South Indian Inscriptions- Tanjavur (Tanjore) Temple @ whatisindia.com

Contents
Preface
Introduction
Brihadhiswara Temple Inscriptions
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Other South-Indian Inscriptions
Volume I	Volume II
Volume III	Vol. IV - VIII
Volume IX	Volume X
Volume XI	Volume XII
Volume XIII	Volume XIV
Volume XV	Volume XVI
Volume XVII	Volume XIX
Archaeological Links
Archaeological-Survey of India
Sudharsanam
Pudukkottai
Thanjavur

TANJAVUR Brihadhiswara TEMPLE Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS ON THE WALLS OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE

No. 29. On a pillar of the east enclosure, to the right of the gopura.[1]

This inscription describes a number of copper images, which king Rajarajadeva had set up in the Rajarajesvara temple before the 29^th year of his reign. These images were probably arranged in two groups, which represented two successive scenes from the life of the Saiva saint Chandesvara, as described in the Periyapuranam.[2] The first group may have consisted of a linga (Mahadeva, paragraph 8), of a statue of Chandesvara who worshipped it (paragraph 10), and of one of his father,[3] who was killed by his own son, because he obstructed the worship of Siva (paragraph 11). The second group was probably composed of Siva and his consort (paragraph 2 and 5), and of Chandesvara (paragraph 12), who received a flower-garland from Siva as a reward for his devotion (paragraph 13).

Translation

1. Hail ! Prosperity! (The following) copper images (tiru-meni), which the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva had set up until the twenty-ninth year (of his reign) in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara, were measured by the cubit measure (muram) (preserved) in the temple of the lord, and engraved on stone: -

2. One solid image of Chandesvara-Prasadadeva,[4] having four divine arms (and measuring) twenty viral and four torai in height from the feet to the hair.

3. One lotus (padma) on which this (image) stood, set with jewels, joined to the feet of the god, (and measuring) [one] vira and two torai in height.

4. One sold (image of) Musalagan,[5] having two arms (and measuring) three viral in height from the ear to the hair.

5. One solid image of his[6] consort Umaparamesvari, (measuring) fifteen viral and three torai in height from the feet to the hair.

6. One lotus on which this (image) stood set with jewels (and measuring) one viral, and one torai in height.

7. One pedestal (pitha) on which the god and the goddess stood, (measuring) one muram and two viral in length, sixteen viral in breadth, and six viral in height.

8. One solid (image of) Mahadeva, from which one divine arm was projecting (and which measured) one viral and two torai in height from the sacred pedestal (sri-pada-pitha) to the top (sirovarttanai), and three viral and a half in circumference.

9. One solid pedestal joined to this (image and measuring) two viral, in height.

10. One solid (image of) Chandesvara, having two arms (and measuring) five viral and five torai in height from the feet to the hair.

11. One solid (image of) his father, having two arms, represented as having fallen down and lying on the ground, (and measuring) six viral and seven torai in length from the feet to the hair.

12. One solid (image of) Chandesvara, having two arms, represented as receiving a boon (from the god, and measuring) nine viral in length from the feet to the hair.

13. One flower-garland (pushpa-malai), given to him as a boon (and measuring) sixteen viral and four torai in length, half a viral in breadth, and two torai in thickness.

14. One solid aureola (prabha), covering these (images and measuring) two muram and twenty-[three] viral in circumference.

No. 30 On a pillar of the south enclosure.

This inscription gives the dimensions of a copper image of Panchadeha, i.e., Siva with five bodies, which king Rajarajadeva had set up in the Rajarajesvara temple before the 29^th year of his reign. One of the five bodies was larger than the others and had ten arms, while the four smaller bodies had four arms each.

Translation

1. Hail ! Prosperity! (The following) copper image, which the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva had set up until the twenty-ninth year (of his reign) in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara, was measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord, and engraved on stone: -

2. One solid image, (forming one) of the (five) bodies (murti) of Panchadeha, having ten divine arms, (and measuring) twenty-two viral and four torai in height from the feet to the hair.

3. Four solid images, (joined) to this (image), having four divine arms (corresponding) to each of the four faces, (and measuring) fourteen viral, in height from the feet to the hair.

4. One pedestal (surmounted by) a lotus (padma-pitha) on which this (image) stood, (measuring) three viral and four torai in height, and fifteen viral and four torai square.

No. 31. On the north face of a pillar of the south enclosure

This inscription opens with the same Sanskrit sloka as No.1. The remaining portion, which is in Tamil, records that the enclosure of the temple was built by order of king rajarajadeva, and under the superintendence of the commander of his army, Krishna Rama. The same person is mentioned three times in the large Leyden grant.

Translation

1. Hail! Prosperity! This (is) an edict of Rajaraja, (alias) Rajakesarivarman, which is cherished by the multitude of the diadems of (i.e., which is obeyed by) the crowd of all princes.

