SII 3.30: original edition by Eugen Julius Theodor Hultzsch

Alternative title: “IV.—INSCRIPTIONS AT MANIMANGALAM. No. 30.—ON THE NORTH WALL OF THE MANDAPA IN THE RAJAGOPALA-PERUMAL TEMPLE.”

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: This inscription is dated in the 5th year of the reign of Rājakēsarivarman, alias Vīrarājēndradēva (I.), and on a week-day (l. 37) which will probably admit of astronomical calculation if a second, similarly dated record of the same reign should be discovered. It opens with a long and interesting historical passage, the first portion of which agrees on the whole with the introduction of the Karuvūr inscription of the same king (No. 20 above). But the statement that the king conferred certain titles on some relatives of his (No. 20, ll. 1 to 3) is omitted here. For the reconstruction of the text of the fresh portion of the introduction no materials are available besides the incomplete introduction of the Takkōlam inscription and some stray fragments of the Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram inscription.1

Vīrarājēndra I. is said to have defeated the Kēraḷas at Ulagai, which seems to have been a place on the western coast, and to have tied in his stables the elephants of the Chālukyas and Pāṇḍyas (l. 16 f.). In a battle on the bank of an unspecified river he cut off the heads of a number of chiefs, some of whom are mentioned by name, but cannot be identified (l. 17 ff.). As the Gaṅga and Nuḷamba chiefs figure among them, they were probably feudatories of the Western Chālukya king. Vīrarājēndra I. was going to exhibit the heads of his victims at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram, when his old enemy, the Chalukya king (Āhavamalla-Sōmēśvara I.), prepared to take revenge for his former defeat at Kūḍal (or Kūḍalśaṅgamam)2 and despatched an autograph letter, in which he challenged the Chōḷa king to meet him once more at Kūḍal (l. 20 ff.). Vīrarājēndra I. proceeded to Kāndai (or Karandai ?), which seems to have been a place near Kūḍal, on the appointed day. Though he waited there for a full month, his enemy did not put in his appearance, but took to flight (l. 24 f.). The Chōḷa king occupied and burnt Raṭṭa-pāḍi and planted an inscribed pillar of victory on the Tuṅgabhadrā river (l. 25 f.).

Then follows a passage which states that Vīrarājēndra I. appointed “the liar who came on a subsequent day” to be Chalukya king or heir-apparent, and that, in derision, he placed round the neck of the candidate a board on which was written that the bearer had escaped execution by an elephant and had run away in public (l. 26 ff.). The Maṇimaṅga- lam inscription does not name the person who was the object of this mockery. But an inscription of the 7th year of Vīrarājēndra I. at Tirukkaḻukkuṉṟam (No. 175 of 1894) says that the king “tied (round the neck) of the Śaḷukki Vikramāditya, who had taken refuge at his feet, a necklace (kaṇṭhikā), (which) illumined the eight directions, and was pleased to conquer and to bestow (on him) the seven and a half lakshas) of Raṭṭa-pāḍi.”3 Thus it appears that the Chalukya king or heir-apparent appointed by Vīrarājēndra I. was Vikramāditya VI., the son of his enemy Āhavamalla-Sōmēśvara I., and that Vikramāditya’s coronation was not a mere sham act, as which it is represented in the subjoined inscription. As it is now an established fact that, after the wars between Sōmēśvara I. and Vīrarājēndra I., the latter entered into friendly relations with Vikramāditya VI., it cannot be doubted any more that the Chōḷa king whose daughter, according to the Vikramāṅkadēvacharita, became the wife of Vikramāditya VI., is identical with Vīrarājēndra I.4

The king next undertook an expedition into Vēṅgai-nāḍu, i.e. the country of Vēṅgī, which he had already conquered on a former occasion5 (l. 28). His army defeated the enemy “on the great river close to Viśaiyavāḍai,” i.e. at Bezvāḍa on the Kṛishṇā, proceeded to the Gōdāvarī, and passed Kaliṅga and Chakra-kōṭṭa (l. 29 f.). The king bestowed the country of Vēṅgī on Vijayāditya (l. 30 f.). Formerly I identified this prince with the Eastern Chalukya viceroy Vijayāditya VII.6 But Mr. Venkayya aptly suggests that he may be the same as Vishṇuvardhana-Vijayāditya, a younger brother of Vikramāditya VI., who bore the title ‘lord of the province of Vēṅgī.’7

On his return to Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram the king assumed the surname Rājādhirājarāja and exhibited the booty which he had brought from the country of Vēṅgī (l. 31 ff.).

