SII 3.20: original edition by Eugen Julius Theodor Hultzsch

Alternative title: “III.—INSCRIPTIONS IN THE PASUPATISVARA TEMPLE AT KARUVUR. No. 20.—ON THE SOUTH WALL OF THE PASUPATISVARA SHRINE.”

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: This inscription refers itself to the time of Rājakēsarivarman, alias Vīrarājēndradēva (I.) (line 11), and records a royal grant which was to take effect “from the year which followed after the third year,”1 i.e. from the fourth year, of the king’s reign. It opens with a panegyrical account of the donor, which resembles the introductions of four other inscriptions of his, viz.—

  • 1. Tv. = an inscription of the second year in the Śvētāraṇyēśvara temple at Tiruveṇkāḍu in the Tanjore district (No. 113 of 1896).

  • 2. Tk. = an incomplete and undated inscription in the Jalanāthēśvara temple at Takkōlam in the North Arcot district (No. 19 of 1897).2

  • 3. M. = an inscription of the fifth year in the Rājagōpāla-Perumāḷ temple at Maṇimaṅgalam in the Chingleput district (No. 2 of 1892).

  • 4. G. = a much damaged inscription of the fifth year in the Bṛihadīśvara temple at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram in the Trichinopoly district (No. 82 of 1892).

The historical introductions of these four inscriptions have been compared with the text of the subjoined inscription, and a selection of their various readings is given in the footnotes.

The period of the reign of Rājakēsarivarman, alias Vīrarājēndradēva I., can be approximately fixed in the following manner. According to his inscriptions, he defeated Āhavamalla and his two sons, Vikkalaṉ and Śiṅgaṇaṉ, at Kūḍalśaṅgamam.3 This battle is mentioned in the Kaliṅgattu-Paraṇi (viii. 29) and in the Vikkirama-Śōḻaṉ-Ulā.4 In these two poems the victor at Kūḍalśaṅgamam is placed after the Chōḷa kings Rājarāja I. (Kaliṅgattu-Paraṇi, viii. 24, and Ind. Ant. Vol. XXII. page 142, note 3), Rājēndra-Chōḷa I. (viii. 25, and l.c. note 4), Rājādhirāja (viii. 26, and l.c. note 5), Parakēsarivarman, alias Rājēndradēva (viii. 27, and l.c. No. VII.),5 and a king who has not yet been identified (viii. 28, and l.c. No. VIII.). After the victor of Kūḍalśaṅgamam, the Vikkirama-Śōḻaṉ-Ulā places another king, of whom no particulars are given (l.c. No. X.), Kulōttuṅga-Chōḷa I. (l.c. note 7), and Vikrama-Chōḷa (l.c. note 8).6 Now, Professor Kielhorn’s astronomical calculations have definitely established the two facts that Rājādhirāja reigned from A.D. 1018 to about 1050, and that Kulōttuṅga-Chōḷa I. was crowned in A.D. 1070.7 Consequently, the victor at Koppam (Parakēsarivarman, alias Rājēndradēva) and the victor over the Kuntaḷas8 at Kūḍalśaṅgamam (Rājakēsarivarman, alias Vīrarājēndradēva I.) must have reigned between A.D. 1050 and 1070. Further, as I have stated before,9 Āhavamalla and his two sons, Vikkalaṉ and Śiṅgaṇaṉ, who were the opponents of the three Chōḷa kings Rājēndra, Vīrarājēndra I. and Kulōttuṅga I., have to be identified with the Western Chālukya king Āhavamalla-Sōmēśvara I. (A.D. 1044 and 1068) and two of his sons, Vikramāditya VI. (A.D. 1055-56 and 1076 to 1126) and Jayasiṁha III. (A.D. 1064 and 1081-82).10

Kūḍalśaṅgamam, the site of Vīrarājēndra’s victory over the Chālukyas, has been located by Mr. V.Kanakasabhai Pillai at the junction of the Tuṅgabhadrā and Kṛishṇā.11 But both kūḍal and saṁgama mean ‘junction’ and might refer to the confluence of any two rivers, e.g. to Kūḍali at the junction of the Tuṅgā and Bhadrā.12 The battle of Kūḍalśaṅgamam was the third occasion13 on which Vīrarājēndra I. professes to have defeated the Chālukyas. He had already before driven Vikkalaṉ from Gaṅga-pāḍi over the Tuṅgabhadrā (l. 3 f.), and on a second occasion he had defeated an army which his enemy had sent into Vēṅgai-nāḍu under the Mahādaṇḍanāyaka Chāmuṇḍarāja. The latter was killed and his daughter Nāgalai, who was the queen of Irugayaṉ, mutilated (l. 4 f.). Chāmuṇḍarāja is probably identical with the Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara Chāvuṇḍarāya of Banavāsi, who is mentioned by Dr. Fleet14 as a feudatory of Sōmēśvara I. with the dates A.D. 1045-46 and 1062-63. Two other chiefs whose names occur in the account of the battle of Kūḍalśaṅgamam,—though the context does not show on which side they were fighting,—Kēśava-Daṇḍanāyaka and Mārayaṉ (l. 6), are perhaps identical with two other feudatories of the Chālukyas, the Daṇḍanāyaka Kēśavādityadēva (l.c. p. 443) and Mārasiṁha (ibid. p. 439).

The whole Chālukya camp fell into the hands of Vīrarājēndra I., including the wives of the enemy, the boar-banner, and the female elephant Pushpaka (l. 8 f.). In the concluding portion of the introduction (l. 9 f.), the king claims to have killed the king of Pottappi,15 the Kēraḷa king, the younger brother of Jananātha of Dhārā, the Pāṇḍya king, and others.

