SII 3.79: original edition by Eugen Julius Theodor Hultzsch

Alternative title: “VII.—INSCRIPTIONS OF VIKRAMA-CHOLA. No. 79.—INSCRIPTION AT TIRUMALAVADI.”

Author of digital edition: Emmanuel Francis (emfr).

Summary: This inscription (No. 82 of 1895) is engraved on the south wall of the second prākāra of the Vaidyanātha temple at Tirumalavāḍi in the Uḍaiyārpāḷaiyam tāluka of the Trichinopoly district.1 The village is mentioned as Maḻapāḍi in Tiruñāṉasambandar’s Dēvāram and as Tirumaḻuvāḍi in the subjoined inscription (l. 38 f.).

The inscription is dated in the 15th year of the reign of Parakēsarivarman, alias Vikrama-Chōḷadēva (l. 36 f.). The introduction, like that of the Tanjore inscription,2 records that the king defeated the Teluṅga Bhīma at Kuḷam and burnt the country of Kaliṅga (l. 8), stayed in Vēṅgai-maṇḍalam (l. 9), conquered the North, and then proceeded to the South, where he crowned himself (as Chōḷa king).3

In the tenth year of his reign (l. 15) he made valuable gifts to the temple of his family god at Chidambaram. At the end of the passage describing these gifts mention is made of the very day of these donations:—Sunday, the day of Hasta and the thirteenth tithi of the bright fortnight of Śittirai in the tenth year of his reign (l. 24 f.). According to Professor Kielhorn’s calculation this date corresponds to Sunday, the 15th April A.D. 1128, on which day, however, the nakshatra was Chitrā, not Hasta.4

The end of the historical introduction gives the names of two queens, viz. Tyāgapatākā (l. 31), surnamed Tribhuvanamuḻuduḍaiyāḷ (ll. 32 and 36), and Dharaṇimuḻuduḍaiyāḷ (l. 35).

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

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

Identifier: DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0079.

File path: SII03/DHARMA_INSSIIv03p0i0079.xml.

Version: (aa17590), last modified (5bf283e).

Edition

⟨1⟩ svasti śrī [∥] (pū)mālai (miṭai)ntu ponmā-

⟨2⟩ lai tikaḻapp(ā)⟨mā⟩lai malinta parumaṇittiraḷ puyattiru-

⟨3⟩ nilamaṭantaiyoṭu jeyamakaḷiruppatakanavarai

⟨4⟩ mārvan(ta)natenapp(e)ṟṟuttirumakaḷorutaniyiruppa(k)-

⟨5⟩ kalaimaka(ḷ) coṟṟiṟam puṇarnta caṟpi(ṉaḷ)āki viruppoṭu n(ā)-

⟨6⟩ vakat(ti)rup(pa ti)cai(t)oṟunti(ki)riyoṭu ceṅkol naṭappa Akilapuvanamuṅka(vi)⟨p⟩-

⟨7⟩ pato(r)putumati (p)ol veṇkuṭai m¿i?mi¿cai? niḻaṟṟa karuṅkaliyoḷittu vanpilattiṭai(ka)-

⟨8⟩ (ki)ṭappakku(ḷa)ttiṭaitteluṅkavīman vilaṅkalmicaiyeṟavuṅkaliṅkapūmiyaikka(na)l(e)-

⟨9⟩ ri paruka(vu)m (Ai)mpaṭai(p)paruvattu vempaṭai (t)āṅ(ki){yu(m)} veṅkai- maṇṭalattā(ṅkiniti)ru(na)tu (va)ṭa-

⟨10⟩ ticai(vaṭi)ppaṭuttaruḷi tenṟicaittarumamu(n)tava(mu)ntāṉamuntaḻaippa veta(mu)m me(y)-

⟨11⟩ maiyu(mā)tiyukam polattalaittalaicciṟappa (va)n(ta)ru(ḷi) veṟka(ru)m po¿ṟ?puliyāṇai pārttiva(r) cūṭa niṟ(ai)-

⟨12⟩ maṇi ma(ku)ṭam muṟaimaiyiṟcūṭi ma¿nn?uyiṟkkellāmi¿nn?u(yi)ṟtā¿y? polattanṉoḷi parappit(ta)¿na?t(ta)¿ni? p(ā)-

⟨13⟩ rttu ma(ṇ) muḻutuṅkaḷippa manu neṟi vaḷarttu tan k(o)yiṟkoṟṟavācal puṟattu maṇi nāvoṭuṅka mura(cu)-

