SII 1.39: original edition by Eugen Hultzsch PART I. SANSKRIT INSCRIPTIONS. II. COPPER-PLATE GRANTS OF THE EASTERN CHALUKYA DYNASTY. No. 39. A GRANT OF VĪRA-CHOḌA. author of digital edition Emmanuel Francis DHARMA Paris, CEIAS DHARMA_INSSIIv01p0i0039 DHARMAbase

The original of the subjoined grant belongs to the Sir W. Elliot Collection in the British Museum and was lent to me for publication by Dr. Burgess. It had been previously in the possession of the karaṇam of Chellūr, a village in the Cocanada: Tālluqa of the Godāvarī District: The grant consists of five copper-plates with raised rims. Each plate measures 5 3/4 by 10 1/4 inches. The first plate bears writing only on its inner side, while the remaining ones are inscribed on both sides. The preservation of the plates is fairly good; the fifth only is somewhat damaged. The ring, which bears the seal, has been cut. It is 5/8 inch thick and 6 1/4 inches in diameter. The well-preserved seal measures 2 5/8 inches in diameter. It rests on an expanded lotus-flower and bears in relief on a counter-sunk surface the legend śrītribhuvanāṁkuśa. Over the latter, it contains a boar, which faces the right and is surrounded by two lamp stands, two chāmaras, the sun and the moon, an elephant-goad and a conch. Below the legend, there is a drum (?), an expanded lotus-flower (bird's-eye view), an emblem resembling what Mr. Fleet supposes to be a makara-toraṇa,Indian Antiquary, Vol. XIV, p. 49. Compare line 24 of the present grant. and a svastika.

Abstracts of the present inscription have already been published by Sir W. Elliot.Coins of Southern India, pp. 88 and 150; Indian Antiquary, Vol. XIV, p. 203. It is the latest known document of the Eastern Chalukya a dynasty and possesses considerable interest, as it contains valuable details about the connection between the Eastern Chalukyas and the Choḷas and thus settles the dates of several kings of the last-mentioned dynasty.

The vaṁśāvali of the inscription consists of four parts:—

I. (Lines 1-16.) A genealogy of the lunar race down to Udayana, commencing with whom fifty-nine emperors are supposed to have reigned at Ayodhyā.

II. (Lines 16-28.) An account of five Early Chalukya kings, viz.:—

[[genealogical table]] Vijayāditya I., killed in a battle with Trilochana-Pallava. Vishṇuvardhana, married to a Pallava princess. Vijayāditya II. Pulakeśi-Vallabha. Kīrtivarman.

III. (Lines 28-46.) The usual succession of the Eastern Chalukyas of Veṅgī from Kubja-Vishṇuvardhana to Vimalāditya.

IV. (Lines 46-78.) An account of the later Eastern Chalukyas during their connection with the Choḷas, viz.:—

[[genealogical table]] [C1]Vimalāditya. [C1]Rājarāja I. [C2]Vijayāditya. [C1]Rājendra-Choḍa, alias Kulottuṅga-deva or Rājanārāyaṇa. [C1]Two sons, of whom one was Rājarāja II. [C2]Vīra-Choḍa, alias Vishṇuvardhana. [C3]Four other sons.

The first and second parts of the vaṁśāvali need not be treated in detail, as the first is entirely mythical, and Mr. Fleet considers the second to be “a mere farrago of vague tradition and Purāṇik myths, of no authority, based on the undoubted facts that the Chalukyas did come originally from the north, and did find the Pallavas in possession of some of the territories afterwards acquired by themselves, and on a tradition of the later Kādambas that the founder of their family was named Trilochana or Trinetra.”Ind. Ant. Vol. VII, p. 246; Kanarese Dynasties, p. 19; Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV, p. 49.

The third part of the vaṁśāvali agrees with Mr. Fleet's grants of Rājarāja I. and of Kulottuṅga-Choḍa-deva II.Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV, pp. 48 and 55. Just as in the grant of Rājarāja I. a reign of 3 years is allotted to Dānārṇava, who is here also called Dāna-nṛipa, and an interregnum of 27 years is stated to have taken place after him. There follow the reigns of his sons Śaktivarman (12 years) and Vimalāditya (7 years). No mention is made of the Choḷa princess Kūndavā, whom the latter married according to the grant of Rājarāja I.

We now turn to the fourth part of the vaṁśāvali. The son of Vimalāditya, Rājarāja, who ruled for 41 years (line 47), married Ammaṅga-devī, the daughter of a Rājendra-Choḍa of the solar race (verse 7). Their son Rājendra-Choḍa (verse 8), Kulottuṅga-deva (verse 11) or Rājanārāyaṇa (verse 12) at first ascended the throne of Veṅgī (verse 9), conquered Kerala, Pāṇḍya, Kuṇtala and other countries (verse 10), and was anointed to the Choḍa kingdom (verse 11). He married Madhurāntakī, the daughter of a Rājendra-deva of the solar race (verse 12) and had by her seven sons (verse 13). When he rose to the Choḍa kingdom, he had given the kingdom of Veṅgī to his paternal uncle Vijayāditya (verse 14), who died after a reign of fifteen years (verse 15). Then he gave Veṅgī to his son Rājarāja (verses 13 and 16) and, when the latter had returned after one year's reign (verse 17), to Rājarāja's younger brother Vīra-Choḍa (verse 18), who was crowned at Jaganātha-nagarīJaganātha is a Prākṛit form of Jagannātha. Jaganātha-nagarī may be identified with Jagannāthapuram, which is, according to Mr. R. Sewell, “the portion of the town of Cocanada lying south of the river.” See Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I, p. 24. (verse 20) in Śaka 1001 (verse 21). As the difference between this date and Śaka 944, the date of the accession of Rājarāja I. according to Mr. Fleet's grant, is equal to the sum of the intervening reigns of Rājarāja I., Vijayāditya VI. and Rājarāja II. (41+15+1=57), it follows that Rājendra-Choḍa must have appointed Vijayāditya VI. viceroy of Veṅgī in the very year of his accession. The present grant of Vīra-Choḍa is dated in the 21st year of his reign, i.e., Śaka 1022, or 12 years before the death of his father Rājendra-Choḍa and before the accession of his elder brother Vikrama-Choḍa.