In lines 36 ff. the inscription records that 4,450 kuḻi of land near the village were granted to the temple by the Sēnāpati Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Chōḷa-Brahmādhirāja, whose mother had made the grant described in the preceding inscription of Rājēndra (No. 29). The land had been purchased from the villagers by Mañjippayaṉār,8 alias Jayasiṁhakulāntaka-Brahmamārāyar, the father of the Sēnāpati.

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

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

Identifier: DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0030.

File path: SII03/DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0030.xml.

Version: (aa17590), last modified (98b50c2).

Edition

⟨1⟩ ⁓∥ svasti śrīḥ [∥] tiru vaḷara tiraḷ puyattirunilavalaiyan=taṉ ma(ṇi)ppūṇeṉattāṅkippaṉ-

⟨2⟩ maṇikkoṟṟaveṇkuṭai (ni)ḻal kuvalaiyattuyirkaḷaippeṟṟa tāyiṉum peṇi maṟṟuḷavaṟai-

⟨3⟩ kaḻalarayar tanaṭi niḻalotuṅkavuṟaipila(t)tuṭai kali (O)tuṅ(ka) muṟai ceytu viraimala¿ṟṟ?eriyal vikkalaṉṟaṉ-

⟨4⟩ noṭu vari(ci)lai(t)taṭa(k=k)ai m(ā)cāman=tarai(k=ka)ṅkapāṭik=kaḷat(ti)ṭaini(ṉ)ṟu(n=tu) ṅkapat(ti)ri (pu)katturattiyāṅkavar veṅkainaṉāṭ(ṭi)ṭai (mīṭṭu)-

⟨5⟩ mavar viṭṭa tāṅkarum peruva(litta)ṇṭu keṭattā(k=ki) mātaṇṭa(n)āyaka(ṉ) cāmu(ṇ)ṭa(rā)yaṉaicceṟṟavaṉ cirattiṉaiyaṟut(tu ma)ṟṟavanoru(ma)kaḷākiya

⟨6⟩ Irukayaṉṟevi nākavaiyeṉṉu(n=t)okayañ(cāya)lai mukattoṭu (mūk=ku v)eṟā(k=ki pa)kai(tteti)r (mū)ṉṟām vicaiyiṉume(ṉ)ṟetir porutu paripava-

⟨7⟩ nt¿i?rva¿na? Eṉak=karutipporupuṉa(l) kūṭal{r}caṅ(ka)ttākavamallaṉ ma(k=ka)ḷākiya (vi)k=kala(ṉ) ciṅkaṇaneṉṟivartammoṭumeṇil cāman=ta(r)ai veṉṟaṭu(tū)-

⟨8⟩ ci muṉai viṭṭuttaṉṟuṇai maṉṉaru(n=t)āṉum (pi)n=na(ṭu)ttirun=tu (va)ṭakaṭaleṉa vaku(t)tavattāṉai(yai)k=kaṭak=ka(ḷi)ṟoṉṟāṟkalak=ki Aṭaṟpari kocalai ciṅkaṉai ko-

⟨9⟩ ṭippaṭai muṉṉal (tū)ci veṅkaḷiṟṟoṭun=tuṇittu kecu(va)taṇṭanāyakaṉ tā¿ṟk?e(ttara)yaṉ tiṇṭiṟa(l) mārayaṉ ciṉappottaraya(ṉi)reccayaṉi¿y?al ce⟨yya⟩ poṟ-

⟨10⟩ kotai (mū)vattiyeṉṟārttaṭutu(p)pilanekacāman=tarai cinna(pi)ṉṉañc(e)ytu piṉṉai muta(liy)āṉa matuvaṇanoṭa (viri)ttalaiyo⟨ṭu vikkala⟩-

