Next to No. 152, this is the oldest dated inscription at Vijayanagara. It is engraved on both sides of the north-west entrance of a ruined Jaina temple, which is situated to the south-west of the temple No. 35 on the Madras Survey Map. A careless transcript and paraphrase in the Asiatic ResearchesVijayanagara dynasty in his Lists of Antiquities.
The inscription is written in large and handsome characters, which are, however, considerably obliterated in consequence of the usual coating with chunnam. It records, in Sanskrit, prose and verse, that in the Parābhava year, which was current after the expiration of the Śāka year 1348 (line 25), king Devarāja II. built a stone-temple (chaityālaya or chaityāgāra) of the Arhat Pārśvanātha (l. 5) or Pārśva-Jineśvara (l. 27) in a street (vīthi) of the Pān-supārī Bāzār (Kramuka-parṇāpaṇa, l. 4, or Parṇa-pūgīphalāpaṇa, l. 25) at his residence Vijayanagara (l. 4) or Vijayanagarī (l. 6), which belonged to the Karṇāṭa country (ll. 4 and 6).
The chief value of the inscription consists in the pedigree, which it gives no less than three times,Vijayanagara dynasty:—
1. Bukka (ll. 1, 9, 24) of the race of Yadu (Yadu-kula, l. 8, or Yādavānvaya, l. 1).
2. His son, Harihara (II.) (ll. 2, 10, 24), mahārāja (l. 2).
3. His son, Devarāja (I.) (ll. 2, 13, 24).
4. His son, Vijaya (ll. 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 24) or Vīra-Vijaya (l. 2).
5. His son, Devarāja (II.) (ll. 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24), Abhinava-Devarāja (ll. 3 f.), or Vīra-Devarāja (l. 16), mahārāja (l. 4), rājādhirāja, rājaparameśvara, etc. (ll. 3 and 23).
In the subjoined genealogical table of the first or Yādava dynasty of Vijayanagara, the names of the father and of the elder brother of Bukka and those Śaka dates, for which no references are given in the foot-notes, are taken from Mr. Fleet's table of the same dynasty.Jour. Bo. Br. R. A. S. Vol. XII, p. 339.
[[genealogical table]] [[L1C1]] Saṁgama. [[L2C1]] Harihara I. (Śaka 1261.Indian Antiquary, Vol. X, p. 63.Miscellaneous Essays, Madras, 1872, Vol. II, p. 259.Lists, Vol. I, p. 207, mentions an inscription of this king, which is dated in Śaka 1340 [expired].
During the reign of Devarāja II. the city of Vijayanagara was visited by ‘Abdu’rrazzāq as an ambassador of Sult6ān Shāh Rukh of Samarkand, a son of the great Tīmūr. ‘Abdu’r-razzāq informs us, that he stayed at Bījānagar (Vijayanagara), the capital of Deo Rāī (Devarāja II.), from the close of Z6u'l-ḥijja A.H. 846 = end of April A.D. 1443 to the 12th Sha'bān A.H. 847 = 5th December A.D. 1443.Vergleichungs-Tabellen, Leipzig, 1854.History of India.Thousand and One Nights, where it forms part of the Story of Prince Aḥmad and the Fairy Parī Bānū. This is one of the twelve doubtful stories, the originals of which are not found in the existing Arabic MSS. of the Nights. The late Professor WeilArabian Nights, Vol. VI, p. 248, note 2; Trübner's Record, New Series, Vol. IX, p. 65.Story of Prince Aḥmad was taken. In the absence of works of reference, I cannot say if this fact,—which furnishes us with a terminus a quo for the compilation of that story,—has been noticed before.