Towards the beginning of the introduction (ll. 1-3) we learn the names of a few of the king’s near relatives. On his elder brother Āḷavandāṉ he conferred the title Rājarāja; on his son Madhurāntaka the Toṇḍai-maṇḍalam (i.e. the Pallava country) and the title Chōḷēndra;16 on his son Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Chōḷa the Pāṇḍi-maṇḍalam (i.e. the Pāṇḍya country) and the title Chōḷa-Pāṇḍya; and on Muḍikoṇḍa-Chōḷa the title Sundara-Chōḷa.17 According to the Tañjāvūr inscription of Kulōttuṅga I.18 the name of Vīrarājēndra’s wife was Arumoḻi-Naṅgai.

The immediate purpose of the subjoined inscription is to record that the king, residing in his palace at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram19 (l. 11 f.), granted to the Karuvūr temple the village of Pākkūr, which, like Karuvūr itself (l. 14), belonged to Veṅgāla-nāḍu, a district of Adhirājarāja-maṇḍalam (l. 12).

Language: Tamil (tam) [Grantha (grantha), Tamil (tamil)].

Repository: South Indian Inscriptions (Original Edition) (south-indian-inscriptions).

Identifier: DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0020.

File path: SII03/DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0020.xml.

Version: (91a7006), last modified (514bcb7).

Edition

⟨1⟩ svasti śrī [∥] (ti)ru vaḷara tira(ḷ pu)yattiru(ni)lavalaiyantaṉ (ma)ṇippūṇeṉattaṅki(p)paṉmaṇikkoṟṟaveṇkuṭai niḻaṟkuvalaiyattuyirkaḷai(ppe)ṟṟa tāyilum pera maṟṟuḷḷavaṟaikaḻalaracar taṉṉaṭiyiṉilotuṅkavuṟaipilattuṭaiy kaliyatuvotuṅ(ka mu)ṟaimai(yi)larumpeṟal tamaiyaṇai (mu)-

⟨2⟩ (ṉva)n(t)āṉaiyirum puvi pu(ka)ḻ (I)rājarājaṉeṉṟoḷir ¿(mu)?ṇimuṭi cūṭṭi taṉṟirumai(n)taṉākiya kaṅkaikoṇṭacoḻaṉaiye(ḻuy)āriyāṉai (c)ceṉaiccoḻapāṇ(ṭi)yaṉeṉṟuṇṭu(ya)r maṇimuṭi(pp)āṇ(ṭi)maṇṭalaṅkuṭuttaru(ḷiy) vāṭkai vaṭikoṇṭakatirvel muṭikoṇ-

⟨3⟩ ṭa(c)o(ḻaṉaic)cuntaracoḻaṉeṉaccuṭar muṭi cūṭṭi(ya)nta(mi)l peruñ(ci)ṟapparuḷittaṉ kiḷaivarulaka(t)tavaṟkuri(ya)vakaliṭam ve(ṟu ve)ṟaruḷi I(ka)l vi(ḷai) virukoṭu malaikkum vikkalaṉṟaṉṉoṭum veñcilaittaṭakkai māc(ā)mantaraikkaṅka{ṅka}pāṭik-

⟨4⟩ (ka)ḷa(tti)ṭaiṉiṉṟu tuṅkapattirikkarai pukatturantu Aṅkavar veṅk(aiṉā)ṭṭiṭai m¿i?ṇṭavar viṭṭa tā(ṅ)karum peruvalit(ta)ṇṭu (k)eṭat(t)ā(k)ki mā(ta)ṇṭanāyakkaṉ (c)āmuṇṭarājaṉaicceṉṟavaṉ cirattiṉaiyaṟuttu ma(ṟ)ṟava(ṉo)rumakaḷākiyavirukaya-

⟨5⟩ ttevi ⟨nā⟩kalaiyeṉṉuntok(ai)ya(m)cāyalai mukattoṭu m¿u?kku veṟikki pakaittetir m¿u?ṉṟām vicaiyiṉummeṉṟetir (p)orutu pariyavantivaṉeṉak(ka)ruti(y) poruta pu(ṉa)l kū(ṭa)lcaṅkama⟨t⟩t(ā)kava(ma)l(laṉ) makaṉākiya vikkalaṉ ciṅkaḷaṉeṉṟivartammoṭummeṇ(ṇi)⟨l cā⟩manta⌈

⟨6⟩ rai veṉṟaṭu tūkki muṉ viṭṭuttaṉṟuṇai maṉṉaṉ tāṉum piṉṉaṭuttiruntu (va)ṭakaṭaleṉṉa vakuttu vant(ā)ṉai(y)ai kaṭakaḷiṟoṉṟāl kalakkiyuṭal purikkocalacciṅkaḷakko(ṭi)ppaṭai maṉṉaraittūci veṇkaḷiṟṟoṉtu(ṇit)tu k(e)cavata(ṇ)ṭanā(ya)kkaṉ kettaracaṉ ta(ṉiṭaṟa)l (m)⟨āraya⟩ṉ {t}tiṟaṟ-