⟨11⟩ noṭa (c)erutto(ḻi)laḻin=tu ciṅka(ṇaṇo){ṭ}ṭa Aṇṇa¿(ma)?mutali(yara)ṉai(va)rumamar porppaṇṇi(ya) pakaṭiḻin=toṭa naṇṇiyavākavama(l)laṉumava¿(ṟ)k?u mu(no)-

⟨12⟩ ṭa vekav(eṅ)kaḷiṟṟiṉai (vi)lak=ki vākai koṇṭaṅkavar tāramumavar kulataṉa(mu)ñca(ṅ)kun=toṅkalun=tāraiyum peri(yu)m veṇcāmaraiyumekaṭampamum cūkarakk(oṭi)yu(m)

⟨13⟩ makara(t)oraṇamum puṭpakappiṭiyum porukaḷiṟṟīṭṭamum (pā)yparit(to)kaiyoṭu(m) paṟittu cey(o)ḷi vīraci(ṅ)kācanam p(ā)r (to)ḻaveṟi Eḻil tara Ula(ka)muḻutuṭai(y)ā(ḷo)-

⟨14⟩ ṭum vicai(ya)maṇikuṭa(me)yn=tu Eḻil koḷ ta(t)tumāpura(vi)ppottap(pi)ven=taṉai (vā)ra(ṉai) va(ṉ)kaḻaṟkeraḷaṉṟaṉṉai jaṉanātaṉṟampi(y)aippo-

⟨15⟩ rk=kaḷat(ta)laṅkalcūḻ pacun=talaiyarin=tu p¿u?(la)ṅkaḻal (t)eṉṉaṉai śrīvalla(va)ṉ makaṉ ciṟu(va)ṉ miṉṉavilma(ṇi)muṭi vīrakecari(y)ai matavaraiyoṉṟā-

⟨16⟩ (lutaippittu)lakaiyiṟkeraḷar ta(ṅ)kulaceṅkīraiyoṭum veraṟappaṟin=to(ṭi) melkaṭal vīḻa vāraṇama(ruku)ḷi cel¿i?tti vāriyileṇṇaruṅkaḷiṟṟiṉ

⟨17⟩ Iraṭṭaraik=kavarn=ta kaṉṉiyar kaḷiṟṟoṭuṅkaṭ(ṭi) paṇṇup(piṭi)yoṭu(mā)ṅkavar (vi)ṭu tiṟai k(o)ṇṭu (mī)ṇṭu cūḻpu(ṉaṟ)k(o)ṇ(ṭā)ṟṟuṟaviṟkuṟitta vem-

⟨18⟩ poril taṇṭanāyakartammil tiṇṭiṟal malliyaṇaṉaiyumañcippayaṉaiyum pilkumatak=kaḷiṟṟu(p)piramatevaṉai(yu)n=taṇ(ṭ)āracokayaṉṟaṉṉaiyumoṇṭi-

⟨19⟩ ṟaṟcattiyaṇaṉaiyuñcan=tuvigra(ha)ppattiyaṇa(ṉ)ṟaṉṉaiyumatataku temaruteriyal vīmayaṉṟaṉṉaiyumāmati vaṅkāraṉaiyum nāmaveṟkaṅkaṉai nuḷa-

⟨20⟩ mpa(ṉai)kkāṭavar koṉai maṅkumatay(ā)ṉai vaitumparāyaṉaiyi(ru)n=talai(ya)rin=tu pe(rum)puṉaṟṟaṉā(tu) kaṅkai(m)ānakar taitta miṉ tiṅkaḷil vaḻi varu caḷuk=ki

⟨21⟩ paḻiyoṭu vāḻvatiṟcāvatu cālanaṉṟeṉṟevamuṟṟin=ni(ya)cin=tayanāki muṉṉam putalvarun=tānumu(tu)kiṭṭuṭai(n=ta) kūṭalaṅka(ḷa)me(ṉa)k=kūṟitta kūṭa(li)-

⟨22⟩ l vārātañciṉar maṉṉavarallar porppe(ru)mpaḻippiraṭṭarākave(ṉ)ṟiyāvarumaṟiyaveḻutiya (pa)t¿a?kamevarumolai viṭaiy(o)ṭuṅkuṭuttaviraṭṭa-