According to ‘Abdu’r-razzāq,L. c. p. 109.Devarāja II. issued the following coins:—I. Gold: (1) varāha; (2) partāb = (1/2) varāha; (3) fanam = (1/10) partāb. II. Silver: tār = (1/6) fanam. III. Copper: jītal = (1/3) tār. Pagodas or varāhas with the legend J. As. Soc. Bengal, Vol. LI, pp. 43 f., No. 11. The legend of No. 10a (Elliot's No. 99) is not sic).Bukka.Ibid. p. 42, No. 9.partāb, which ‘Abdu’r-razzāq attributes to the half pagoda, is probably connected with the surname Pratāpa, which occurs before the names of Vijayanagara kings both on coins and in inscriptions. Dr. Bain of Bangalore possesses a half pagodaHarihara II., is figured in Sir W. Elliot's Coins of Southern India, Plate iii, Nos. 96 and 97.sic) and of the same type as the corresponding pagoda. Two quarter pagodas in my cabinet have on the obverse an elephant which faces the left, and on the reverse the legend fanam or silver coin with Devarāja's name has been hitherto discovered. Copper coins of Devarāja are very common in the South-Indian bāzārs. They have on the obverse a bull or an elephant, and on the reverse the legends
śubhamastu
kapariṇatamūrttessṛtkīrtterhariharamahārājasya paryyāyāvatārāddhīrāddevarājanareśvarāddevarājādiva vijayaśrīvīravijayan
smādrohaṇādreriva mahāmāṇikyakāṁḍo nītipratāpasthirīkṛtasāmrājyasiṁhāsanaḥ
navadevarājamahārājo nijājñāparipālitakar
rttidharmmapravṛttaye
deśaḥ karṇāṭanāmābhūdāvāsaḥ sarvvasaṁpadāṁ
ramyaharmyāste
vasudheva vibhāti bāḍabārccirvṛtaratrākaramekhalāparītā
bhirāmākṛtiravanitale bhāti bhāgyāttabhūmā
raribhūbhṛ
dānasvar
stomasphuracchekharapratyuptopaladīpikāpariṇamatpādābjanīrājanaḥ
māsvayaṁvṛtavaraḥ śrīdevarājeśvaraḥ
ḍitārā
tasmādasm
māpaprāṇaśreṇīnabhasvannivahakabalanavyagrakhaḍgorageṁdraḥ
krūrakrodheddhayuddhoddhurakaraṭighaṭākarṇṇaśūrppaprasarppadvātavrātopaghātapratihatavimatādabhradh
ma
viśvasminvijayakṣi
svarṇṇācalaḥ karṇṇikā bhṛṁgā dikṣu mataṁgajā jaladhayo māraṁdabiṁdūtkarāḥ
rṇṇanā vigalitā vācyā dadhīcyādayaḥ
soyaṁ kīrttisarasvatīvasumatīvāṇīvadhūbhissamaṁ bhavyo dīvyati devarājanṛpatirbbhūdevadivyaddrumaḥ
kojjhitaḥ śakrassatyamagotrabhiddinakaraścāsatpathollaṁghanaḥ
jabirudaḥ
guktapuravīthyaṁtaḥ parṇṇapūgīphalāpaṇe
dvādamatasamarttha
reṁdravṛṁdavaṁdyasya
dādharaṇidyumaṇihimakarasthairyyaṁ
Let there be prosperity! (Verse 1.) May the religion of the lord of the three worlds, the religion of Jina, the unfailing characteristic of which is the glorious and extremely mysterious scepticism, be victorious!
(Line 1.) The victorious and illustrious prince Vīra-Vijaya sprang from the brave prince Devarāja (I.), who resembled the king of the gods and who was descended in his turn from the glorious mahārāja Harihara (II.), whose body was produced by the results of the good deeds of the illustrious king Bukka, who, just as the full-moon from the ocean, (rose) from the illustrious Yādava race (Yādavānvaya). The virtuous mahārāja Abhinava-Devarāja (i.e., the young Devarāja, or Devarāja II.),—(who sprang) from this (Vīra-Vijaya), just as a heap of large rubies from the Rohaṇa mountain,rājādhirāja, rājaparameśvara, etc.,—in order that his fame and merit might last as long as the moon and the stars,—caused a temple (chaityālaya) of stone to be built to the Arhat Pārśvanātha,— who rules over the empire of all knowledge, and who well knew how to proclaim the doctrine of scepticism (syādvāda-vidyāsyādvāda-mata in lines 25 f. of the present inscription.Pān-supārī Bāzār (Kramukaparṇāpaṇa) at his (the king's) residence Vijayanagara, that was situated in the midst of (the country called) Karṇāṭa-deśa, which was protected by his orders.