⟨7⟩ pottayaṉi(ka)l ce(y)ya poṟkot(ai) m¿u?ventiyeṉṟārtaṭuttuppila(ṉeka)c(āma)nta(rai)cciṉṉa(pi)ṉṉañce(y)tu (pi)ṉṉai muta(li)yākiya matuvaṇa(n)o(ṭa) viritta talaiy(o)ṭu vik(ka)laṉoṭa(c)ce(ru)kkeḻilaḻintu ciṅkaḷaṉ(o)ṭa Aṇṇalamutalikaḷa(ṉai)varummar poṟ(pa)ṇṇiṉa (pa)⟨kaṭi⟩ḻint(o)-

⟨8⟩ ṭa ṉaṇṇiya Ākava⟨ma⟩llaṉumavaṟku muṉṉoṭa taṉ vekaveṅkaḷiṟṟiṉai vilakki vāka koṇaṅ(ka)va(r) t(ā)ramummavar kulata(ṉamu)m caṅ(ku)muṉ (t)oṅkaluntāraiyum periyum me(ka)ṭama(ya)mum veṇcāmaraiyum (k)ākkaikk¿e?⟨ṭi⟩yum ma-

⟨9⟩ karatoraṇamum pu(ṭpa)kap(pi)ṭi por(k)ka(ḷi)ṟṟiṭamum pāypa(ri)ttoraiyoṭum (paṟi)t(tu) ceyy(oḷi)r vicaiyama(ṇi)ma(kuṭa)m(mic)aiy(o)ṭun (ti)c(ai)t(o)ṟum ciṉappu(li) celut(ti)kkucai koḷuttum puravippot(tap)piventaṉai vāraṉai vaṉaikaḻal toṉṟaṉai-

⟨10⟩ ttārācāṉātaṉṟam(pi)y(ai)pporkaḷattalaṅkalcūḻppacuntalaiyarintu polaṅkaḻa(lt)teṉṉaṉai civallavaṉ makaṉ ciṟuvaṉai miṉ(ṉa)vilmaṇimu(ṭi) v¿i?rake(ca)riyai katakaṭakaḷiṟṟālu(t)ait(ti)ṭṭu matakoṭu ceyittu varappākācceṅkol celu(tti) vetanitiyai

⟨11⟩ viḷa(k)ki m¿i?tuyar v¿i?rattaṉikko(ṭi)ttiyākakkoṭiyoṭum Eṟpavar varukeṉṟu niṟṟampa p(o)rttoḻivāymai(yil) neyta viṟṟirunta mevarumaṉuṉeṟi viḷaṅkiṭa{∥}kko (I)rācakecari(pa⟨r⟩mma)rāṉa Uṭaiyār śrīv¿i?rarā(j)entradevaṟku [|] keṅkaiko-

⟨12⟩ ṇṭacoḻapurattukkoyiluḷḷāl tirumañcaṉacālaiyil Eḻuntaruḷiyiruntu Utakam paṇṇiyaruḷiṉa Atirājarājamaṇṭalattu veṅkālaṉāṭṭuppākkūr veḷḷāṉ vakaiyiliṟaimutal tavirttu yāṇṭu 3 vatukketirāvatu mutal

⟨13⟩ Ivvūr Iṟaiyili (t)evatāṉam tiruṉāmattukkāṇiyāka (I)ṟai pura(vu) ciṟṟāyam Elavaiyukav(ai) maṉṟupāṭuteṇṭakuṟṟam Uṭumpoṭi Āmai tavaḻi puṟṟum Eḻuvaṉa muḷaippaṉa kaṟṟup(pu)ṟpekkaramuṟcū(ṭ)ṭum [|] Ivvūr Iṟai kaṭ(ṭi)ṉa kāṇikka(ṭa)ṉ

⟨14⟩ poṉ muṉṉūṟṟu (mu)kkaḻañcaraiye mañcāṭi Araimāvum nellu muv(vā)yirattu (A)ñūṟṟu muppatto(ru)kalaṉ(e) tū(ṇi)yum [|] Iṉṉā(ṭ)ṭukkaruvūrttiruvānilai mahādevaṟku Iṟuppa(t)āka yāṇṭu mutal Iṟaiyili tevatāṉam tiruṉāmattukkāṇiyāka variyi-

⟨15⟩ viṭat(ti)ru(vā)y mo(ḻinta)ru(ḷi)ṉa paṭikku [|] (ti)ruvāy mo(ḻintaruḷiṉāre)ṉ(ṟu tiru)ma(ntraO)lai (kṣatri)ya(śikhā)ma(ṇi)va(ḷa)ṉāṭṭu paṉai(yūrṉā)ṭṭu nerv(āyi)luṭaiyāṉ t(āḻi)tiruppaṉaṅk(ā)ṭu(ṭ)aiyā(ṉ) vāṉava(ṉp)pa(lla)varaiyaṉe(ḻu)tiṉā(ṉu)m tirumantraOlaiṉāyakam

⟨16⟩ Accutaṉ Irājarājaṉāṉa toṇṭaimāṉum Ūraṉ Uttamacoḻaṉāṉa Irājarā(ja)brahmā(dhi)rāyaṉum Araiyaṉ Irājarājaṉāṉa vīrarā(j)entraja(ya)muriṉāṭāḻvā(ṉum) vīrarājentrama(ṅ)kalappe(ra)rai(ya)ṉum Ivarkaḷuṭa(ṉ) Oppiṭṭuppu-

⟨17⟩ kunta (k)eḻvippaṭiye nam variyiliṭṭu(k)koḷkaveṉ(ṉa) v¿i?rapattiraṉ tillaiviṭaṅkaṉāṉa villava(r)ājarājaṉ (E)¿ṟ?a Ivaṉ Eviṉa paṭiye Uṭa(ṉ)kūṭ(ṭa)ttu Atikāri(ka)ḷ kṣ¿i?(tri)(ya)śikhāmaṇivaḷa(ṉā)ṭ(ṭu) paṉaiyūr(n)ā(ṭ)ṭu jayaṅkoṇṭacoḻana-