The chief importance of the Chellūr plates consists in the light, which they throw on a portion of the history of the Choḷa dynasty. The large Leyden grant and some of the Tamil inscriptions contained in the present volume mention three Western Chālukya kings, who were the antagonists of three Choḷa kings:—

1. According to the large Leyden grant, Rājarāja-deva (see Nos. 40, 41 and 66, below) conquered Satyāśraya. This was probably the Western Chālukya king Satyāśraya II. (Śaka 919 to about 930.) Consequently, Rājarāja-deva may be identified with that Rājarāja of the Sūryavaṁśa, whose daughter Kūndavā was married to the Eastern Chalukya king Vimalāditya (Śaka 937 (?) to 944). With this agrees the Koṅgu Chronicle, which places Rājarāja's reign about Śaka 926.

2. According to Nos. 67 and 68, below, Rājendra-Choḷa-deva conquered Jayasiṁha. This was the Western Chālukya king Jayasiṁha III. (about Śaka 940 to about 964), who, in one of his inscriptions, calls himself “the lion to the elephant Rājendra-Choḷa” (see the introduction to No. 37). Consequently, Rājendra-Choḷa-deva must be identified with that Rājendra-Choḍa of the Sūryavaṁśa, whose daughter Ammaṅga-devī was married to the Eastern Chalukya king Rājarāja I. (Śaka 944 to 985), and who may be the same as that Rājendra-Choḍa, whose younger sister Kūndavā was married to Vimalāditya (Śaka 937 (?) to 944). If the last identification is correct, Rājendra-Choḷa-deva would have been the son of Rājarāja-deva.

3. According to the fragmentary inscription No. 127, below, and according to an inscription at Māmallapuram, Rājendra-deva conquered Āhavamalla. This was probably the Western Chālukya king Āhavamalla II. or Someśvara I. (about Śaka 964 to about 990), who, according to inscriptions and according to the Vikramāṅkacharita, fought with the Choḷas. Consequently, Rājendra-deva may be identified with that Rājendra-deva of the Sūryavaṁśa, whose daughter Madhurāntakī was married to the Eastern Chalukya king Rājendra-Choḍa or Kulottuṅga-Choḍa-deva I. (Śaka 985 to 1034.) The inscriptions do not inform us, in what manner Rājendra-deva was related to his predecessor Rājendra-Choḷa-deva.

The subjoined table will show at a glance all supposed synchronisms:—

[[genealogical table]] [C1]Western Chālukyas. [C2]Choḷas (Sūryavaṁśa). [C3]Eastern Chalukyas (Somavaṁśa). 1. Satyāśraya II. fought with Rājarāja-deva, who was the father-in-law of Vimalāditya [C1](Śaka 919 to about 930.) [C2](about Śaka 926.) [C3](Śaka 937 (?) to 944). 2. Jayasiṁha III. fought with Rājendra-Choḷa-deva, who was the father-in-law of Rājarāja I. [C1](about Śaka 940 to about 964.) [C2](Śaka 944 to 985.) 3. Āhavamalla II. fought with Rājendra-deva, who was the father-in-law of Rājendra-Choḍa or (about Śaka 964 to about 990.) [C2]Kulottuṅga-Choḍa-deva I. (Śaka 985 to 1034.)

In order to prevent its re-occurrence, I conclude with alluding to the in all previous pedigrees of the Choḷas. This was the confounding of the two Choḷa kings Rājarāja and Rājendra-Choḷa with their Eastern Chalukya grandsons, who seem to have received their names from those of their maternal grandfathers. In reality the Eastern Chalukya king Rājarāja I. ruled only over Veṅgī. His son Rājendra-Choḍa or Kulottuṅga-Choḍa-deva I., though at first king of Veṅgī, seems to have inherited the Choḷa kingdom from his father-in-law, the Choḷa king Rājendra-deva, in Śaka 985.

After the vaṁśāvali, the subjoined inscription contains the grant itself. It is an order, which was addressed by the paramamāheśvara Vīra-Choḍa-deva (line 79), alias Vishṇuvardhana (line 78) to the inhabitants of the Guddavāṭi-vishayaThis is the same as Guddavādi-vishaya, Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV, p. 53. Perhaps both are identical with the Gudravāra-, Gudrāvāra- or Gudrahāra-vishaya (see page 47, note 1) and connected with the modern Guḍivāḍa, the head-quarters of a tālluqa of the Kistna District. (line 80). In the 21st year of his reign (line 113) the king gave a village of the above-mentioned district, whose name is indistinct, but seems to have been KolāṟuSir W. Elliot read it Kaleru. The name of the village may have something to do with the Kolār or Kolleru Lake (Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV, p. 204; Sewell's Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I, p. 52) in the Guḍivāḍa Tālluqa. (line 103), to a temple of Vishṇu at the agrahāra of Chellūru.This is the modern village of Chellūr, whence Sir W. Elliot obtained the plates. This Vishṇu temple had been founded (verse 36) by the king's senāpati (verse 30) Meḍamārya (verse 27), alias Guṇaratnabhūshaṇa (verse 29), who had also constructed a pond at the same village of Chellūru (verse 34) and founded two sattras at Drākshārāma“This is one of the most sacred places in the (Godāvarī) District, with a large and important temple dedicated to Bhīmeśvara;” Sewell's Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I, p. 25. and PīṭhapurīThis is probably the modern Piṭṭāpuram, the residence of the Rājā of this name in the Godāvarī District. (verse 33). He was the son of Potana of the Mudgalagotra (verse 24), who had received from RājarājaBy this, Rājarāja I., the son of Vimalāditya, seems to be meant. the somewhat lengthy title of Rājarāja-brahma-mahārāja (verse 25), by Kannamāmbā (verse 26). The edict ends with the statement, that its executors (ājñapti) were the five ministers (pañcha pradhānāḥ), and with the names of the composer and the writer.