(Verse 2.) There was a country (deśa), Karṇāṭa by name, which was the abode of all wealth, and which equalled heaven, the seat of the gods.puroḍāśāśana, “an eater of the sacrificial cake,” “a god,” compare the synonym puroḍāśabhui in the Śiśupālavadha, sarga ii, verse 106.
(Verse 3.) In this (country) there is a city, called Vijayanagarī, whose lovely palaces are as high as mountains, and than which none among the cities is more important in great power.
(Line 7.) Through the mass of the rays, (which issue from) its golden walls, and which are reflected in the water of its moat, this (city) closely resembles the earth, that is surrounded by the girdle of the ocean, which is encircled by the lustre of the submarine fire (bāḍabaMalayāḷam Dictionary has baḍavāgni and vaḍavāgni, Winslow's Tamil Dictionary
(Verse 4.) The illustrious, brilliant and wise king Bukka,—who is the ornament of the race of Yadu (Yadu-kula), who has reached the highest point of power and beauty, whose appearance is as lovely as that of Rāma, who has acquired wealth by his good fortune, who has subdued (all) quarters by his valour, (who crushes) the crowd of rival kings, just as a young elephantVikka, “an elephant twenty years old” (Sanderson's Canarese Dictionary), “a young elephant” (Brewn's Telugu Dictionary).and) watches over it.
(Verse 5.) Resplendent is his son, king Harihara (II.), whose strength is well-known, (who has proved) a splendid helmsman in crossing the great ocean of poverty, who has equalled the bearer of the axeI.e., Paraśurāma, who gave the earth to Kaśyapa.I.e., Karṇa, the son of Sūrya by Kuntī.jayastambha), which he erected in an uninterrupted line on the shore of the great ocean.
(Verse 6.) From him sprang the most excellent and illustrious lord Devarāja (I.), the worship (nīrājana) of whose lotus-feet was performed with a lamp, (that consisted of) the precious stones, which were set in the glittering diadems on the multitude of the heads of the excellenttallaja, which is mentioned in the Amarakośa and in the Kanarese and Telugu dictionaries, has not yet been met with in Sanskrit literature.I.e., in the case of Devarāja I., the jewels on the bowing heads of conquered kings did the duty of the lamp, which is waved before an idol in the nīrājana (also called ārātrika) ceremony.who gladdened) the learned, just as the moon the night-lotuses; who was a mine of well-known prowess; and who was voluntarily chosen as husband by (Lakshmī) the mistress of heroes.
(Verse 7.) Victorious in this world is his son, the liberal prince Vijaya, who is to be respected on account of his pious deeds, who has put an end to the distress of beggars by his gifts, who has crushed the armies of his foes, and the light of the courage of whose numerous enemies was extinguished by the (mere) touch of the violentsphāy is here used in the parasmaipada, though the Dhātupāṭha enumerates it among the anudāttetaḥ.or: by the comet, which rose) at the very moment of the starting of his victorious expeditions.
(Verse 8.) Just as Jayanta from (Inḍra) the conqueror of (the demon) Jambha, and just as the full-moon from the ocean, there was born in this world from that prince Vijaya the passionless and illustrious king Devarāja (II.), whose sword was engaged in destroying numbers of lives,—just as the king of serpents is engaged in swallowing masses of wind,—pavanāśanāḥ, “the eaters of wind.”him) in mighty battles, which were fought with excessive fury.
(Verse 9.) Resplendent is the lord of the earth, the illustrious Vīra-Devarāja (II.), whose body was produced by the power of the austerities of prince Vijaya; who removed the great distress of the crowd of his prostrated enemies (by pardoning them); and whose enemies' great fortitude,—as a mass of clouds,—was scattered by the (mere) touch of the violent wind, that was produced by (the flapping of) the ears,—which resembled winnowing-baskets,—of the troop of his elephants, who were longing for battles, that raged with fierce fury.