⟨18⟩ llūruṭaiyāṉ Utaiyativā(ka)raṉ kūttāṭuvāṉāṉa v¿i?rarājentramaḻavarāyarum vīrarāje⟨ndra⟩brahmā(dhi)rāyarum Arumo(ḻi)tevavaḷaṉāṭṭu ṉeṉmali(ṉā)ṭṭu (p)eriya(ku)ṭaiyū(r A)raṅkaṉ tirucciṟṟampalamuṭaiyāṉṉāṉa vāṉava(ṉ)m¿u?ven¿tira?⌈-

⟨19⟩ ve(ḷ)āṉum A(tirā)¿t?arā(cava)ḷaṉāṭ(ṭu t)e(vūrṉā)ṭ(ṭu pa)ṉai(kku)ṭiyuṭai(y)ā(ṉ kāṭa)ṉ v¿i?(ti)viṭaṅ(kaṉā)ṉa (ja)yaṅkoṇṭac(oḻa)viḻupparaiyarum vic(aiya)rā¿(ja)?n¿(taru)?vaḷa{r}nāṭ(ṭu) (pu)li(yū)r(nāṭ)ṭup(pūṇ)ṭiyuṭaiyāṉ (Attā)ṇic(c)¿(i)?(yar)¿(u)?(ra)ṉ (mu)ṭivi(ḻu)ppa(r)aiya(ṉu)m pa-

⟨20⟩ [****] (Irājentra)bhaṭṭarum Irāja(r)āja(p)pāṇṭikulavaḷa(ṉā)ṭṭu Uttamacoḻavaḷanāṭ(ṭu) mu(ḷ)ḷiṉā(ṭṭu ni)karilico(ḻa)ṉāṭṭu matimaṅka(lattu) kocc(ā)kk(ā)ṟpu(ṟat)tu viṇ(ṇava)n¿a?rāyaṇabhaṭṭaṉum viṭaiyil (A)tikā(ri)ka(ḷ U)yyak(ko)ṇ(ṭā)ṉum (I)ppaṭi-

⟨21⟩ [**********] kat(tiruvāy) (moḻi)ntaru(ḷi)ṉa paṭik(ku) nam (vari)yilār va(riyil)e (Iṭ)ṭu Iṟ(ai)yi(li) t(e)vatāṉam tiruṉāmattukk(āṇiyā)kattiruvānilai (ma)hād(e)vaṟku Avi(pe)liAṟcaṉāpoka(ttu)kkucce(m)pi(lum kallilum ve)ṭṭi ko-

⟨22⟩ ḷka [|] (Ip)paṭi(k)ku A(ṟ)cutaṉ Irājanārāyaṇaṉ to(ṇ)ṭaimāṉ Eḻuttu [|] Ūra(ṉ) Uttamaco(ḻaṉāṉa) Irājarājabrahmā{ma}(ti)rāyaṉ Eḻuttu [|] (I)ppaṭikku Arai(yaṉ) (vīra)rā¿(ja)?[ndra]{(ṉ)}jaya(mu)rināṭāḻ(vāṉ)

⟨23⟩ Eḻut(tu) [|] (I)p(pa)ṭi(k)ku v¿i?rarājentra(ma)ṅ(ka)lapperarai(ya)ṉ Eḻu(t)tu [|] Ippa(ṭi)kku Atikāri kṣatri(ya)śikhāmaṇivaḷaṉāṭṭu (paṉai)yūr(n)ā(ṭ)ṭu (jayaṅko)ṇ(ṭa)coḻanallūruṭai(y)āṉ Utaiyativākaraṉ kū(ttāṭuv)ā(ṉ vī)rarājentramaḻavar(ā)yaṉ Eḻu-

⟨24⟩ (t)tu [|] I(p)pa(ṭikku v)āṉavaṉm¿u?ve¿(nti)ra?veḷāṉ Eḻuttu [|] Ippaṭikku jayaṅkoṇṭacoḻaviḻu(p)paraiyaṉ Eḻuttu [|] Ippaṭik(ku Attāṇi)[ccīyārūraṉ muṭi](viḻu)p(pa)r(ai)ya(ṉ) (Eḻu)ttu [|] Ippa(ṭik)ku (ti)rumantra(O)lai E(ḻu)tum vāṉa(va)ṉ(p)pallavaraiyaṉ Eḻuttu [|] Ippaṭi(kku vi)-

⟨25⟩ ṭ(ai)ya(ti)kā(ri U)yyakkoṇṭāṉ Eḻut(tu) ∥ Itu ¿pamnā?heśvarara(kṣai) [|] Ittaṉmam nokku(v)āṉ (śrīp)ātam Eṉ talai mele [∥]

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ pera • Tv. reads peṇa, and Tk. and M. peṇi. — ⟨1⟩ tamaiyaṇai • Tv. reads (ta)maiyaṉai āḷava(n=tā)ṉai.

⟨2⟩ e(ḻuy)āriyāṉai • Tv. reads E(ḻu)ya(riy)ā(ṉai). — ⟨2⟩ ṟuṇṭu(ya)r • Tv. reads ṟiṇṭuyar, i.e. ṟīṇṭuyar.

⟨3⟩ virukoṭu • Tv. reads virutoṭu.

⟨4⟩ tuṅkapattiri • Tv. and G. read tuṅkapattirai. — ⟨4⟩ ceṉṟavaṉ • Tk., M. and G. read ceṟṟavaṉ. — ⟨4⟩ irukaya⟨5⟩ttevi ⟨nā⟩kalai • Tv. and Tk. read Irukayaṉ tevi nākalai.

⟨5⟩ veṟikki • Tv., Tk. and M. read veṟākki. — ⟨5⟩ pariyavan • M. reads paripavan. — ⟨5⟩ tivaṉeṉa • Tv. reads tirvateṉa, i.e. tīrvateṉa. — ⟨5⟩ poruta pu(ṉa)l • Tv. and M. read porupuṉal. — ⟨5⟩ makaṉākiya • Tv., Tk. and M. read makkaḷākiya. — ⟨5⟩ ciṅkaḷa • Tv. and M. read ciṅkaṇa.

⟨6⟩ tūkki • Tv., Tk. and M. read tūci. — ⟨6⟩ maṉṉaṉ tāṉum • Tv., M. and G. read maṉṉarun=tāṉum. — ⟨6⟩ vakuttu vant(ā)ṉai(y)ai • Tv. and M. read vakuttavattāṉaiyai. — ⟨6⟩ kalakkiyuṭal • Tv., Tk. and M. read Aṭal. — ⟨6⟩ kocalacciṅkaḷa • Tv. and M. read kocalai ciṅkaṉai. — ⟨6⟩ maṉṉaraittūci • Tv. reads muṉnar tūci. — ⟨6⟩ veṇkaḷiṟṟoṉtu(ṇit)tu • Tv. and M. read veṅkaḷiṟṟoṭu n=tuṇittu. — ⟨6⟩ ta(ṉiṭaṟa)l • Tv., Tk. and M. read tiṇṭiṟal.

⟨7⟩ pottayaṉi(ka)l ce(y)ya • Tv. reads pottaracannereccayan, Tk. pottaraiyaṉireccayaṉ, and M. pottarayaṉireccayaṉ. — ⟨7⟩ muventi • Read mū; Tv. and G. read muvetti . — ⟨7⟩ yeṉṟārtaṭuttu • Tv., M. and G. read yeṉṟārttaṭutu. — ⟨7⟩ ciṅkaḷa • Tv., Tk. and M. read ciṅkaṇa. — ⟨7⟩ Aṇṇalamutalikaḷa(ṉai)varummar • Tv. reads Aṇṇalan mutalinaranaivarum Amar porppa(ṇ)ṇi(ṉa).

⟨8⟩ mavaṟku • Tv. reads mavarkku. — ⟨8⟩ vāka koṇaṅ(ka)va(r) • Tv., M. and G. read vākai koṇṭaṅkavar. — ⟨8⟩ caṅ(ku)muṉ • Tv., Tk. and M. read caṅkun. — ⟨8⟩ ṭama(ya)mum • Tv., Tk. and M. read ṭampamum. — ⟨8⟩ (k)ākkaikko⟨ṭi⟩yum • Tv. and M. read cūkarakkoṭiyum.

⟨9⟩ pu(ṭpa)ka • Tv. and Tk. read puṣpaka. — ⟨9⟩ (pi)ṭi • Tv., Tk. and M. read piṭiyum. — ⟨9⟩ ṟiṭamum • Tv. and M. read ṟīṭṭamum. — ⟨9⟩ toraiyoṭum • M. reads (t)okaiyoṭu(m). — ⟨9⟩ (i)c(ai)y(o)ṭun • Tv. adds cūṭṭi after Icaiyoṭuñ; read cūṭi. — ⟨9⟩ vaṉaikaḻal • M. reads va(ṉ)kaḻaṟ. — ⟨9⟩ toṉṟaṉai • Tk. and M. read keraḷaṉṟaṉṉai.

⟨10⟩ rācāṉātaṉ • M. reads jaṉanātaṉ. — ⟨10⟩ civallavaṉ • G. reads śrīvallapaṉ. — ⟨10⟩ nitiyai • G. reads nīti(yai).

⟨11⟩ niṟṟampa • Tv. and M. read niṟpa. — ⟨11⟩ p(o)rttoḻivāymai(yil) • M. reads (t)oḻilu(ri)m(aiyi)ley(ti) Aracu vīṟṟirun=tu. — ⟨11⟩ viḷaṅkiṭa{∥}kko • Tv. and M. read viḷakkiya ko.

⟨13⟩ tavaḻi • No. 21, l. 9, and No. 22, l. 6, read tavaḻ. — ⟨13⟩ (pu)ṟpekkaramuṟcū(ṭ)ṭum • No. 21, l. 10, No. 22, l. 7, and No. 23, l. 4, read perakaramuṟṟūṭṭum.

⟨22⟩ (vīra)rā(ja) [1+] (ṉ)jaya • Read vīrarājendrajaya.

⟨24⟩ (Attāṇi) [8+] (viḻu)p(pa)r(ai)ya(ṉ) • Read Attāṇiccīyārūraṉ muṭiviḻupparaiyaṉ in accordance with line 19.