⟨14⟩ (kaḷ) mu(ḻaṅ)ka vicaiyamum pukaḻum meṉmeloṅ(ka) vāḻi vāḻi Im(m)ānilaṅkākkattirumaṇippoṟ(ṟo)-

⟨15⟩ (ṭṭ)e(ḻu)tu pattāṇṭu (va)rutiṟai munne mannavar cumantu (ti)ṟai (ni)raittuccorinta ce-

⟨16⟩ mpoṟkuvaiyāl (tan kula)nāyakan tāṇṭavam payiluñcemponnampalañcūḻ tirumā-

⟨17⟩ ḷikaiyum kopuravācal kūṭacālaikaḷum Ulaku valaṅkoṇṭoḷi viḷaṅku nemikku-

⟨18⟩ lavar(ai) Ukaiyakuṉṟamoṭu niṉṟeṉappacumpon me⟨y⟩ntu (pa)li vaḷar (pī)ṭamum vicumpo(ḷi)

⟨19⟩ ta(ḻ)aippa viḷaṅku pon me⟨y⟩ntu Irunilantaḻaippa Im(ai)(ya)var ka(ḷi)ppa periya tirunāḷ perum

⟨20⟩ pi(ya)r (vi)ḻāvenu(m) Uyar (pu)raṭṭāti Uttiraṭṭātiyil Ampalaniṟai(n)ta Aṟ(pu)takkūttar In-

⟨21⟩ (par) vāḻa Eḻuntaruḷuva(ca)ṟkuttirutteṟkoyil cempon me⟨y⟩ntu (pa)run(ti)ra(ḷ) mut(ti)n

⟨22⟩ payil vaṭam parappi niṟaimaṇi māḷikai neṭuntiruvīti tana tiruvaḷar piyarālcce-

⟨23⟩ y(tu ca)m(ai)ttaruḷi p⟨ai⟩mpoṟkuḻitta parikalamutalāl cempoṟkaṟpakatcoṭu paricci(n)-

⟨24⟩ (na)mu(m) Aḷavilātana(v)oḷi peṟavamaittuppattāmāṇṭil (cit)tiraittiṅka(ḷ) Atta-

⟨25⟩ m peṟṟa Ātittavārattu(t)tiruvaḷar matiyin trayodaśippakkat(tu) Inna palava(m I)nitu

⟨26⟩ (ca)maittaruḷi Orukuṭai (ni)ḻa¿k?kīḻ (ta)lamuḻutuṅkavippacceḻiya(r) veñcuram puka c(e)ralar (ka)-

⟨27⟩ ṭal (puka Aḻitaru ciṅka)ṇa(r) A(ñ)ci ne(ñ)calama(ra ka)ṅkar tiṟ(ai)(yi)ṭa(kkan)naṭar venniṭa koṅ-

⟨28⟩ karotuṅka koṅkaṇar cāya (maṟ)ṟ(e)tticai manna-

⟨29⟩ runtanta(ma)kkaraṇeṉa tirumala¿ṟ?ce(vaṭi) Urimai-

⟨30⟩ yiliṟ¿a?ñca Āṅkavan (ma)kiḻu(ṅ)ka(ṅ)kaiyoppākiya

⟨31⟩ terivaiyar tilatantyākapatākai puricūḻal maṭap(pi)-

⟨32⟩ ṭi punitakuṇavanitai tiripu(va)ṉa(mu)ḻu(tuṭ)aiyāḷ Avan ti-

⟨33⟩ ruvuḷattaru(ḷ) muḻutumuṭaiyāḷeṉa(vu)ṭaniruppa Ūḻ¿i An?neṭumālāka(t)tup

⟨34⟩ piriyā(t)eṉṟuntirumakaḷiruntateṉa mātar maṭa(ma)yil pūtalattaruntati Araṇiya

⟨35⟩ kaṟpiṟtaraṇimuḻutuṭaiyāḷi(va)n tiru(m)ārvattaruḷoṭu(mi)ruppaccemapon (vī)ra(si)

⟨36⟩ ṁhāsanattu tiripuva(ṉa)muḻutuṭ(ai)yā(ḷ)oṭum v¿i?ṟṟirunta⟨ru⟩ḷiya kopparakecarivammarā(ṉa)

⟨37⟩ tiripuvanaccakravarttikaḷ (śrī)(vi)k{ra}(ki)ramac(o)ḻade(va)ṟku yāṇṭu 10 5 Āvatu

⟨38⟩ tiripuvanamuḻutuṭaivaḷanāṭṭuppoykaināṭṭu Uṭaiyā(r) tirumaḻu-

⟨39⟩ vāṭi Uṭaiyār koyilil Ādicaṇḍeśvaradevar Ādeśam Aru(ḷ)āl I-

⟨40⟩ (k)koyilil śrīmāheśvararomum śrīkāriyañceyvārum Ikkoyil (ka)ṇakku

⟨41⟩ nelkuppaiyuṭaiyānum Uḷḷiṭṭa sthānattom Eḻuttu [∥] Ik(k)oyilil

⟨42⟩ (śrī)nandikeśvaradevarai Eḻuntaruḷuvitta Aḷḷiyūruṭaiyān Ec(ci)l maṇ [**********]

Apparatus

⟨3⟩ kanavarai • Three other inscriptions read kkaṉavarai.