(Verse 10.) (Ever) rising is this lord Devarāja (II.), the eyes of the wives of the crowd of whose rival kings are filled with showers of tears,—as if it were by the dense smoke of the fire of (his) prowess,—by the dust, (which rises from) the earth, that is split by the hoofs of his steeds, which are terrible in their attack; and who, just as the sun (dispels) darkness, (subdues) the excessive anger,—which is indefatigable in bold challenges,—āsphoṭana is: “striking the upper part of the left arm, the lower part of which is folded over the chest, with the right hand, as a sign of defiance.” This is even now done by wrestlers.
(Verse 11.) In consequence of the rising of the sun, which is called the prowess of the illustrious lord Devarāja (II.), the son of king Vijaya, there spreads its splendour over the whole world the white lotus-flower of his fame, in which the points of the compass are the petals, the golden mountain (Meru) the seed-vessel,Karṇikāchala, “the mountain of the seed-vessel,” is one of the names of Meru; Svarṇāchala is a synonym of Hemādri, “the golden mountain,” another name of Meru.Māranda, an adjective from maranda, is not found in the dictionaries and seems to be formed by the composer of the inscription, in order to satisfy the exigencies of the metre.
(Verse 12.) Since the famous and illustrious lord Devarāja (II.), the son of Vijaya, is making gifts, the praise of Karṇa has ceased; DadhīchiMahābhārata, Dadhīcha (alias Dadhīchi) gave up his bones, from which a thunderbolt was formed to kill Vṛitra; see Bo7htlingk and Roth's Sanskrit Dictionary, s.v.megha) have turned useless (mogha); nobody thinks of the thinking-jewel (chintāmaṇi); the kalpa-trees appear very small (alpa); and the heavenly cow (naichikī) confesses her inferiority (nīchatā).
(Verse 13.) This excellent prince Devarāja (II.), (who resembles) the tree of heaven (by his liberality) to Brāhmaṇas, is sporting with his queens, (viz.) the river of (his) fame, the earth and the goddess of speech. Verily, he resembles Śauri (Vishṇu), but has not to beg for his revenue (bali), (while Vishṇu in his dwarf-incarnation begged land from Bali); he resembles the moon, but is spotless; he resembles Śakra (Indra), but does not destroy families (gotra), (while Indra split the mountains:—gotra);gotrabhid occurs in Kalhaṇa's Rājataraṁgiṇī, taraṁga i, verse 92.while the sun daily changes his course in the sky).
(Verse 14.) His form is as lovely as that of Cupid, and he overcomes the great pride of women. His own surnames (biruda) are rājādhirāja, rājaparameśvara,a compound ending in) parameśvara, the first member of which is rājan.” Similar ‘poetical’ expressions are Kirātārjunīya, sarga xviii; verse 44; Śiśupālavadha, sarga i, verse 42; Meghadūta, verse 42; Raghuvaṁśa, sarga viii, verse 29, and sarga xvi, verse 40.
(Verse 15.) In power, he resembles king Bukka, in liberality—the lord Harihara (II.), in prowess—the illustrious lord Devarāja (I.), and in wisdom—king Vijaya.
(Verse 16 to 20.) This illustrious lord Devarāja (II.), who was famed both for wisdom and modesty, caused to be built in a street of the above-mentioned city,Viz., Vijayanagarī; see verse 3.Pān-supārī Bāzār (Parṇa-pūgīphalāpaṇa), when the Śāka year measured by the Vasus (8), the oceans (4), the qualities (3) and the moon (1) had passed, in the (cyclic) year Parābhava, on Kārttikī (i.e., on the day of the full-moon in the month of Kārttika), in order to propagate (his) merit and fame, a temple (chaityāgāra) of stone, which gives delight to the good, which is a bridge for (his) whole merit, and which shall last as long as the earth, the sun and the moon, to the blessed Pārśva, the lord of Jinas, who has maimed the arrogant bombast of evil-speakers by establishing the doctrine of scepticism (syādvāda-mata), who is celebrated as a lion to the herd of extremely furious elephants:—the eighteen sins (dosha), who is a sun, (which gladdens) the good, like lotuses, who is to be praised by Indra and all other lords of the gods, who is the beloved husband of the goddess of salvation, and who is an ocean of mercy.
Digital edition of SII 1.153 by