⟨23⟩ pāṭippiraṭṭarkaḷ kaṅkā(k)ettaṉaiyeva (Aṅ)kava(ṉ) vantaṭiyiṇai vaṇaṅkiy v(āca)kamuṇa⟨r⟩ttalum cin=taiyumukamu(n=ti)ruppu(ya)miraṇṭumen=teḻilukav(aiyo)ṭiru-

⟨24⟩ (maṭaṅ)ku poliyappon=tappork=ka(ḷa)m pukun=tu kān=taiyil va(lla)var koṉai va(ra)vu kāṇātu colliya nāḷiṉ melumortiṅkaḷ (pārttirun=ta pi)-

⟨25⟩ ṉ(ṉai)ppot(ta)vaṉ kāl keṭavoṭi melkaṭaloḷittalun=tevanātaṉuñ(ci)ttiyuṅkeciyum¿u?varun=taṉittaṉi mutukiṭapparavaru(mi)raṭṭapāṭiyeḻaraiyilak=ka-

⟨26⟩ muraṭṭoḻilaṭak=ki muḻaṅkeri m¿u?ṭṭi veṅkatiṟpuliyeṟu viyan=tu viḷaiyāṭa(t)tu(ṅ)kapattirik=karai jayapa(t)tirattūṇ nānilam paraca nāṭṭi menāḷ va-

⟨27⟩ n=ta piraṭṭaṉai vallavanāk=kiccun=tarak=ka(ṇ)ṭikai kaṭṭi purac¿a?yāṉai puḻaik=kaiyiṟpiḻaittivvu(la)kamaṟiyavoṭiya paricorupalakaiyiṟpaḻu(ta)ṟaveḻutiya piṉṉai cārtti-

⟨28⟩ ṉavuṟ(ai)yuñcaḷuk=kipatam peṟṟa pūttiṉamārvoṭum pūṭṭippert(tu)n=tāṉ kaikkoṇṭa veṅk(ai)naṉ(n)āṭu mīṭṭukko(ṇ)ṭalā(l) m¿i?ḷkila(ṅ)keṭṭi n¿i? val(laṉā)kil va(n=tu)

⟨29⟩ kākke(ṉ)ṟu colliyeṭuttavattāṉai vic(ai)yavāṭaiyo(ṭa)ṭut(ta) per(ā)ṟṟil (ta)ṭutta jaṉanāta(ṉai)yun=taṇṭanāyaka(ṉā)mi(ṉa)mārkaṭak=kaḷiṟṟirājamayaṉaiyumupparacaṉaiyumutalākavuṭai(ya)vapperuñceṉaiyai Aṭaviyiṟpācci k(o)tāviriyil taṉ potakanīruṇṇak=kaliṅkamuṅkaṭa(n=ta)p(pā)l (ca)k=karakoṭṭat(ta)p(pu)-

⟨30⟩ ṟattaḷavu mevaru(n=t)āṉai(t)tāvaṭi celutti veṅkainaṉā(ṭu mī)ṭṭukkoṇṭu taṉ pūṅkaḻaṟkaṭaik=ka(la)m pukun=ta pa(ṭ)aik=kalattaṭak=kai vijai-

⟨31⟩ yātittaṟkaruḷi vicai koṭu mīṇṭu viṭṭa(ru)ḷi Ikaliṭ(ai)p(pū)ṇṭa jayattiruvoṭuṅkaṅkāpuri pukun=taruḷi Aṅke rājā(dhi)rājarājan-

⟨32⟩ ne(ṉat)tarā(ti)parāka(t)tam niya⟨ma⟩ttiyaṟṟippaṭiyil maṉṉavaraṭi toḻutetta v¿ī?ṉmaṇippīṭattirun=tu veṅk(ai)naṉāṭṭiniṟkoṇṭavi-

⟨33⟩ rune(ti)ppiṟak=kam (va)ricaiyiṟk(ā)ṭṭi Āḻiyunikaḷamu(ṅ)kaḻaṟṟiyāṅkavar vā(ḻi)ya viratamāṟṟi (pū)ḻimañce(tu) varampāṭceṅk(o)l celu-