Translation by Hultzsch 1899

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! While the goddess of fortune was prospering; while the circle of the great earth rested on (the king’s) round arm (as lightly) as his bracelet of jewels, and while the shadow of (his) royal white parasol (set with) numerous jewels protected the living beings of the circle of the earth (more tenderly) than the mother that bore (them); while (all) other kings (wearing) sounding ankle-rings took shelter at his feet; (and) while the Kali (age), in despair, retreated to (its) natural abode: the abyss,—(the king) duly20 bestowed a splendid crown of jewels on (his) incomparable21 elder brother, [Āḷa]vandāṉ, (along with the title) ‘Rājarāja22 who is praised on the great earth.’23

(L. 2.) (He) was pleased to grant the Pāṇḍi-maṇḍalam, whose crown of jewels is exalted in this world, to his royal son Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻaṉ, (along with the title) ‘Śōḻa-Pāṇḍiyaṉ, (the leader) of an army of very tall elephants.’ (He) bestowed a brilliant crown on Muḍikoṇḍa-Śōḻaṉ, whose hand (held) the sword (and) whose spear had a sharp point, (along with the title) Sundara-Śōḻaṉ, and conferred endless great distinctions (on him). (Thus he) granted to each of his numerous relations24 suitable great riches.

(L. 3.) (He) drove from the battle-field in Gaṅga-pāḍi into the Tuṅgabhadrā the Mahāsāmantas, whose strong hands (wielded) cruel bows, along with Vikkalaṉ, who fought under a banner that inspired strength.

(L. 4.) (He) attacked and destroyed the irresistible, great and powerful army which he (viz. Vikkalaṉ) had again despatched into Vēṅgai-nāḍu; cut off the head of the corpse25 of the Mahādaṇḍanāyaka Chāmuṇḍarāja; and severed the nose from the face of his (viz. Chāmuṇḍarāja’s) only daughter, called [Nā]galai, (who was) the queen of Irugayaṉ (and) who resembled a peacock in beauty.

(L. 5.) The enemy, full of hatred, met and fought against (him) yet a third time, hoping that (his former) defeats would be revenged. (The king) defeated countless Sāmantas, together with these (two) sons of Āhavamalla, who were called Vikkalaṉ and Śiṅgaṇaṉ, at Kūḍalśaṅgamam on the turbid river. Having sent the brave van-guard in advance, and having himself remained close behind with the kings allied to him, (he) agitated by means of a single mast elephant that army (of the enemy), which was arrayed (for battle), (and which) resembled the northern ocean. In front of the banner-troop,26 (he) cut to pieces Śiṅgaṉ, (the king) of warlike Kōśal[ai], along with the furious elephants of (his) van-guard. While Kēśava-Daṇḍanāyaka, Kēttaraśaṉ, [Māraya]ṉ of great strength, the strong Pōtta[ra]yaṉ (and) [Irēchchayaṉ] were fighting, (he) shouted:—“(Follow) Mūvēndi,27 (who wears) a garland of gold !” and cut to pieces many Sāmantas, who were deprived of weapons of war. Then Maduvaṇaṉ, who was in command, fled; Vikkalaṉ fled with dishevelled hair; Śiṅgaṇaṉ fled, (his) pride (and) courage forsaking (him); Aṇṇalaṉ and all others descended from the male elephants on which they were fighting in battle, and fled; Āhavamalla too, to whom (they were) allied, fled before them. (The king) stopped his fast furious elephant, put on the garland of victory, seized his (viz. Āhavamalla’s) wives, his family treasures, conches, parasols, trumpets, drums, canopies,28 white chāmaras, the boar-banner, the ornamental arch (makara-tōraṇa), the female elephant (called) Pushpaka, and a herd of war elephants, along with a troop of prancing horses, and, amidst (general) applause, put on the crown of victory, (set with) jewels of red splendour.

(L. 9.) (He) despatched (the banner of) the ferocious tiger into all directions and cut off the beautiful heads, surrounded by garlands (won) on battle-fields, of the king of Pottappi, whose horses chafed under the bridle, of Vāraṉ, of the [Kēraḷa], (who wore) large ankle-rings, (and) of the younger brother of Ja[na]nātha of Dhārā. (He caused to be) trampled down by a furious mast elephant the king of the South (i.e. the Pāṇḍya), (who wore) golden ankle-rings, the young son of Śrīvallabha, (and) Vīrakēsarin,29 whose crown of jewels glittered as the lightning, and captured Madakōḍu (?).

(L. 10.) (He) wielded the sceptre beyond (all) limits and illustrated the laws of the Vēdas (by his conduct).

(L. 11.) (During the reign) of (this) king Rājakēsarivarman, alias the lord Śrī-Vīrarājēndradēva, who illustrated (by his conduct) the laws of Manu, which are hard to follow, and was seated on the royal (throne), (which he) had acquired by right of warlike deeds, while the matchless banner of heroism, along with the banner of liberality, was raised on high (as if) to say:—“Let (all) supplicants come !”

Being graciously seated in the royal bathing-hall within the palace at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram, (the king) granted, with a libation of water, (the village of) Pākkūr in Veṅgāla-nāḍu, (a district) of Adhirājarāja-maṇḍalam, (and) was pleased to order that this village,—excluding the tax-paying land in the portion of the ryots,30 —should become tax-free temple land31 from (the year) which was opposite to the 3rd year32 (of his reign),— (including) revenue, taxes,33 small tolls, ēlavai, ugavai, (the three fines called) maṉṟupāḍu,34 ; daṇḍa and kuṟṟam, (every place) where the iguana runs, the tortoise crawls, an ant-hill rises (and) sprouts grow, the grass for the calves, and (the land) enjoyed in full by the great village;35 that (this village) should pay to (the god) Mahādēva of the Tiruvānilai (temple) at Karuvūr in the same nāḍu36 the revenue (hitherto) paid by this village,—(viz.) three hundred and three and a half kaḻañju and (one) and one twentieth37 mañjāḍi) of gold, and three thousand five hundred and thirty-one kalam and (one) tūṇi of paddy;—(and) that (this village) should be entered in the revenue register (? vari) as tax-free temple land from (this) year forward.