Further conversion of digital encoding to DHARMA encoding scheme according to EGD (Encoding Guide for Diplomatic Editions) Conversion of digital encoding to DHARMA encoding scheme according to EGD (Encoding Guide for Diplomatic Editions)

śrīdhāmnaḥ puruṣottamasya mahato nārāyaṇasya prabhornnābhīpaṁkaruhāt· babhūva jagataḥ sraṣṭā svayaṁbhūstataḥ . jajñe mānasa.sūnuratririti yastasmānmuneratritassomo vaṁśaka rasmudhāṁśuruditaḥ śrīkaṇṭhacūḍāmaṇiḥ . 1 tasmādabhūtsudhāsūterbbudho budhanutastataḥ . jātaḥ purū ravā nāma cakravarttī savikramaḥ . 2 tasmādāyustato nahuṣaḥ . tato yayātiścakravarttī vaṁśakarttā . ta taḥ puruḥ tato janamejayaḥ tataḥ prācīśaḥ tatasseainyayātiḥ tato hayapatiḥ tatassārvvabhaumaḥ ta to jayasenaḥ tato mahābhaumaḥ tasmādaiśānakaḥ tataḥ krodhānanaḥ tato devakiḥ tasmādṛbhu kaḥ tasmādṛkṣakaḥ tato mativarassatrayāgayājī sarasvatīnadīnāthaḥ tataḥ kātyā yanaḥ tato nīlaḥ tato duṣyaṁtaḥ tatsutaḥ . gaṁgāyamunaātīrayadoravicchinnānnidhāya yū pān· kramaśaḥ kṛtvā tathāśvamedhannāma mahākarmma bharata Iti yolabhata . tato bharatādbhvama nyuḥ . tato hastī tato virocanaḥ . tasmādajamiīlḷahaḥ tatassaṁvaraṇaḥ tatassudhanvā . tataḥ parikṣi t· tato bhīmasaenastataḥ pradīpanaḥ tataśśaṁtanuḥ tato vicitravīryyaḥ tataḥ pāṇḍurājaḥ ta taḥ pāṇḍavāḥ . yenādāhi vijitya kkhāṇḍavamaṭho gāṇḍīvinā vajriṇaṁ yuddhe pāśupatāstrama ndhakaripoścālābhi daityān· bahūn· . Iṁdrārddhāsanamadhyarohi jayinā yat· kālikeyādi kān· hatvā sveairamakāri vaṁśavipinaścchedaḥ kurūṇāṁ vibhoḥ . 3 tatorjjunādabhimanyuḥ tataḥ parikṣit tatoḥ janamejayaḥ tataḥ kṣemukaḥ tato naravāhanaḥ tataśśatānīkaḥ tasmādudayanaḥ tataḥprabhṛ tiṣvavicchinnasaṁtānapeṣvayodhyāsiṁhāsanāsīneṣvekānnaṣaṣṭicakravarttiṣu gateṣu tadvaṁśyo vija yādityo nāma rājā . vijigīṣayā dakṣiṇāpathaṁ gatvā trilocanapallavamadhikṣipya daivadurīhayā lokāṁtaramagamat· . tasmin· saṁkule purohitena vṛddhāmātyaiśca sārddhamaṁtarvvatī tasya mahādevī muḍivemunāmāgrahāramupagamya tadvāstavyena viṣṇubhaṭṭasomayājinā mahāmuni prabhāvenṇa duhitṛnirvviśeṣamabhirakṣitā satī viṣṇuvarddhanannaṁdanamasūta . sā ta sya kumārakasya mānavyasagotrahārīitiīputradviṁpakṣagotrakramocitāni karmmā ṇi kārayitvā tamavarddhayat· . sa ca mātrā viditavṛttāṁtassannirggatya calukyagirau naṁndāṁ bha gavatīṁ gaurīmārādhya kumāranārāyaṇamātṛgaṇāṁśca saṁtarppya śvetātapatraikaśaṁkhapaṁca mahāśabdapāliketanapratiḍdakkaāvarāhalāṁcchanapiṁcchakuṁtasiṁhāsanamakaratoraṇakanakadaṇḍagaṁ gāyamunādīni svarkulakramāgatāni nikṣiptānīva sāmrājyacihrāni samādāya kaḍaṁbagaṁgādibhū mipānnirjjitya saetunarmmadāmadhyaṁ sārddhasaptalakṣaṁ dakṣiṇāpathaṁ pālayāmāsa . tasyāsīdvija yādityo viṣṇuvarddhanabhūpateḥ . pallavānvayajātāyā mahādevyāśca naṁdanaḥ . 4 tatsutaḥ pulakeśivallabham·ḥ tatputraḥ kīrttivarmmā tasya tanayeḥ svasti śrīmatāṁ sakalabhuvanasaṁ stūyamānamānavyasagotrāṇāṁ hārītiputrāṇāṁ kauśikīvaraprasādalabdharājyānāmmā tṛgaṇaparipālitānāṁ svāmimahāsenapādānudhyātānāṁ bhagavannārāyaṇaprasādasamā sāditavaravarāhalācñchane kṣaṇakṣaṇavaśiīkṛtārātimaṇḍalānāmaśvamedhāvabhṛthasnānapa vitrīkṛtavapuṣāṁ cālukyānāṁ kulamalaṁkariṣṇossatyāśrayavallabheṁdrasya bhrā tā kubjaviṣṇuvarddhanoṣṭādaśa varṣāṇi vaṁeṅgīdeśamapālayat tadātmajo jayasiṁ havallabhastrayastriṁśatam· . tadanuja Indrarājassapta dināni . tatsuto viṣṇuvarddhano nava va rṣāṇi . tatsūnurmmagiyuvarājaḥ paṁcaviṁśatim tatputro jayasiṁhastrayodaśa tadavarajaḥ kokkiliṣṣaṇmāsān· tasya jyeṣṭho bhrātā viṣṇuvarddhanastamuccāṭya saptatriṁśatam tatputro vija yādityabhaṭṭārakoṣṭādaśa . tattanujo viṣṇuvarddhanaḥ ṣaṭ·triṁśatam· tatsuto nareṁdramṛgarājoṣṭā catvāriṁśataṁ tatsutaḥ kaliviṣṇuvarddhanoddhyarddhavarṣa tatsuto guṇagāṁkavijayādityaścatuśca tvāriṁśatam tadbhrāturvvikramādityasya tanayaścālukyabhīmastriṁśatam . tatsutaḥ kollabhigaṇḍa vijayādityaṣṣaṇmāsān· . tatsutommarājassapta varṣāṇi . tatsutaṁ vijayādityaṁ bālamu ccāṭya tāḍapeo māsamekam· . taṁ jitvā cālukyabhīmasuto vikramāditya Ekādaśa māsān· tattāḍaparājasuto yuddhamallassapta varṣāṇi . tamuccāṭya deśādammarājānujo rājabhī maḥ dvādaśa varṣāṇi tat·sūnurammarājaḥ paṁcaviṁśatiṁ . tasya dveaimāturo dānanṛpastrīṇi va rṣāṇi taṁtassḥ saptaviṁśativarṣāṇi daivadurīhayā veṁgīmahiranāyikābhavat· . tato dānaārṇṇavasu tāaśśaktivarmmabhūpatirdvādaśa varṣāṇi samarakṣadurvviīm· . tatastadanujassapta vatsarān bhūtavatsalaḥ . vimalādityabhūpālaḥ pālayāmāsa medīinīm· . 5 tattanayo nayaśālī jayalakṣmīdhā ma rājarājanarendraścatvāriṁśatamabdānekaṁ ca punarmmahīmapālayadakhilāṁ . yo rūpauṇa mabhanobhavaṁ viśadayā kāṁtyā kalānānnidhiṁ bhogenāpi puraṁdaraṁ vipulayā lakṣmyā ca lakṣmīdharaṁ . bhīmaṁ bhīmaparākrameṇa vihasan bhāti sma bhāsvadyaśāḥ śrīmat·somakuleaika bhūṣaṇamaṇirddīnaikaciṁtāmaṇiḥ . 6 tasyāsīdapakalmaṣā sucaritairammaṁganāmrā bhuvi pra khyātā śubhalakṣaṇaikavasatirddevī jagatpāvanī . yā jahroriva jāhravī himavato gaurīva la kṣmīriva kṣīrodāddivaseśavaṁśatilakādrājeṁdracoḍādabhūt· . 7 putrastayorabhavadapratighā taśaktiniśśeṣitārinivaho mahanīyakīrttiḥ . gaṁgādharādrisutayoriva kārttikeyo rājeṁdra coḍa Iti rājakulapradīpaḥ . 8 bhāsāmunnatihetuṁ pradhthamaṁ veṁgīśvaratvamadhyāsya . yastejasā digaṁtānākramadudayaṁ sahasraraśmiriva . 9 Udyañcaṇḍatarapratāpadahanapluṣṭākhiladve ṣiṇā sarvvān· keralapāṇḍyakuṁtalamukhān· nirjjitya deśān· kramāt· . Ājñā mauliṣu bhūbhṛtāṁ bhayarujā citteṣu durmmedhasāṁ kīrttirdikṣu sudhāṁśudhāmadhavalā yenārppitojjṛṁbhate . 10 bho gīśābhīlabhāogapratibhayabhujanirbbhartsanātyaṁtabibhyannānābhūpālalokaprahi tabahuvidhānargdhyaratnābhirāmam· . dhatte mauliṁ parārddhyo mahati nṛpakule yaḥ kulo ttuṁgadevo deveṁdratvādanūne surapatimahimā coḍarājyebhiṣiktaḥ . 11 hastabhrājitaśaṁ khacakrajalajaṁ yaṁ rājanārāyaṇaṁ loka stauti sa sūryyavaṁśatilakādrājeṁdradevārṇṇavā t· . saṁbhūtāmmadhurāṁtakīti viditānnāmrāpagreṇa svayaṁ lakṣmīmudvahati sma lokamahītāṁ devīṁ caritronnatām· . 12 gāṁgaughā Iva nirmmalāḥ kṛtatamodhvaṁsā dineśā Iva kṣoṇīdhrā Iva bhūbharaśreamasahā jātāstayostūnavaḥ . tanmadhye nayavikramaikanilayaṁ śrīrājarājaṁ prati premnṇā vācamimāmavocata pitā sarvvorvvarādhīśvaraḥ . 13 mayā veṁgīmahīrā jyaṁ coḍarājyābhilāṣiṇā . matpitṛvye purā nyastaṁ vijayādityabhūbhuji . 14 sa ca paca daśābdāni paṁcānanaparākramaḥ . mahīṁ rakṣanmahīnātho divaṁ devopamo gataḥ . 15 Ityuktvā tā ndhuraṁ dattāṁ guruṇā cakravarttinā . Aniṣṭatadviyogopi viniīto vahati sma saḥ . 16 śrīpādasevāsu khato gurūṇānna jātu rājyaṁ sukhamityavekṣya . saṁrakṣya veṁgībhuvamekamabdam bhūyassa pitro ragamatsamīpam· . 17 tadanujamadhthadhīraṁ vīracoḍaṁ kumāraṁ guṇamiva tanubaddhaṁ vikramaṁ cakra varttī . Udayamiva ravistvaṁ prāpya veṁṅgīśvatratvaṁ vitanu śirasi pādaṁ bhūbhṛtāmityavo cat· . 18 Ityāśiṣaṁ samadhigamya nṛpādavavandhyām·ṁ devyāstadhthāgrajanṛpadvitayāt· krameṇa . Ānamya tānavanatovarajaiḥ kumāraḥ sṛṣṭaḥ svadeśagamanāya sa taiḥ kathaṁcit· . 19 śatrudhvāṁ tamapāsya rājanikarānācchādya dhāmrāparān durvvṛttānvinivartya bhūkaromalinīṁ kṛtvā tadthā naṁdinīm· . Ā rūḍho jabhaganāthanāmanagarīharmmyodayādriṁ vibhurvvegībhūtalabhūṣaṇaṁ nṛpasuto bālārkka biṁbadyutiḥ . 