⟨34⟩ tti metiṉi viḷak=ki mītuyar vīrattanikkoṭi (tiyā)kak=koṭiyoṭumeṟpava(r) varukeṉṟu niṟpa portto(ḻi)lu(ri)m(aiyi)le-

⟨35⟩ y(ti) Aracu ⟨⟨vīṟ⟩⟩ṟirun=tu mevarumanun(e)ṟi (vi)ḷak=kiya k(o)rājake(cari)va(nma)rāṉa Uṭ(ai)yār śrīvīrarājen¿t?ra-

⟨36⟩ devark=ku yā(ṇ)ṭu Añcāvatu jayaṅkoṇṭacoḻamaṇṭala(ttu) ceṅkāṭṭukkoṭṭattu mākaṇūrnāṭṭu ma(ṇi)maṅkalamāṉa rājacūḷāmaṇiccatu(r)vvetima(ṅ)kala-

⟨37⟩ ttu mahāsabhaiyom Ivvāṭṭaik=kaṉṉināyaṟṟu Aparapakṣa(t)tu caturddaśiyun=tiṅkaṭkiḻamaiyum peṟṟa Uttirat(tu) nāḷ Emm¿u?r brahmas¿t?ā-

⟨38⟩ ṉam periyamaṇṭapatte dha¿t?mi ceytu kūṭṭakkuṟaivaṟakkūṭiyirun=tu Ivvūr jīvitamu(ṭai)ya s(e)nāpatikaḷ jaya⟨⟨(ṅ)⟩⟩koṇṭacoḻabrahmādhirājar tamappan(ā)-

⟨39⟩ r mañcippayanārāṉa jayaciṅkakulān=takabrahmamārāyar pak=kal nāṅka(ḷ) (sva)ṅkoṇṭu muṉpivark=ku Iṟ(ai)yiliyāka(k)kuṭuttu Ivarutāyiva(r) A-

⟨40⟩ nupavittu varukiṟa nilamāvatu [|] Ivvūr perun=tūmpuniṉṟum poṉa peruṅkālukku k¿ī?ḻak=ku pāra(ta)vāy⟨k⟩kāluk=ku vaṭak=ku Ivar vilai koṇṭuṭai-

⟨41⟩ ¿m?a kamukan=toṭṭaṅkuḻi Irunūṟṟaimpatum periyeri karaik=ku kiḻa(k=ku pa)ṉaiya(n=ta)ñcerittūmpuk=kālu(k=ku){tteṟkum} vaṭak=ku kora(ñci Uru)(drakra)mavittan

⟨42⟩ toṭṭat(tu)k=ku teṟku peruvatikku meṟku{ṅkiḻak=ku}maṟṟu deva(t)āṉam (nī)kki kuḻi nālāyirattu Irunūṟum Āka Ivvūrkkolā-

⟨43⟩ l kuḻi nālāyirattu nā(nū)ṟṟaimpatum Ivvūr śrīma⟨d·⟩dvārāpati śrīkāmakkoṭiviṇṇakar Āḻvārkku A(r)¿cch?anābh(o)kamāka In=ta

⟨44⟩ (ma)ñcippayanār ma(ka)nār senāpatikaḷ jayaṅko(ṇ)ṭacoḻabrahmātirājar kuṭuttār [|] I(ṉ)nilam nālāyirattu nānūṟṟaimpa-

⟨45⟩ tu kuḻiyum (ca)n¿t?rādi¿tta?va¿(t)? In=ta (Ā)ḻ(v)ārk=ku (sa)bhaiyome Iṟaiyiṟuttuk=kuṭuppomāno(m) mahāsabhaiyom [|] sabhaiyu-

⟨46⟩ ḷirun=tu karaiyiṭṭu karaippon=tu paṇittār piṟān=tūr bhavanan=tisahasranum Araṇaippuṟattu ti(ṇ)ṭakūḷamātavakramavittanum Īvu-

⟨47⟩ ṇi mātavakramavittanum paṇippaṇiyāl paṇi keṭṭu Eḻu(tin)eṉ Ūrk=karaṇattāṉ vaṭukaṉ p(ā)k=karaneṉ [|] Ivai Eṉ Eḻuttu [∥]

Apparatus

⟨19⟩ matataku • G. reads mata(takar).