(L. 15.) Accordingly, the royal secretary, Vāṉavaṉ-Pallavaraiyaṉ, the lord of Tāḻi-Tiruppaṉaṅgāḍu (and) the lord of Nērvāyil in Paṉaiyūr-nāḍu, (a district) of Kshatriyaśikhāmaṇi-vaḷanāḍu, having written that (the king) had been pleased to order (thus), (and) the chief secretary, Achchudaṉ (i.e. Achyuta) Rājarājaṉ, alias Toṇḍaimāṉ, the citizen Uttama-Śōḻaṉ, alias Rājarāja-Brahmādhirāyaṉ, Araiyaṉ Rājarājaṉ, alias Vīrarājēndra-Jayamurināḍāḻvāṉ, and Vīrarājēndra-Maṅgalappēraraiyaṉ having unanimously approved (of this document), Vīrapattiraṉ (i.e. Vīrabhadra) Tillai-Viḍaṅgaṉ, alias Villava-Rājarājaṉ, ordered: “Let it be entered in our revenue register in accordance with intimation received.”

(L. 17.) In accordance with his order, Udayadivākaraṉ Kūttāḍuvāṉ, alias Vīrarājēndra-Maḻavarāyar, (one of) the heads of the assembly (and) the lord of Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻanallūr in Paṉaiyūr-nāḍu, (a district) of Kshatriyaśikhāmaṇi-vaḷanāḍu, Vīrarājē[ndra]-Brahmādhirāyar, [A]raṅgaṉ Tiruchchiṟṟambalam-uḍaiyāṉ, alias Vāṉavaṉ-Mūvēndavēḷāṉ, of [P]eriya[ku]ḍaiyū[r] in Neṉmali-nāḍu, (a district) of Arumoḻidēva-vaḷanāḍu, [Kāḍa]ṉ Vīdi-Viḍaṅgaṉ, alias Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻa-Viḻupparaiyar, the lord of [Pa]ṉai[kku]ḍi in T[ēvūr-nā]ḍu, (a district) of A[dhirāja]rā[ja-va]ḷanāḍu, [Attā]ṇi-[Śīyārūra]ṉ38 [Mu]ḍi-Viḻupparaiyaṉ, the lord of [Pūṇ]ḍi in [Pu]liyūr-nāḍu, (a district) of Vijayarā[jēndra]-vaḷanāḍu, . . . . . [Rājēndra]-bhaṭṭar, Viṇ[ṇava]nārāyaṇa-bhaṭṭaṉ of Kōchch[ā]kk[ā]ṟpu[ṟa]m (near) Madimaṅgalam in [Ni]garili-Śōḻa-nāḍu, (a subdivision) of Mu[ḷ]ḷināḍu39 in Uttama-Śōḻa-vaḷanāḍu, (a district) of Rājarāja-Pāṇḍikula-vaḷanāḍu,40 and Uyyakkoṇḍāṉ, (one of) the dispatching clerks, . . . . . . . . . .41

(L. 21.) “Our revenue officers having entered (this) in the revenue register in accordance with the royal order, let it be engraved on copper and on stone (that this village was given) as tax-free temple land to (the god) Mahādēva of the Tiruvānilai (temple) for the expenses of burnt offerings, oblations and worship.”

(L. 22.) This (is) the writing of Aṟchudaṉ (i.e. Achyuta) Rājanārāyaṇaṉ Toṇḍaimāṉ. The writing of the citizen Uttama-Śōḻaṉ, alias Rājarāja-Brahmādhirāyaṉ. This (is) the writing of Araiyaṉ Vīrarājēndra-Jayamurināḍāḻvāṉ. This (is) the writing of Vīrarājēndra-Maṅgalappēraraiyaṉ. This (is) the writing of the superintendent Udayadivākaraṉ Kūttāḍuvāṉ Vīrarājēndra-Maḻavarāyaṉ, the lord of Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻanallūr in Paṉaiyūr-nāḍu, (a district) of Kshatriyaśikhāmaṇivaḷanāḍu. This (is) the writing of Vāṉavaṉ-Mūvēndavēḷāṉ. This (is) the writing of Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻa-Viḻupparaiyaṉ. This (is) the writing of [Attāṇi-Śīyārūraṉ Muḍi]-Viḻupparaiyaṉ. This (is) the writing of the royal secretary, Vāṉavaṉ-Pallavaraiyaṉ. This (is) the writing of Uyyakkoṇḍāṉ, the dispatching clerk.

(L. 25.) “This (charity is placed under) the protection of all Māhēśvaras. The blessed feet of him who will protect this charity (shall be) on my head.”42

Bibliography

Digital edition of SII 3.20 by Hultzsch 1899 converted to DHARMA conventions by Emmanuel Francis.

Primary

[SII] Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1899. South-Indian inscriptions. Volume III: Miscellaneous inscriptions from the Tamil country. Part I: Inscriptions at Ukkal, Melpadi, Karuvur, Manimangalam and Tiruvallam. South Indian Inscriptions 3.1. Madras: Government Press. Pages 31–39, item 20.

Notes

  1. 1. See below, p. 38, note 3.

