi de Mura :
?Dantivarman aux bras puissants, devant qui les monarques inclinèrent leurs diadèmes.
?X
Dans le dharma gouvernant la Terre, même dans l’âge Kali, ce roi,
?Qui répandit aussi une pluie de générosités, resplendit comme un nuage.
?XI
Ceux de ses ennemis qu’il n’avait pas réduits en captivité, comme si, déférant à leur désir de voir le séjour de Yāma,
?Il leur faisait un viatique, il leur décocha ses flèches.
?XII
Nandivarman aux bras puissants naquit de Dantivarman,
?Qui au combat subjuga la Terre, sans allié.
?XIII
Nandivarman eut une reine nommée Śaṅkhā, au corps grâcieux,
?Née dans la famille de Rāṣṭrakūṭa comme l’ennemi de Mura eut Lakṣmī pour épouse.
?XIV
Patiente comme la Terre, telle une mère aimée de l’univers,
?La reine nommée Śaṅkhā resplendissait comme la Prospérité incarnée du roi.
?XV
Possédant l’intelligence et la beauté, la maîtrise des arts ainsi que d’autres qualités, elle mit au monde, de noble lignée, le vertueux monarque des Trois Mondes,
?Dont l’éclat ressemble à celui du souverain soleil à son lever, le vainqueur au combat de flèches : le seigneur Nṛpatuṁga.
?XVI
Ce roi, dont la faveur valut autrefois une armée à Pāṇḍya, dans un combat,
?Fut l’incendie qui réduisit en cendres une coalition ennemie, sur l’autre rive de l’Aricit.
?XVII
Renommé sous le nom de Nṛpatuṁga même au cours de son enfance, sous celui de « Maître du Monde »
?Il est renommé non seulement sur la Terre, mais aussi dans cet autre Monde, tel Rāma.
?XVIII
Recevant l’appui de ce roi, un descendant de la famille des Kuru,
?Mārtāṇḍa, qui appartient à la lignée des Veśali, se consacre à la protection de ses sujets.
?XIX
Comme la lune, il est pour le monde un ornement; par sa profondeur entre autres qualités , il ressemble à l’océan ;
?Comme le soleil, par la protection qu’il étend sur les Mondes, des Mondes ce roi est le refuge.
?XX
Aussi lui convient le nom de Nilaitāṁgi, comme à un dieu;
?Ou plutôt, le nom de ce maître des peuples lui vient de ce qu’il paraît aux yeux de tous.
?XXI
Ce sont trois villages, situés dans son propre rāṣṭra, que cet homme, qui assure la prospérité de la famille des Kuru,
?Sollicita et reçut du roi Nṛpatuṁga, avec un exécuteur ;
?XXII
L’un de ces villages est Ceṭṭuppākkam, où abondent les fruits; le second
?Village porte un nom commençant par Vidyāviḷāṁgā- et se terminant par la lettre -r;
?XXIII
Enfin, le troisième village est Iṛaippuṇaiccēri, pourvu de toutes sortes de richesses ;
?Ayant reçu ces trois villages, il les donna à un établissement scientifique.
?XXIV
La Mandākinī qui venait à sa rencontre, toute grouillante de ses flots impétueux,
?Le dieu Dhūrjaṭi la porta sur son seul chignon ;
?XXV
De même, la profonde rivière de la science, toute grouillante d’une foule venue des quatre horizons,
?Quand elle eut atteint l’établissement qu’occupaient les habitants du village de Vāgūr, s’y arrêta :
?XXVI
C’est pourquoi cet établissement de savants reçoit le nom d’"établissement scientifique".
?Après leur avoir donné ces villages, avec un exécuteur,
?XXVII
Et tracé leurs frontières en suivant la marche d’un éléphant, ce roi conçut pour lui même de l’estime ;
?Il y adjoignit toutes franchises et assura leur sauvegarde sans prélever de taxes.
?XXVIII
L’exécuteur fut Uttamaśīla, honoré par le souverain des Trois Mondes,
?Ministre, pareil à Bṛhaspati, du roi Śrī Tuṁgavarman.
?XXIX
Aux Monarques à venir, celui qui fait le bonheur des Kuru adresse en personne cette demande :
?"Puisque cet acte dharmique nous est commun, il doit être préservé !".
?XXX
Le serviteur de l’établissement scientifique des habitants du village de Vāgūr,
?Le pieux Nāgaya, qui connaît la vérité des traités, a composé ce panégyrique.
?Sanskrit portion 2 of 2
XXXI
"Même caractère auspicieux revêt un acte pour qui le commet et pour qui le préserve - préservez celui-ci !" : leur adressant ces mots, le roi Nṛpatuṁgavarman
?Devant les souverains à venir incline, pour une éternelle révérence, sa tête que couronnent les lotus des pieds de Mukunda.
