(Verse 1.) May (Gaṅgā) purify you!—she who springs from the jewel (on the head) of Sthāṇu (Śiva), appearing . . . . . black by the splendour of (his) neck and red by the rays of the gems on the hoods (of his snakes), who fills the lake of the three worlds . . . . .

(2.) . . . . . After him (there was) that sage Aṅgiras, who was born from his (viz., Brahman's) mind. His son was (Bṛihaspati) the minister of Śakra (Indra) and preceptor of the gods. His son was Śaṁyu. From him, who possessed terrible power and was honoured in the three worlds, there took birth that illustrious chief of sages, Bharadvāja by name, who became the source of the race of the Pallavas.

(3.) From this lovely one came Droṇa, the highly honoured preceptor of the Pāṇḍavas (and) Kurus; from him the great Aśvatthāman, who deprived princes of their constancy and pride. Just as the first-born Manu, his son, Pallava by name, became the founder of a race of brave and victorious kings, who enjoyed the whole earth:—

(4.) Of the Pallava princes, who were pious, who destroyed the excessively great pride of the Kali (age), who spoke the truth, who were profound, whose minds knew how to practise the trivarga, who assiduously honoured the aged, who foreibly subdued lust and the other internal foes, who excelled in the knowledge of weapons, who were firm, mighty and endowed with polity and modesty.

(5.) Just as Guha (also called Subrahmaṇya or Kumāra) took birth from the supreme lord (Śiva), the destroyer of the warlike (demon) Pura, thus from the supreme lord Ugradaṇḍa,This was also a biruda of Rājasiṁha himself; see No. 25, 30th niche. who was born in the race of these (viz., the Pallavas), the destroyer of the city of Raṇarasika, there took birth a very pious prince (subrahmaṇyaḥ kumāraḥ), the illustrious Atyantakāma,The same biruda of Rājasiṁha occurs in No. 25, 1st niche. the chief of the Pallavas, who crushed the multitude of his foes by his power (or spear), whose great statesmanship was well-knownOr ‘who was famed (by the name of) Bahunaya,’ which is found in No. 25, 3rd niche. and who had got rid of all impurity (by walking) on the path of the Śaiva doctrine.

(6.) Like Manmatha (Kāma), he charmed refined women in secret; like Vāsava (Indra), he constantly protected those, who frequented the path of the three Vedas; like Mādhava (Vishṇu), he tore the hearts of the enemies of sages, twice-born and gods; and like Vittada (Kucera), he gratified good people with abundant wealth.

(7.) If in the Kṛita (age) kings like Dushyanta, who saw the gods and were engaged by (saints) like Kaṇva, would hear a heavenly voice without body, that is not a matter of wonder; but ah! this is extremely astonishing, that ŚrībharaOn this biruda of Rājasiṁha see note 5, below. has heard that voice in the Kali age, from which good qualities keep aloof.

(8.) May RaṇajayaSee note 5, below. be victorious for a long time, who humbled those princes, who were puffed up with the pride of abundant prosperity, which they had acquired by polity and prowess, depriving them of their intelligence in the mere space of knitting his brows, and who, like Purushottama (Vishṇu), was born to rescue from the ocean of sin the sinking people, who were swallowed by the horrid monster, (called) the Kali age !

(9.) While this prince enjoyed the whole world, which he had conquered by valour combined with polity, and in which he had killed rebels and humbled kings, he erected this extensive and wonderful house of Hara (Śiva), which resembles his fame and the laughter of Hara.I.e., which is of white colour.

(10.) May Śaṁkara (Śiva), whose terrible ornaments are the coils of the king of serpents, and who is praised by the hosts of the kings of gods and of demons, reside for a long time in this temple, (called) the holy Rājasiṁha-Pallaveśvara !

(11.) May the bull-marked (Śiva) always lend his presence to this temple of stone, called Rājasiṁheśvara, which touches the clouds with its top, which robs Kailāsa of its beauty, and which was built by that pious king of kings, who made all quarters obedient to his orders and (who proved) a royal lion (Rājasiṁha) to the dense troops of the elephants of his daring foes!

(12.) May Rājasiṁha, the conqueror in battle (Raṇajaya), the bearer of prosperity (Śrībhara), the wonderful archer (Chitrakārmuka),The birudas Raṇajaya, Śrībhara and Chitrakārmuka occur also in No. 25, 1st, 3rd and 18th niches.the unrivalled hero (Ekavīra), who has Siva for his erest-jewel (Śivachuḍāmaṇi),I.e., who is a devotee of Śiva; compare page 5, note 10. for a long time protect the earth !