20 śākābde śaśikhadvayeṁdugaṇite siṁhādhirūḍde ravau caṁdre vṛddhimati trayodaśati dthau vāre gurorvvṛścike . lagretha śravaṇe samastajagatīrājyābhiṣikto mudā lokasyodva hati sma paṭṭamanaghaḥ śrīvīracoḍo nṛpaḥ . 21 sa sarvvalokāśrayaśrīviṣṇuvarddhanamahārā jādhirājo rājaparameśvaraḥ paramamāheśvaraparamabhaṭṭārakaḥ paramabrahmaṇyaśrīvīracoḍadevaḥ gudda vāṭiviṣayanivāsino rāṣṭrakūṭapramukhān· kuṭuṁbinassarvvān· samāhūya maṁtripurohitasenāpa tiyuvarājadauvārikasamakṣamitthamājñāpayati . yadhṁyā . pāvane brahmavaṁśebhūtparamālādadarśanaḥ . munīṁdro mudgalo nāma kṣīroda Iva caṁdramāḥ . 22 yenātarkyānubhāvena samāhūte divākare . yasya ya ṣṭissamādiṣṭā raviceṣṭāmaceṣṭata . 23 Āsītpavitracāritrastadnotre gotravarddhanaḥ . diśo nijayaśodhāmnā dyo tayan potanāhvayaḥ . 24 guṇādhiko guṇajñena rājarājādhipena yaḥ . rājarājabrahmamahārājanāmrā stuto mudā . 25 tasya puṇyanidheḥ patnī kannamāṁbā jagannutā . Atrerivānasūyāsīdanasūyaā guṇonnatā . 26 sutamiva vasudevāddevakī vāsudevaṁ guhamiva girikanyā naṁdanaṁ caṁdramauleḥ . Atha tanayamasūta śriīnidhiṁ sā ca tasmādakhilavibudhasaṁghairīḍitammeḍamāryyam . 27 Uddāmadhā mavimalīkṛtadigvibhāge nityodayasthitimati pravikāsipadmae . yatrodite nikhilabandhukulāni lakṣmīra dhyāsta vārijavanāni vivasvatīva . 28 yasminnāśrīitavatsale kṛtayugācāraikadhīre sthitiṁ bibhrāṇā guṇaratnabhū ṣaṇa Iti prakhyātanāmni svayaṁ . satyatyāgaparākramaprabhṛtayassaṁbhūya sarvve guṇā varddhate guṇarāśilopanipuṇaṁ nirjjitya kālaṁ kalim . 29 dhiīro nityānurakto dṛḍḍhaniśitamatirbrahmavaṁśapradīpo lakṣmībhūriddhatejā nayavinayanidhiśśāstraśastrapravīṇaḥ . mānyaśśḥ śeaileṁndrasārasthira Iti ca mayā sāda raṁ saprasādaṁ seaināpatyebhiṣikto vahati janamude paṭṭamāropitaṁ yaḥ . 30 śuśrūṣayā gurujanaṁ ṁccaritena lokammānena bandhujanamiṣṭadhanena śiṣṭān· . yo māmmadīyanikhilakṣitirājyabhārakṣāṁtyābhinaṁda yati bhaktibhareṇa śauriṁ . 31 yasya prāṁgaṇabhūmiṣu pratidinaṁ prakṣālyamānāmitakṣoṇīdevasamūhapādhdavigaladvāripra vāhaiśśubhaiḥ . śaśvanmārggasahasrapūribhiraho gaṁgāpravāhā jitā deveṣvanyatamasya pādagalitā mārggatrayāyāsitāḥ . 32 . drākṣārāme pāvane puṇyabhājā puṇyakṣetre pīdhṭhapuryyāṁo ca yena . bhoktuṁ prītyā pratyahaṁ brāhmaṇānāmākalpāṁttaṁ kalpi taṁ satrayugmaṁ . 33 cellūrunāmaprathitābhirāmaśiṣṭāgrahārottaradigvibhāge . mahattaṭākaṁmmadhurāṁbupūrṇṇama cīkaradyaḥ karuṇārasātmā . 34 viprairagastyapratimairasaṁkhyairnnityopabhogyena śaśiprabheṇa . yadvāriṇābdhiṁ hasatīva bhū yo niśśeṣapītaṁ kalaśodbhavena . 35 mahaujasā tena mahāmahimnā grāmasya tasyāparadigvibhāge . nirmmāpitaṁ dharmma parāyaṇena viṣṇorgṛhaṁ vaiṣṇavapuṁgavaiena . 36 samunnate caṁdramarīcigaure lakṣmīnivāse nayanābhirāme . tatrāvirāsītsvayamevea devo lakṣmīpatirllakṣitaśaṁkhacakraḥ . 37 tasmai śrīviṣṇubhaṭṭārakāya pratyahaṁ caruba lipūjārtthaṁ khaṇḍaspphudṭītanavakarmmārtthaṁ ca bhavadviṣaye kolāṟunāma grāmassarvvakaraparihāreṇa devabhogīkṛtya Udakapūrvvakaṁ datta Iti viditamastu vaḥ Asya grāmasya sīmānaḥ pūrvvataḥ ku Illegible sīmā . Asyopari na kenacidbaādhā karttavyā . yaḥ karoti sa paṁcamahāpātakayukto bhavati . tathā coktaṁ bhagavatā vyāsena . svadattāṁ paradattāṁ vā yo hareta va sundharāṁ . ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣasahasrāṇi viṣṭhāyāṁ jāyate krimiḥ . gāmekāṁ svarṇṇamekaṁ vā bhūmerapyekamaṁgu laṁ . harannarakamāpnoti yāvadābhūtasaṁplavaṁ . bahubhirvvasudhā dattā bahubhiścānupālitā . yasya yasya yadā bhūmistasya tasya tadā phalaṁ . śrīvijayarājyasaṁvatsare Ekaviṁśe dattasyāsya śāsanasyājñaptiḥ paṁca pradhānāḥ kāvyakarttā viddayabhaṭṭaḥ lekhakaḥ pennācāriḥ .