?XXXII
Ornement de la famille Uditodita, l’orfèvre, versé dans tous les traités,
?Qui porte le nom de Nṛpatuṁga, serviteur héréditaire de la famille Pallava, a gravé ici ces tablettes.
?Bibliography
Tamil portion edited in Tamil script in Vinson 1903; first fully edited (in Nāgarī, Tamil script, and transliteration) and translated into French in Vinson 1905; re-edited in Krishna Sastri 1916 (postscript to SII 2, no. 98); corrections and translation in Jouveau-Dubreuil 1917; re-edited in transliteration and translated into English in Hultzsch 1925–1926 (EI 18, no. 2), with facsimiles; re-edited and translated into Tamil in Subrahmanian 1966; text and summary in Mahalingam 1988 (IP 155); Sanskrit text and French translation in Brocquet 1997 (B no. 62); Francis 2013 (IR no. 91).
This edition by Sylvain Brocquet & Emmanuel Francis (2022), based on previous editions, mostly that by Hultzsch 1925–1926, photographs, and autopsy of the original plates in the BnF.
Primary
[JV1903] Vinson, Julien. 1903. Manuel de la langue tamoule (grammaire, textes, vocabulaire). Paris: Imprimerie Nationale & Ernest Leroux. Pages 177–179.
[JV] Vinson, Julien. 1905. “Le collège de Bahour (Etablissements français dans l’Inde) au IXe siècle.” In: Recueil de mémoires orientaux. Textes et traductions publiés par les professeurs de l’école spéciale des langues orientales vivantes à l’occasion du XIVe congrès international des orientalistes réunis à Alger (avril 1905). Paris: Imprimerie Nationale & Ernest Leroux, pp. 211–263.
[HKS] Krishna Sastri, H. 1916. South-Indian inscriptions. Volume II, Part V: Pallava copper-plate grants from Velurpalayam and Tandantottam. Including title page, preface, table of contents, list of plates, addenda and corrigenda, introduction and index of Volume II. South Indian Inscriptions 2.5. Madras: Government Press. Pages 513–517.
[EH] Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1925–1926. “Bahur plates of Nripatungavarman.” EI 18.2, pp. 5–15.
[TNS] Subrahmanian, T.N. 1966. Pallavar ceppēṭukaḷ muppatu / Thirty Pallava Copper-Plates (Prior to 1000 A.D.) Madras: Tamil Varalatru Kazhagam. Pages 263–276, item 155.
[IP] Mahalingam, T. V. 1988. Inscriptions of the Pallavas. New Delhi; Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Agam Prakashan. Pages 454–459, item 155.
[SB] Brocquet, Sylvain. 1997. “Les inscriptions sanskrites des Pallava : poésie, rituel, idéologie.” Thèse de doctorat, Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle. Paris. Pages 732–748, item 62.
Secondary
Chandra, B.C. 1957. Annual report on Indian epigraphy for 1956-57. New Delhi: Manager of Publications (Department of Archaeology). Page 37, appendixes A/1956-1957, item 87.
Cabaton, Antoine. 1912. Bibliothèque nationale, Département des manuscrits: Catalogue sommaire des manuscrits indiens, indo-chinois & malayo-polynésiens. Paris: Leroux. Page 80, item 574.
De Simini, Florinda. 2016. Of gods and books: Ritual and knowledge transmission in the manuscript cultures of premodern India. Studies in Manuscript Cultures 8. Berlin: De Gruyter. [URL]. Pages 177–178.
Francis, Emmanuel. 2013. Le discours royal dans l'Inde du Sud ancienne : inscriptions et monuments Pallava, IVème-IXème siècles. Tome I : Introduction et sources. Publications de l'Institut orientaliste de Louvain 64. Louvain-la-Neuve; Paris: Université catholique de Louvain, Institut orientaliste; Peeters. Page 302, item IR 91.
Francis, Emmanuel. 2017. Le discours royal dans l'Inde du Sud ancienne : inscriptions et monuments Pallava, IVème-IXème siècles. Tome II : Mythes dynastiques et panégyriques. Publications de l'Institut orientaliste de Louvain 64. Louvain-la-Neuve; Paris: Université catholique de Louvain, Institut orientaliste; Peeters. Page 755, item IR 91.
Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1896–1897. “Two Tamil inscriptions at Ambur.” EI 4, pp. 180–183. Pages 180–181.
Jouveau-Dubreuil, Gabriel. 1917. The Pallavas. Pondicherry. Pages 47–51, item IR 91.
Notes
- 1. i.e. he either imprisoned or shot his enemies.
- 2. Verse 19 and 20 suggest that the word Mārtāṇḍa (i.e. the sun) is not a mere metaphor (rūpakam), but has to be taken here as a proper name.
- 3. According to the Tamil portion, the full name of this village was Viḷaṅkāṭṭaṅkaṭuvaṉūr, to which the word vidyā is still prefixed here because it was granted for the promotion of learning.