⟨21⟩ kūṭalaṅka(ḷa) • G. reads kūṭaley kaḷa.

⟨27⟩ puracayāṉai • Tk. has pucai Āṉai; read puracaiyāṉai.

⟨32⟩ niyatti • Read perhaps niyamatti.

⟨33⟩ (pū)ḻima • G. reads cūḻima.

⟨45⟩ (ca)ntrādittava(t) • Read candrādityavat·.

Translation by Hultzsch 1899

[The first 15 lines agree with ll. 1—10 of No. 20 above.]

(Line 16.) When at Ulagai9 the Kēraḷas were uprooted along with the infants of their family, ran away and plunged into the western ocean, (the Chōḷa king) despatched (his) elephants for a rare bath (in the ocean). (He) tied in the stables the Iraṭṭas (i.e. the Chalukyas) whose elephants were numberless,10 along with the elephants of the Kaṉṉiyas,11 which (he) had seized. (He) took the tribute which they paid, along with female elephants (which had) trappings, and returned.

(L. 17.) Having occupied (an island) surrounded by water, (he) cut off in a hot battle, which had been appointed near the river, the great heads of the following Daṇḍanāyakas:—Malliyaṇaṉ of great valour, Mañjippayaṉ, Piramadēvaṉ (i.e. Brahmadēva), whose elephants dripped with rut, Aśōkaiyaṉ,12 (who wore) a fresh garland, Śattiyaṇaṉ of brilliant valour, Pattiyaṇaṉ, (the minister for) peace and war, Vīmayaṉ, (who wore) a fragrant, excellent garland (and who resembled) a rutting elephant, and Vaṅgāraṉ of great wisdom, (and the heads) of the Gaṅga (king), (who carried) a dreadful lance, of the Nuḷamba (king),13 of the king of the Kāḍavas,14 and of the Vaidumba king,15 the rut of whose elephants was diminishing (through fear).

(L. 20.) Before (the Chōḷa king) had nailed up (the heads of these princes in) the great city (called after) the great river Gaṅgā,16 the Śaḷukki,17 who came from the race of the Moon, reproached himself, saying:—“It is much better to die than to live in disgrace,” became troubled in mind, and declared that the same Kūḍal, where, previously, (his) sons and himself turned their backs and were routed, (should be the next) battle-field.

(L. 21.) In order that all might know (it), (he) wrote as preamble of a letter, which was hard to be despatched, the words:—“He who does not come to the appointed Kūḍal through fear, shall be no king, (but) a liar (who incurs) great disgrace in war,” (and) gave (this letter) along with the order for despatch (?) to the liars of Iraṭṭa-pāḍi,18 who ordered Gaṅgā[k]ēttaṉ (to deliver it).

(L. 23.) He came, prostrated himself at the two feet (of the Chōḷa king), and declared (the contents of) the letter. The mind, the face and the two royal shoulders (of the king) became doubly brilliant with surpassing beauty and joy.

(L. 24.) (He) started and entered that battle-field. Not having seen the king of the Vallabhas (i.e. the Chalukyas) arrive at Kāndai,19 (he) waited one month after the appointed day. Then the liar20 ran away until his legs became sore, and hid himself in the western ocean, and each of the three: Dēvanāthaṉ, Śitti and Kēśi, turned their backs.

(L. 25.) (The Chōḷa king) subdued (in) war the seven and a half lakshas of the famous21 Iraṭṭa-pāḍi, and kindled crackling fires. In order that the four quarters might praise (him), (he) planted (on) the bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā a pillar (bearing) a description of (his) victory, while the male tiger, (the crest of the race) of the Sun, sported joyfully.22

(L. 26.) (The king) appointed the liar,23 who came on a subsequent day, as Vallabha (i.e. Chalukya king), and tied (round his neck) a beautiful necklace (kaṇṭhikā).24 (He) wrote unmistakably on a board how (the Chālukya) had escaped the trunk of an elephant (which had) a cord (round its neck), and had run away with the knowledge (of all the people) of this earth.25 Then, on the auspicious day on which (the latter) attained to the dignity of Śaḷukki, (the Chōḷa king) tied on (his) breast (that board) and a quiver (of arrows) which was closed (and hence useless).