  2. 2. This inscription winds round a pillar from top to bottom in a single spiral line and thus reminds of the Mahākūṭa inscription of Maṅgalēśa (Ind. Ant. Vol. XIX. p. 8), which, however, starts from the bottom of the pillar.

  3. 3. See l. 5 ff. of the present inscription.

  4. 4. Ind. Ant. Vol. XXII. p. 142, No. IX.

  5. 5. Compare above, Vol. II. p. 303.

  6. 6. See also above, Vol. II. p. 309, note 1.

  7. 7. Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 266.

  8. 8. I.e. the Chālukyas; Kaliṅgattu-Paraṇi, viii. 29.

  9. 9. Above, Vol. II. pp. 231 and 303.

  10. 10. The figures of these reigns are taken from Dr. Fleet’s Kanarese Dynasties, second edition, Table facing p. 428.

  11. 11. Ind. Ant. Vol. XIX. p. 340.

  12. 12. Mr. Rice’s Mysore and Coorg, Vol. II. p. 380.

  13. 13. mūṉṟām vicaiyiṉum, l. 5.

  14. 14. Kanarese Dynasties, second edition, p. 439.

  15. 15. An inscription of Śaka-Saṁvat 1129 at Tiruvoṟṟiyūr near Madras (No. 104 of 1892) speaks of the town of Pottappi, which Madhurāntaka, an ancestor of Tammusiddhi, founded in the Andhra (Telugu) country. An inscription of Tammusiddhi’s overlord, Kulōttuṅga-Chōḷa III., in the Raṅganāyaka temple at Nellūr (No. 197 of 1894, dated A.D. 1197; see Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 219) and the Periyapurāṇam (p. 65 of the Madras edition of 1888) mention Pottappi-nāḍu, which, according to the Madras Manual of Administration (Vol. III. p. 115), is the Telugu designation of the Kāḷahasti country.

  16. 16. This statement is taken from the Tiruveṇkāḍu inscription; see below, p. 36, note 11.

  17. 17. In quoting the present inscription (South-Indian Palaeography, p. 45, note 1), Dr. Burnell says that “Koppākēsari (sic) the Chōḷa established his younger brother on the [Pāṇḍya] throne. This prince’s name was Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Chōḷa, but he took the name Sundara-Pāṇḍya-Chōḷa.” This series of mistakes has, on the strength of Dr. Burnell’s authority, been accepted as history by Dr. Caldwell (History of Tinnevelly, p. 31 f.) and Mr. Sewell (Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 221).

  18. 18. Above, Vol. II. p. 232.

  19. 19. The same place had been the residence of Rājēndra-Chōḷa I. See ibid. p. 105, and compare Ind. Ant. Vol. XXI. p. 323.

  20. 20. Or, ‘on account of relationship.’

  21. 21. Literally, ‘(whose like was) hard to be found.’

  22. 22. The Tiruveṇkāḍu inscription reads ‘Rājādhirāja.’

  23. 23. Here the Tiruveṇkāḍu inscription inserts a passage to the effect that the king gave to his son Madhurāntaka the Toṇḍai-maṇḍalam and the title Chōḷēndra.

  24. 24. Literally, ‘to the world of his relations.’

  25. 25. Literally, ‘he who had died.’

  26. 26. I.e. the van-guard (of the Chōḷa king).

  27. 27. This name seems to be derived from mūṉṟu, ‘three,’ and vēndu or vēndaṉ, ‘a king,’ and to be a surname of the Chōḷa king himself; compare above, p. 29, note 2.

  28. 28. See Platts’ Hindūstānī Dictionary, s.v. mēghāḍambar or mēgh-ḍambar. In the times of the Mughals the word had the meaning ‘a covered hauda;’ see a quotation from Bernier’s Travels in Mr. Stanley Lane-Poole’s Aurangzīb, p. 132, where the word is misspelt mēgh-dambhār.

  29. 29. According to the Takkōlam inscription the translation would run:—“(He) caused to be trampled down by a mast elephant Vīrakēsarin, the son of the Pāṇḍya Śrīvallabha.”

  30. 30. With the words veḷḷāṉ vakaiyiliṟaimutal tavirttu compare veḷḷāṉ vakaiyil mutal tavirntu in Vol. II. No. 5, paragraph 3.

  31. 31. The two terms tevatāṉam and tirunāmattukkāṇi have both the same meaning.

  32. 32. I.e. ‘from the year which followed after the 3rd year;’ see Vol. II. p. 109 f., Ind. Ant. Vol. XX. p. 288 f., and Ep. Ind. Vol. III. p. 67.

  33. 33. On the term puravu see Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 225, note 8. The corresponding word in No. 22 below, l. 7, is vari, ‘a tax.’

  34. 34. An inscription at Tiruvallam (No. 44 below) proves that maṉṟupāḍu or maṉṟupāḍal (No. 22, l. 7) means a ‘fine,’ just daṇḍa and kuṟṟam. Accordingly the translation of No. 12, l. 9 (p. 20 above) should run thus:— “The god himself shall levy penalties (and) fines for offences from the inhabitants of this village.”

  35. 35. See below, p. 41, note 1.

  36. 36. This refers to Veṅgāla-nāḍu in line 12.

  37. 37. See Vol. II. p. 36, note 1.

  38. 38. See ibid. p. 252, and p. 257, note 6.

  39. 39. See Ep. Ind. Vol. V. p. 46 f.

  40. 40. See above, p. 15, note 4.

  41. 41. The verb which is governed by the preceding names seems to be lost at the beginning of line 21.

  42. 42. Compare Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 178, note 7.