- 4. With caturdiśa-gaṇa cf. the expression cātudīsasa bhikhu-sa[ṁ*]ghasa at Nasik, above, Vol. VIII, p. 73, text line 5.
- 5. The local authorities fixed the boundaries by letting an elephant walk round the limits. Cf. piṭi naṭappittu or piṭi cūḻntu in the Leyden plates, passim; kariṇī-parikramaṇa-vipaṣṭa-sīmā-catuṣṭayam . . . . . grāmam, ibid. l. 85 f.; ibhī-parīta-sīmānam, above, Vol. XV, p. 63, text line 109 f.; piṭi cūḻntu, ibid., p. 64, text lines 134-136, and p. 65, text line 165: piṭi naṭatti, Travancore Arch. Series, Vol. II, p. 70.
- 6. i.e. king Nṛpatuṅga; see verse 15.
- 7. Cf. line 105 of the Kācākuṭi plates.
- 8. Paṭakai naṭandu corresponds to paṭākai valañ ceyitu in line 110 of the Kācākuṭi plates; piṭākai valañ ceytu in a Tiruvallam inscription of Nandivikramavarman, SII. Vol. III, p. 91,1. 11; piṭākai naṭantu in the Leyden plates, passim; and pradakṣiṇi-kṛtya in Sanskrit
- 9. In two other instances (ll. 49, 56 f.), the ā of ṭṭā is represented by short a.
- 10. These three doubtful terms occur also in line 281 of the Leyden plates, and in the Aṉpil plates, above, Vol. XV, p. 65. text line 167 f., where they are translated by ’halls, wastes in which the calves graze.’ I adopt M. Vinson’s renderings of maṉṟum and kaṉṟum (as the Leyden plates read for kaṉṟu).
- 11. For koṭṭakāram, see S.I.I., Vol. Il, p. 61, n. 2; above, Vol. XV, p. 71, n. 3; Travancore Arch. Series, Vol.. Ill, p 177, n. 3.
- 12. See S.I.I., Vol. III, p. 64, n. 1.
- 13. The expression nīr pūci occurs also in line 284 of the Leyden plates and neṭum paramp-eṟintu in line 305 (which ought to have been numbered 285) of the same. Both terms are used in line 434 ot the Tiruvālaṅkāṭu plates, S.I.I., Vol. III, p. 410.
- 14. See S.I.I., Vol. III, p. 109, n. 2.
- 15. ēṟi may be the intransitive form of ēṟṟi, ’having joined.’
- 16. For vyavasthā, see S.I.I., Vol. I, No. 40, ll. 20 and 56; Vol. II, No. 98, ll. 58 and 62.
- 17. The, two words paradatti ceṉṟatu occur also in line 133 of the Kācākuṭi plates, and in line 63 of the Vēlūrpāḷaiyam plates (S.I.I., Vol. II, p. 509), where I would read paradatti (with Grantha da) instead of paraṭatti and cancel the note on p. xiii of the Addenda aud Corrigenda. The Aṉpil plates (above, Vol. XV, p. 65, text line 180 f.) read paradetti for paradatti.
- 18. On the Aricit River and the Pāṇdya king see Hultzsch 1925–1926, p. 7: “The name of this river must be a Sanskritized form of Aricil, a branch branch of the Kāvērī which enters the sea at Kāraikkāl (Karikal), [fn3: SI.I.I, vol. II, p. 25, n. 3]. It may be concluded from verse 16 that Nṛpatuṅga allied himself with a Pāṇḍya king and undertook an expedition into the dominions of the Coḷa king.”
- 19. The word nilaitāṁgi written here in Grantha character is a Tamil word, meaning "support (tāṅki) of the earth (nilai)" .
- 20. It is noteworthy that the author of the Sanskrit portion is linked to Vāgūr.
- 21. Vinson 1905 translates (p. 225) as "en marchant avec la bannière" and comments (p. 237) "puis ils vont solennellement, précédés du drapeau ou de la bannière, reconnaître le terrain concédé". Hultzsch 1925–1926 translates as "circumambulate the limits" and provides parallels in note.
Commentary
Online images: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b52509208s. Note that plate 4 recto and verso are interverted.
Mahalingam 1988 dates the plates to circa 877, Brocquet 1997 to circa 862.
About stanza 2, Hultzsch 1925–1926, p. 6 notes: “The metre of verse 2 is Praharṣiṇī; but its fourth Pāda is Anuṣṭubh, and in each of the two first Pādas the tenth and eleventh syllables of the Praharṣiṇī metre are missing. I am unable to correct and translate this verse in a satisfactory manner.”
The transliteration of Indian terms in the translation by Hultzsch 1925–1926 (EI 18, no. 2) reproduced above have been standardised according to the DHARMA Transliteration Guide.