(L. 28.) Having moved (his camp), he declared:—“(We) shall not return without regaining the good country of Vēṅgai, which (we had formerly) subdued. You,26 (who are) strong, come and defend (it) if (you) are able !” That army which was chosen (for this expedition) drove into the jungle that big army, which resisted (its enemies) on the great river close to Viśaiyavāḍai (and) which had for its chiefs Jananāthaṉ,27 the Daṇḍanāyaka Rājamayaṉ, whose mast elephants trumpeted in herds, and Mupparaśaṉ.

(L. 29.) His elephants drank the water of the Gōdāvarī. (He) crossed even Kaliṅgam and, beyond (it), despatched (for) battle (his) invincible army as far as the further end of Śakkara-kōṭṭam (Chakra-kōṭṭa).28

(L. 30.) (He) re-conquered the good country of Vēṅgai and bestowed (it) on Vijayādityaṉ, whose broad hand (held) weapons of war, (and) who had taken refuge at his lotus-feet.29

(L. 31.) Having been pleased to return speedily, (the Chōḷa king) entered Gaṅgāpurī30 with the goddess of victory, who had shown hostility in the interval,31 and there made (himself) the lord of the earth, (with the title) Rājādhirājarājaṉ,32 in accordance with the observances of his (family).

(L. 32.) While (all) the kings on earth worshipped (his) feet and praised (him), (he) was seated on a throne of bright jewels and exhibited in order the heap of the great treasures which (he) had seized in the good country of Vēṅgai. (He) unlocked the rings and chains (of prisoners) and altered (his previously made) vow, according to which they ought to have lived (in confinement). (He) wielded a sceptre which ruled (as far as) the limits of (the mountain) surrounded by snow (i.e. the Himālaya) and of Sētu (i.e. Rāmēśvaram), and illumined the earth.

(L. 34.) In the fifth year (of 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 !”

(L. 36.) We, the great assembly of Maṇimaṅgalam, alias Rājaśūḷāmaṇi-chaturvēdimaṅgalam, in Māgaṇūr-nāḍu, (a subdivision) of Śēṅgāṭṭu-kōṭṭam, (a district) of Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻa-maṇḍalam, having given alms (?) and being assembled, without a vacancy in the assembly, in the large maṇḍapa (of) the Brahmasthāna33 in our village, on the day of Uttara(-Phalgunī), which corresponded to a Monday and to the fourteenth tithi of the second fortnight of the month of Kanyā in this year, (gave to the temple) the following land, which we had formerly given on payment, free of taxes, to Mañjippayaṉār, alias Jayasiṁhakulāntaka-Brahmamārāyar, the father of the Sēnāpati Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻa-Brahmādhirājar, the owner of a living (jīvita) in this village, and which he was enjoying as his property.

(L. 40.) An areca garden of two hundred and fifty kuḻi, which he had purchased, to the east of the large channel which flows from the large sluice of this village, (and) to the north of the Bhārata channel, and four thousand and two hundred kuḻi to the east of the bank of the large tank, to the north of the channel (which flows from) the sluice of Paṉaiyandañjēri, to the south of the garden of Kōrañ[ji Rudra-Kra]mavittaṉ, and to the west of a large road, excluding other Dēvadānas,—altogether four thousand four hundred and fifty kuḻi by the rod (kōl) of this village were given to (the temple of) Śrīmad-Dvārāpati, (alias) Śrī-Kāmakkōḍi-Viṇṇagar-Āḻvār in this village, for the expenses of the worship, by the Sēnāpati Jayaṅkoṇḍa-Śōḻa-Brahmādhirājar, the son of that Mañjippayaṉār.

(L. 44.) We, the great assembly, are bound to pay the taxes and to give these four thousand four hundred and fifty kuḻi of land to this Āḻvār for as long as the moon and the sun exist.

(L. 45.) Having been present in the assembly and having heard the order of Bhavanandi-Sahasraṉ of Piṟāndūr, Tiṇḍakūḷa-Mādhava-Kramavittaṉ of Araṇaippuṟam, and Mādhava-Kramavittaṉ of Īvuṇi, who had distributed the blocks and inspected the blocks,34 I, Vaḍugaṉ Pākkaraṉ (i.e. Bhāskara), the accountant of the village, wrote (the above). This (is) my writing.