⟨11⟩ veṟka(ru)m • Two other inscriptions read velaṟkarum.

⟨12⟩ tanṉoḷi • Five other inscriptions read taṇṇaḷi or taṉṉaḷi.

⟨15⟩ (va)rutiṟai • The Ālaṅguḍi inscription reads varumuṟai.

⟨21⟩ teṟkoyil • The Ālaṅguḍi inscription reads terkkoyil.

⟨27⟩ (ciṅka)ṇa(r) • Three other inscriptions read ciṅkaḷar.

⟨33⟩ Ūḻ¿i An?⟨yun ⟩ • Read Ūḻiyun; compare above, p. 157, note 12.

⟨42⟩ Eḻuntaruḷuvitta • ḷu seems to be corrected from ḷi. — ⟨42⟩ Ec(ci)l maṇ [10+] • The remainder of the inscription is lost.

Translation by Hultzsch 1903

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! (The king) was resplendent with golden chains, combined with garlands of flowers. In (his) arms, which were covered with large jewels, (and) which (formed the subject of) a great number of poems, rested the goddess of Victory, along with the goddess of the great Earth. Having obtained as her own (possession) (his) chest, (which resembled) a solid mountain, the goddess of Prosperity exclusively abided (there). As a chaste woman that possessed great eloquence, the goddess of Learning resided with delight in (his) tongue.

(L. 6.) (His) sceptre, along with the wheel (of his authority), swayed over all regions. (His) white parasol cast its shade on high, like a matchless second moon, overspreading the whole world. The dark Kali (age) hid itself and lay in the deep pit.

(L. 8.) In the season of Cupid5 (i.e. in spring)6 (he) grasped the cruel weapon, so that at Kuḷam the Teluṅga Vīmaṉ (i.e. Bhīma) ascended the mountains (as refuge), and so that hot fire consumed the country (bhūmi) of Kaliṅga. (He) joyfully stayed (a while) in the Vēṅgai-maṇḍalam and was pleased to subdue the Northern region.

(L. 10.) (He) was pleased to arrive (in) the Southern region, in order that charities, austerities and gifts might prosper (and) that the Vēdas and truth might flourish (in) every place as (in) the first age.

(L. 11.) While (all other) kings bore (on their heads) the orders (sealed with the crest) of the warlike tiger which is hard to conquer, (he) put on by right the crown set with jewels.

(L. 12.) Like a sweet dear mother, (he) extended his kindness to all living beings and took care of each (of them). (He) cultivated the path of Manu, so that the whole earth rejoiced.

(L. 13.) In front of the victorious gate of his palace the tongue of the bell became silent;7 the drums were sounding; (and his) victory and fame rose higher and higher.

(L. 14.) Out of the heap of pure gold which had been brought, piled up (as) tribute, and poured out by kings, before there came in due course the year ten (after the time) when a gold leaf (set with) royal gems was engraved (with the words): “May (the king) live long (and) protect this great earth !”8 —(he) covered (with) fine gold the enclosure, the gate towers, halls and buildings surrounding the shrine of pure gold9 where his family-god (viz. Naṭēśa) practises the tāṇḍava (dance), as if the splendid circular mountain surrounding the earth were combined with the Eastern mountain; covered (with) splendid gold the altar on which offerings abound, so that the light of heaven was reflected (by it); covered (with) pure gold and adorned with numerous strings of large round pearls the sacred car temple,10 in order that, conferring long life on the delighted people, the miraculous dancer (viz. Naṭēśa) who occupies the (golden) hall might be drawn in procession (at) the great festival called ‘the festival of the great name’ (perum-piyar-viḻā) on the great (days of) Puraṭṭādi (and) Uttiraṭṭādi, so as to cause prosperity (on) the great earth (and) joy to the gods; was pleased to build a long temple street of mansions covered with jewels (!) and called (it) after his royal prosperous name; and made numberless splendid insignia, beginning with dishes cut of fine gold, together with a Kalpa (tree) of pure gold.

