Donation of 25 maṟuntuḍlu under the rule of Erikalmuturāju

Editor: Jens Thomas.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSTelugu00016.

Language: Telugu.

Repository: Telugu Inscriptions (tfb-telugu-epigraphy).

Version: (585a60b), last modified (ec27c2b).

Edition

⟨Face A⟩ ⟨1⟩ svasti ⟨2⟩ śrī (E)ri⟨3⟩kalmu(tu?)⟨4⟩rāju⟨5⟩la na[ca. 1*] ⟨6⟩ ruma[ca. 1*] ⟨7⟩ [pa]nna[sa]

⟨Face B⟩ ⟨8⟩ Ēḻe(ri?) ⟨9⟩ pāṟak[u] ⟨10⟩ Irupa⟨11⟩diyadi ⟨12⟩ Ēnu ma⟨13⟩ṟuntuḍ(la) ⟨14⟩ rācamā⟨15⟩naṁbuna ⟨16⟩ Iccina ⟨17⟩ datti dī[ni][ṁ] ⟨18⟩ ḻacuvā⟨19⟩(nṟu)

Apparatus

⟨7⟩ [pa]nna[sa][ca. 1*]nna[ca. 1*] ?.

⟨9⟩ pāṟak[u]pāṟaka ?.

⟨14⟩ rācamā⟨15⟩naṁbuna ⬦ rācamā⟨15⟩naṁbunā ?.

⟨17⟩[ni][ṁ][ca. 1*] ?.

Translation by Jens Thomas

Svasti! Na[.]ruma[.] of the Erikalmuturāju (gave) the (pa)nna(sa). [...] The donation of 25 mattars according to royal measure was given to the brahmin of Ēḻer(u). Who destroys this [...].

Commentary

In absence of a picture the reading of the edition was changed according to the necessity of grammar and the wording that can be found in other inscriptions that mention Erikalmuturāju. It goes without saying that these changes are tentative. According to Ramayya Pantulu the inscription is "unintelligible", and the different line numbers on each of the two faces and the incomplete imprecation also indicate a rather damaged condition of the inscription. The translation, hence, is tentative and has been made on grounds of the following assumptions. As for lines 4-5 one could suggest a reading *Ē|laN ’while ruling’ but this is improbable because of the following reasons: only once in referring to another ruler the verb ēḷu- is used without any object (Nilakanta Sastri and Venkataramayya [1956] 1947–1948, p. 230, № 42 D) while, when Erikalmuturāju is mentioned, a realm that is ruled over is referred to. Regarding the non-standardized fomulae of the early Telugu inscriptions this is but a weak argument. Yet, in all other cases of these inscriptions the respective verb appears with ‹ḷ› and not ‹l›, the latter being a later development. It is hence probable to read -rājula with an oblique plural. In one instance the oblique form of the ruler’s title is followed by the name of the donor (Nilakanta Sastri and Venkataramayya [1956] 1947–1948, pp. 227–228, № 42 B). Although pannasa (and its variants) normally occurs with the verbal form iccina, it can occur in a verb-less clause: Erikallamuturāju […] ēḷucu X-ku panāśa ‘a pannasa to X while E. was ruling’ (Nilakanta Sastri and Venkataramayya [1956] 1947–1948, p. 233, № 42 F). On the other hand, a verb might have been lost in the now mutilated lines.

Bibliography

The inscription was noted in A. R. No. 392 of 1904 and published by J. Ramayya Pantulu in 1948, p. 333, № 606 with few metadata and without translation and picture. It was re-edited on grounds of the Ramayya Pantulu’s edition by K. M. Sastri in 1969, pp. 333–334, № 69 with the following summary: “States that during the reign of Erikal Muturāju a grant of twenty-five maṟutus of land by royal measure was made to a brahmin” (Sastri 1969, p. 334).

Secondary

Ramayya Pantulu, J. 1948. South-Indian inscriptions (texts). Volume X: Telugu inscriptions from the Madras Presidency. South Indian Inscriptions 10. Delhi: Manager of Publications. Page 333, item 606.

Sastri, Korada Mahadeva. 1969. Historical grammar of Telugu with special reference to Old Telugu c. 200 B.C. - 1000 A.D. Anantapur: Sri Vekateswara Univ. Pages 333–334, item 69.