muḍi ḍi looks almost like hi. gurujanaṁ The anusvāra is repeated at the beginning of the next plate.

(Verse 1.) From the lotus-flower, (which rose) from the navel of the abode of Śrī, the supreme spirit, the great lord Nārāyaṇa (Vishṇu), there was born Svayaṁbhū (Brahman), the creator of the world. From him there sprang a spiritual son, called Atri. From this saint Atri there arose Soma, the founder of a race, the nectar-rayed, the crest-jewel of Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva).

(Verse 2.) From this producer of nectar there sprang Budha, who was praised by the wise. From him there was begot a valorous emperor called Purūravas.

(Line 4.) From him (came) Āyu; from him Nahusha; from him the emperor Yayāti, the founder of a race; from him Puru; from him Janamejaya; from him Prāchīśa; from him Sainyayāti; from him Hayapati; from him Sārvabhauma; from him Jayasena; from him Mahābhauma; from him Aiśānaka; from him Krodhānana; from him Devaki; from him Ṛibhuka; from him Ṛikshaka; from him Mativara, the performer of great sacrifices and lord of the Sarasvatī river; from him Kātyāyana; from him Nīla; from him Dushyanta. His son was he who, having placed sacrificial posts in an uninterrupted line on the banks of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, and having successively performed the great rite (called) horse-sacrifice, obtained the name of Bharata. From this Bharata (came) Bhūmanyu; from him Hastin; from him Virochana; from him Ajamīḷha; from him Saṁvaraṇa; from him Sudhanvan; from him Parikshit; from him Bhīmasena; from him Pradīpana; from him Śaṁtanu; from him Vichitravīrya; from him Pāṇḍurāja; from him the Pāṇḍavas.

(Verse 3.) (From) that victorious bearer of (the bow) gāṇḍīva, who, having conquered (Indra) the bearer of the thunderbolt, burnt the hermitage in the Khāṇḍava (forest), who acquired the weapon of Paśupati (Śiva) in battle from (Śiva) the enemy of Andhaka, who, having killed Kālikeya and many other Daityas, partook of one half of Indra's throne, and who wilfully destroyed the forest-like race of the lord of the Kurus;—

(Line 14.) From that Arjuna (came) Abhimanyu; from him Parikshit; from him Janamejaya; from him Kshemuka; from him Naravāhana; from him Śatānīka; from him Udayana. When, commencing with him, fifty-nine emperors, whose succession was uninterrupted, and who sat on the throne of Ayodhyā, had passed away, a king of this race, Vijayāditya by name, went to the Dekhan (Dakshiṇāpatha), in order to conquer (it) and attacked Trilochana-Pallava, (but) through ill-luck he went to another world. During this battle, his great queen, who was pregnant, reached together with the family-priest and the old ministers an agrahāra called Muḍivemu, and, being protected like a daughter by Vishṇubhaṭṭa-somayājin, a great ascetic, who dwelt there, she gave birth to a son, Vishṇuvardhana. She brought him up, having caused to be performed for this prince the rites, which were suitable to (his) descent from the double gotra of those, who belonged to the gotra of the Mānavyas and were the sons of Hāritī.The Chalukyas claim descent from both the Mānavya and the Hārita gotras. And he, having been told the (above-mentioned) events by his mother, went forth, worshipped Nandā, the blessed Gaurī, on the Chalukya mountain, appeased Kumāra (Skanda), Nārāyaṇa (Vishṇu) and the assemblage of (divine) mothers, assumed the insignia of sovereignty which had descended (to him) by the succession of his race, (but) which had been, as it were, laid aside, (viz.) the white parasol, the single conch, the five mahāśabdas, the flags in rows,On pāliketana see Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV, p. 104. the pratiḍhakkā (drum), the sign of the boar, the peacock's tail, the spear, the throne, the arch (in the shape) of a makara,Makara-toraṇa, ‘an honorary wreath or string of flowers, etc., raised upon poles and carried in front of one, as an emblem of distinction’; Sanderson's Canarese Dictionary. the golden sceptre, (the signs of) the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, etc., conquered the Kaḍamba, the Gaṅga and other princes, and ruled over the Dekhan (Dakshiṇāpatha), (which is situated) between the bridge (of Rāma) and the (river) Narmadā (and the revenue from which amounts to) seven and a half lakshas.The above passage has been previously translated by Mr. Fleet. Ind. Ant. Vol. VII, p. 245.

(Verse 4.) The son of this king Vishṇuvardhana and of (his) great queen, who was born from the Pallava race, was Vijayāditya.