Commentary

⟨30⟩ Line 30 stands above the second half of line 29, and the inscription continues to run upwards as far as line 35 inclusive.

Bibliography

Digital edition of SII 3.30 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 64–71, item 30.

Notes

  1. 1. No. 2 (Tk.) and No. 4 (G.) on p. 31 above.

  2. 2. For a description of this battle see p. 37 above.

  3. 3. Lines 6 to 8: tanṉaṭiyaṭainta caḷu(k)ki vikkiramāti⟨t⟩aṉai Eṇṭicai nikaḻa(k)kaṇṭikai kaṭṭi (Iraṭṭa)pāṭi Eḻa(r)ai Ilakkamu(m) E⟨ṟi⟩ntu kuṭuttaruḷi.

  4. 4. See my Annual Report for 1891-92, p. 5, and above, Vol. II. p. 231 f.

  5. 5. See page 37 above.

  6. 6. Above, Vol. II. p. 232.

  7. 7. Dr. Fleet’s Kanarese Dynasties, second edition, p. 454, and above, p. 52 and note 8.

  8. 8. A Daṇḍanāyaka named Mañjippayaṉ had been decapitated by Vīrarājēndra I.; see text line 18 of this inscription.

  9. 9. Instead of this, the Takkōlam inscription reads Udagai, which seems to have been a city of the Pāṇḍyas; see above, Vol. II. p. 250, note 3.

  10. 10. Perhaps the author means ‘the numberless elephants of the Iraṭṭas,’ and not ‘the Iraṭṭas whose elephants were numberless.’

  11. 11. This seems to be a designation of the Pāṇḍyas, in whose dominions Kaṉṉi, i.e. Cape Comorin, was situated.

  12. 12. A Maṇḍalin Aśōkaiyaṉ is stated to have lost his life in the battle of Koppam; see p. 63 above.

  13. 13. I.e. the Pallava chief of Nuḷambapāḍi; compare above, p. 59, note 1.

  14. 14. I.e. the Pallava chief of Śeñji (Gingee); see Ind. Ant. Vol. XXII. p. 143.

  15. 15. Compare above, Vol. II. p. 379, note 9.

  16. 16. I.e. in Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram.

  17. 17. I.e. the Western Chālukya king Āhavamalla-Sōmēśvara I., who was already referred to in the description of the battle of Kūḍalśaṅgamam; see the translation on p. 37 above.

  18. 18. I.e. the ministers of the Chālukya king.

  19. 19. As ra and the secondary form of ā are expressed by the same character, the name of this place may have as well been Karandai.

  20. 20. Viz. Āhavamalla, who had earned this epithet by not keeping the appointment at Kūḍal, which he had proposed himself.

  21. 21. Literally, ‘which is hard to praise.’

  22. 22. The tiger was probably figured on the jayastambha, as on a pillar, which contains an inscription of Rājēndra-Chōḷa, on the top of Mahēndragiri; see my Annual Report for 1895-96, p. 7.

  23. 23. An inscription of the 7th year at Tirukkaḻukkuṉṟam (see p. 65 above) shows that this ‘liar’ was Vikramāditya (VI.).

  24. 24. On kaṇṭhikā as a symbol of the dignity of heir-apparent see Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 227, note 10.

  25. 25. It seems that Vikramāditya VI. had been condemned to be trampled to death by a mast elephant which was led by ropes, but that he escaped and was pardoned.

  26. 26. This is addressed to the king who held Vēṅgī at the time.

  27. 27. On a previous occasion Virarājēndra I. had decapitated the younger brother of Jananātha of Dhārā; see p. 37 above.

  28. 28. See above, Vol. II. p. 234, note 9.

  29. 29. This passage was already quoted ibid. p. 232, note 3.

  30. 30. See above, p. 68, note 11.

  31. 31. This is an admission of the fact that the Chōḷas had experienced reverses.

  32. 32. The Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Śōḻapuram inscription reads [Rā]jādhirājan-Rājarā[ja].

  33. 33. See above, p. 63 and note 1.

  34. 34. See above, p. 64 and note 3.