(L. 24.) Having been pleased to make gladly many such (gifts) in the tenth year (of his reign), (in) the month Śittirai, on a Sunday which corresponded to Hasta, (on) the thirteenth tithi) of the fortnight of the auspicious waxing moon, (he) covered the whole earth under the shade of a single parasol.

(L. 26.) The Śeḻiyas (i.e. Pāṇḍyas) entered hot jungles (as refuge); the Śēralas (i.e. Chēras) entered the sea; the Śiṅgaḷas (i.e. Siṁhalas), who deal destruction, became afraid and agitated in mind; the Gaṅgas paid tribute; the Kaṉṉaḍas turned their backs; the Koṅgas retreated; the Koṅkaṇas fled; the kings of all other regions duly worshipped (his) royal red lotus-feet as their protection.

(L. 30.) Tyāgapadāgai (i.e. Tyāgapatākā), the ornament of women, (who had) curly hair, (who possessed the gait of) a female elephant, a lady of pure virtues, the mistress of all the three worlds (Tribhuvanamuḻuḍuḍaiyāḷ), dwelt with (him) as mistress of the full favour of his royal heart, resembling Gaṅgā at whom he11 rejoices.

(L. 33.) Dharaṇimuḻuduḍaiyāḷ (i.e. the mistress of the whole earth), the peacock among women, an Arundhatī on earth, a wife adorned with chastity, enjoyed the favour of his royal heart, just as Lakshmī is inseparably clinging to the bosom of Neḍumāl (Vishṇu) to the end of the world.12

(L. 35.) In the 15th year (of the reign) of this king Parakēsarivarman, alias the emperor of the three worlds, Śrī-Vikrama-Śōḻadēva, who was pleased to take his seat with Tribhuvanamuḻuduḍaiyāḷ on the throne of heroes, (which consisted of) pure gold, —(at) the order (and) by the favour of the god Ādi-Chaṇḍēśvara13 in the temple of the lord of Tirumaḻuvāḍi in Poygai-nāḍu, (a subdivision) of Tribhuvanamuḻuduḍaivaḷanāḍu, (the following) was written by us, the temple authorities, viz. the Śrī-Māhēśvaras, the temple managers, the accountant of this temple: Nelkuppai-Uḍaiyāṉ, etc.

(L. 41.) Aḷḷiyūr-Uḍaiyāṉ, who had set up (the image of) the god Śrī-Nandikēśvara in this temple . . . . . . . . . .

Bibliography

Digital edition of SII 3.79 by Hultzsch 1903 converted to DHARMA conventions by Emmanuel Francis.

Primary

[SII] Hultzsch, Eugen Julius Theodor. 1903. South-Indian inscriptions. Volume III: Miscellaneous inscriptions from the Tamil country. Part II: Inscriptions of Virarajendra I., Kulottunga-chola I., Vikrama-chola and Kulottunga III. South Indian Inscriptions 3.2. Madras: Government Press. Pages 182–186, item 79.

Notes

  1. 1. See Mr. Sewell’s Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 266.

  2. 2. Above, Vol. II. No. 68.

  3. 3. The Chōḷa kingdom is here alluded to by the mention of the tiger-crest (l. 11), and in the Tanjore inscription by that of the Kāvērī.

  4. 4. Ep. Ind. Vol. VII. p. 5, No. 59.

  5. 5. See above, Vol. II. p. 311, note 1.

  6. 6. This explanation is more probable than the one I gave on p. 311 of Vol. II.

  7. 7. See above, Vol. II. p. 311, note 3.

  8. 8. This benediction was apparently engraved on a gold leaf at the time of the king’s coronation. Another reference to this custom is found in a rock-inscription at Taṇḍalam near Arkōṇam (Ep. Ind. Vol. VII. p. 26), which is dated in the tenth year “(from) the year when (the name of) Śatti, the king of the Kādavas, was entered on a gold leaf (poṟṟōṭṭiliṭṭa).”

  9. 9. Poṉṉambalam is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit Kanakasabhā, “the golden hall,” in the Chidambaram temple; see above, Vol. II. p. 379 f.

  10. 10. By this expression the car itself seems to be meant.

  11. 11. This pronoun refers to the word Śaṁkara (Śiva) occurring in a passage of the earlier inscriptions, which compares the queen Mukkōkkiḻānaḍi with Umā (see e.g. above, Vol. II. p. 311), and which has been omitted in the present inscription because this queen had then died; see above, p. 181 f.

  12. 12. This simile is copied from the inscriptions of Kulōttuṅga I.; see above, No. 72. text line 5, and No. 76, text line 11.

  13. 13. Compare above, p. 171 and note 2.