(Line 27.) His son was Pulakeśi-Vallabha. His son was Kīrtivarman. His son,—Hail! Kubja-Vishṇuvardhana, the brother of Satyāśraya-Vallabhendra, who adorned the race of the glorious Chālukyas, etc.,The passage, which is omitted in the translation, is identical with the first 4 lines of No. 35. ruled for eighteen years over the country of Veṅgī; his son Jayasiṁha-Vallabha for thirty-three (years); his younger brother Indra-rāja for seven days; his son Vishṇuvardhana for nine years; his son Maṅgi-yuvarāja for twenty-five (years); his son Jayasiṁha for thirteen (years); his younger brother Kokkili for six months; his elder brother Vishṇuvardhana, having expelled him, for thirty-seven (years); his son Vijayāditya-bhaṭṭāraka for eighteen (years); his son Vishṇuvardhana for thirty-six (years); his son Narendra-mṛigarāja for forty-eight (years); his son Kali-Vishṇuvardhana for one and a half years; his son Guṇagāṅka-Vijayāditya for forty-four (years); Chālukya-Bhīma, the son of his brother Vikramāditya, for thirty (years); his son Kollabhigaṇḍa-Vijayāditya for six months; his son Amma-rāja for seven years; having expelled his infant son Vijayāditya, Tāḍapa (ruled) for one month; having conquered him, Vikramāditya, the son of Chālukya-Bhīma, (ruled) for eleven months; then Yuddhamalla, the son of Tāḍaparāja, for seven years; having expelled him from the country, Rāja-Bhīma, the younger brother of Amma-rāja, (ruled) for twelve years; his son Amma-rāja for twenty-five (years); Dāna-nṛipa, his brother from a different mother, for three years. Then the country of Veṅgī was through ill-luck without a ruler for twenty-seven years. Then king Śaktivarman, the son of Dānārṇava, ruled over the earth for twelve years.

(Verse 5.) Then his younger brother, king Vimalāditya, who was kind to (all) beings, ruled over the earth for seven years.

(Line 46.) His son, king Rājarāja, who possessed political wisdom, and who was the abode of the goddess of victory, ruled over the whole earth for forty-one years.

(Verse 6.) He whose fame was brilliant, who was the only jewel which adorned the glorious race of the moon, and who was the only jewel which fulfilled the desires of the distressed, surpassed Cupid by his beauty, the moon by his pure splendour, Puraṁdara (Indra) by his possessions, (Vishṇu) the bearer of Lakshmī by his great prosperity, and Bhīma by his terrible power.

(Verse 7.) He had a spotless queen, Ammaṅga by name, who was famed on earth by her good deeds, who was the only abode of lucky marks, who purified the world, and who sprang from Rājendra-Choḍa, the ornament of the race of the sun, just as Gaṅgā from Jahnu, Gaurī from Himavat and Lakshmī from the milk-ocean.

(Verse 8.) Just as (Śiva) the bearer of Gaṅgā and (Pārvatī) the daughter of the mountain had a son called Kārttikeya, these two had a son called Rājendra-Choḍa, who annihilated the multitude of his enemies by his irresistible power, whose fame was worthy of praise, and who was the light of the warrior-caste.With rājakulapradīpa compare parārdhyo mahati nṛipakule in verse 11.

(Verse 9.) Having at first occupied the throne of Veṅgī, (which became) the cause of the rising of (his) splendour, just as the sun at morn occupies the eastern mountain, he conquered (all) quarters with his power.

(Verse 10.) Having burnt all foes with the rising and fierce fire of his valour, and having successively conquered Kerala, Pāṇḍya, Kuntala and all other countries, he placed his commands on the heads of princes, the pain of fear in the hearts of fools and his fame, which was as white as the rays of the moon, in (all) quarters.

(Verse 11.) Kulottuṅga-deva, the most eminent of the great warrior-caste, whose might resembled that of the king of the gods (Indra), was anointed to the Choḍa kingdom, which was not inferior to the kingdom of the gods, and put on the tiara, embellished with invaluable gems of many kinds, which had been sent by various kings, who were exceedingly afraid of the threatening of his arms, which were as formidable as the terrible coils of the serpent-king.

(Verse 12.) He in whose hands the conch, the discus and the lotus were shining, and whom (therefore) the world praised as Rājanārāyaṇa (i.e., a Vishṇu among kings), married (as it were) Lakshmī (the wife of Vishṇu) herself, who was known by her other name, viz., Madhurāntakī, and who (just as the goddess Lakshmī) from the ocean, arose from Rājendra-deva, the ornament of the race of the sun, a queen who was praised in the world and exalted by her deeds.

(Verse 13.) To these two there were born (seven) sons, who were as pure as the (seven) streams of the Gaṅgā, who, like the (seven) Ādityas, had destroyed the darkness (of sin), and who, like the (seven) mountains, were able (to undergo) the fatigue of supporting the earth. To (one) among these, the illustrious Rājarāja, who was the joint abode of polity and valour, (his) father, the lord of the whole earth, affectionately addressed the following speech:—

(Verse 14.) “Being desirous of the Choḍa kingdom, I formerly conferred the kingdom of the country of Veṅgī on my paternal uncle, king Vijayāditya.”

(Verse 15.) “Having ruled over the country for fifteen years, this god-like prince, who resembled the five-faced (Śiva) in power, has gone to heaven.”

(Verse 16.) This obedient one (viz., Rājarāja) took up that burden, (viz., the kingdom of Veṅgī,) which the emperor, (his) father, gave him with these words, though he did not like the separation from him.

(Verse 17.) “The kingdom is not such a pleasure as the worship of the illustrious feet of the elders”; considering thus, he returned to his parents, after having ruled over the country of Veṅgī for one year.

(Verse 18.) Then the emperor spoke to his (viz., Rājarāja's) younger brother, the brave prince Vīra-Choḍa, who seemed to be an incarnation of the quality (of) valour: “Having ascended the throne of Veṅgī, place thy feet on the heads of (other) kings, just as the sun, having ascended the eastern mountain, places his rays on the peaks of (other) mountains.”

(Verse 19.) Thus having successively obtained the powerful blessing of the king, of the queen and of his two elder brothers, having bowed to these and having been bowed to by his younger brothers,The plural in the original shows that Vīra-Choḍa had at least three younger brothers; according to verse 13, their number was four. the prince was with difficulty prevailed upon by them to start for his country.

(Verse 20.) Having driven away his enemies, having eclipsed with his splendour the other crowds of kings, having stopped the wicked and having made the earth rejoice, the lord, the ornament of the country of Veṅgī, the king's son ascended (his) palace in the town called Jaganātha, resembling the disk of the morning-sun, who, having driven away the darkness, having eclipsed with his splendour the other crowds of stars,This seems to be the second meaning of rājanikarān aparān. having stopped the wicked, and having made the lotus-group blossom, ascends the eastern mountain.

(Verse 21.) In the Śāka year, which is reckoned by the moon, the pair of ciphers and the moon, (i.e., 1001,) while the sun stood in the lion, while the moon was waxing, on the thirteenth lunar day, on a Thursday, while the scorpion was the lagna and in (the nakshatra) Śravaṇa, having been anointed to the kingdom of the whole earth, the sinless king, the illustrious Vīra-Choḍa, joyfully put on the tiara of the world.

(Line 78.) This asylum of the whole world, the illustrious Vishṇuvardhana, the king of great kings, the supreme master of kings, the devout worshipper of Maheśvara, the supreme lord, the most pious one, the illustrious Vīra-Choḍa-deva, having called together all householders, (viz.) heads of provinces, etc., who inhabit the district of Guddavāṭi, thus issues his commands in the presence of the ministers, the family priest, the commander of the army, the heir-apparent and the door-keeper:—

(Verse 22.) Just as the moon in the milk-ocean, there was in the pure race of Brahman a chief of ascetics, called Mudgala, whose appearance was extremely gladdening.

(Verse 23.) When he, whose power was incomprehensible, had invited the sun, his staff performed the action of the sun at his command.

(Verse 24.) In his gotra there was a certain Potana, whose deeds were pure, who made his gotra prosper and who illuminated the quarters with the splendour of his fame.

(Verse 25.) This virtuous one was joyfully praised by the lord Rājarāja, who knew (how to appreciate) virtues, by the name of Rājarāja-brahma-mahārāja (i.e., the great king of the brāhmaṇas of Rājarāja).

(Verse 26.) Just as the wife of Atri was Anasūryā, the wife of this treasure-house of merit was Kannamāmbā, who was praised in the world, and who was exalted by the virtue of freedom from envy (anasūyā).

(Verse 27.) Just as Devakī bore from Vasudeva a son called Vāsudeva (Kṛishṇa), and just as the mountain-daughter (Pārvatī) bore from the moon-crested (Śiva) a son called Guha, thus she bore from him a son called Meḍamārya, who was a treasure-house of prosperity, and who was praised by all the assemblies of wise men (or gods).

(Verse 28.) After he was born, prosperity dwelt on all the crowds of his relatives, just as on the groups of lotus-flowers at the rising of the sun; for (like the sun) he purified the quarters with his unrestrained splendour, was daily in the state of rising and was possessed of a blossoming lotus (-face).

(Verse 29.) Having conquered the kali-age which is skilled in plundering heaps of virtues,—all virtues, (viz.) truthfulness, liberality, prowess, etc., prosper, abiding jointly in him, who is kind to refugees, who is alone constant in a conduct (which is worthy) of the kṛita-age, and who is famed by the name of Guṇaratnabhūshaṇa (i.e., he who is adorned with jewel-like virtues).

(Verse 30.) Because he was firm, always attached, of strong and sharp mind, a light of the race of Brahman, an abode of prosperity, possessed of blazing splendour, a treasurehouse of polity and modesty, skilled in sciences and in weapons, worthy of honour and as hard as the substance of the king of mountains, he was respectfully and graciously anointed by me to the dignity of a commander of the army (senāpati) and wears the tiara which was placed (on his head) to the delight of the people.

(Verse 31.) He delights his elders by obedience, the world by his conduct, his relations by respect, the good by the riches which they desire, myself by his patience in bearing my kingdom of the whole earth and Śauri (Vishṇu) by great devotion.

(Verse 32.) Ah! the auspicious streams of water, which drop from the feet of innumerable crowds of earth-gods (i.e., brāhmaṇas), who daily perform their ablutions in his courtyards, and which continually fill thousands of paths, surpass the streams of the Gaṅgā, which drop from the feet of one of the gods (viz., Vishṇu), and which are tired of their three paths (viz., heaven, earth and the lower world).

(Verse 33.) At holy Drākshārāma and at the sacred place of Pīṭhapurī, this charitable one joyfully founded two sattras for brāhmaṇas, in order that they might daily enjoy their meals (there) till the end of the kalpa.

(Verse 34.) On the north side of a lovely agrahāra of good people, which is famed by the name of Chellūru, he whose mind is full of compassion caused to be constructed a large pond which is filled with sweet water.

(Verse 35.) By its water, which glitters like the moon, and which is daily enjoyed by numberless brāhmaṇas who resemble Agastya, this (pond) repeatedly laughs, as it were, at the ocean, which was completely drunk up by the pitcher-born (Agastya).

(Verse 36.) On the west side of that village, this powerful, mighty and charitable chief of the Vaishṇavas caused to be built a temple of Vishṇu.

(Verse 37.) In this lofty (temple), which is as white as the rays of the moon, which is the abode of splendour (or Lakshmī) and which pleases the eye, the god himself, who is the husband of Lakshmī, made his appearance, his conch and discus being distinctly visible.

(Line 102.) “Be it known to you, that to this blessed lord Vishṇu (I) gave for the daily (performance of) charu, bali and pūjā and for the repairs of gaps and cracks [the village called Kolāṟu] in your district [with exemption from all taxes, making it the property of the temple, with a libation of water.]”

(Line 104.) [The boundaries of this village are:—on the east . . . . . . . . . .]

(Line 109.) Nobody shall cause obstruction to this (grant). He who does it, becomes possessed of the five great sins. And the holy Vyāsa has said: [Here follow three of the customary imprecatory verses.]

(Line 113.) The executors (ājñapti) of this edict (śāsana), which was given in the twentyfirst year of the glorious and victorious reign, (were) the five ministers (pañcha pradhānāḥ). The author of the poetry (was) Viddaya-bhaṭṭa. The writer (was) Pennāchāri.

Digital edition of SII 1.39 by converted to DHARMA conventions by Emmanuel Francis.

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