2. By order of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, this hall which surrounds the temple (tiru-surru-maligai) was caused to be built by the general (senapati) Sri-Krishna Rama, alias Mummadi-Sora-brahma-marayan,[7] (a native) of Amankudi, alias Keralantaka-chaturvedimangalam, in Vennadu, (a subdivision) of Uyyakkondan-valanadu in Sora-mandalam.

No.32. On a pillar of the south enclosure

This inscription describes a group of copper images of Siva, his wife, and their two sons, which had been set up by an officer of Rajarajadeva before the 29^th year of the king’s reign.

Translation

1. Hail ! Prosperity! The following copper images, — which had been set up in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s reign) by Velan (A[di]ttan (i.e., Aditya), alias Parantaka-Pallavaraiyan, a headman (kiran) of ……. (And) a Perundaram[8] of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, — were engraved on stone, after they had been measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord, and after the jewels (given to them) had been weighed without the threads by the stone called (after) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankan : -

2.One solid image of (siva) the husband of Uma, having four divine arms, comfortably seated and (measuring) fourteen viral and a half in height from the seat to the hair.

3. One solid image of his consort Umaparamesvari, seated and (measuring) eleven viral and a half in height from the seat to the hair.

4. One solid image of the god Subrahmanya, having two divine arms, standing and (measuring) five viral and a half in height from the feet to the hair.

5. One solid image of Ganapati, having four divine arms and (measuring) five viral in height from the feet to the hair.

6. . . . . . . . . . on muram and a half in length, fifteen viral . . . . . . . . . . . . . [9]

No. 33 On a niche of the south enclosure

This is another copy of the inscription No. 31.

No. 34 On a niche and a pillar of the south enclosure

This inscription records that Lokamahadevi, a queen of Rajarajadeva, set up a copper image of Pichchadevar, to which she presented a number of ornaments (paragraphs 9 to 19) and two vessels of gold and silver (paragraphs 20 and 21). The image was set up before the 29^th year [of the reign of Rajarajadeva] and is referred to as having been set up by the queen in the inscription No.9, which belongs to the 6^th year of the reign of Rajendra-Choladeva. From its attendants and attributes which are mentioned in the present inscription, — a goblin (bhuta), an antelope and a skull (paragraphs 3, 5 and 21), — it may be concluded that the image was one of siva.[10]

Translation

1. Hail ! Prosperity! The following copper images, — which had been set up in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s reign) by Lokamahadevi, the consort of our lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, — were engraved on stone, after they had been measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord, after the jewels (given to them) had been weighed without the threads by the stone called (after) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankan, and after the gold and silver had been weighed by the stone called (after) Adavallan : -

2. One solid image of Pichchadevar, which was to be present at the offerings (bali),[11] having four divine arms, (measuring) one (muram) and three quarters, two viral, and a half in height from the feet to the hair, and standing on a sacred pedestal (tiruvadinilai), which measured two viral and on torai in height.

3. One solid goblin (Bhuta), standing near this (image), holding the vessel for the offerings (bali-patra), and measuring fifteen viral and a half in height.

4. One vessel for the offerings, held by the goblin (and measuring) ten viral in breadth.

5. One solid antelope (man), standing near this (image and measuring) nineteen viral in height.

6. One lower pedestal (upapitha)[12] on which this (image) stood, set with jewels (and measuring) one muram and eleven viral in length, three quarters (of a muram) and five viral in breadth, and seven viral in height.

7. One solid aureole, covering the god, consisting of two pillars, (toranakkal) and one half-moon (ardhachandra), and measuring six muram and two viral in circumference.

8. To this (image) were given: -

9. One ornament of seven strings (saptasari), weighing, with the lac, thirty-six karanju and three quarters, three manjadi and (one) kunri, and worth one hundred kasu. On (it) were strung three hundred and seventy-two pearls, — viz., round pearls, roundish pearls, polished pearls, small pearls, sappatti, sakkattu, crude pearls, nimbolam, payittam, (pearls) resembling toddy in colour (panichchay), (pearls) with rubbed surface and with cracked surface, (pearls) of red water and old pearls, — fourteen corals and fourteen lapis lazuli. On the two front plates[13] were fastened[14] eight crystals, eight potti, two talimbam (each of) which consisted of seven (pieces)[15] soldered together, one eye (padugan) and one hook (kokkuvay).[16]

10. One ornament of three strings (trisaram), weighing, with the lac, nine karanju and three quarters and (one) kunri, and worth twenty and a quarter kasu. On (it) were strung ninety-nine pearls, — viz., round pearls, roundish pearls, polished pearls, small pearls, nimbolam, payittam, ambumudu and sakkattu, — six corals and six lapis lazuli. Into the two front-plates were set two potti ; and (on them) were fastened four crystals, two talimbam (each of) which consisted of three (pieces) soldered together, one hook and one eye.

11. One sacred gold flower (tirupporpu), (consisting of one) karanju and a quarter of gold.

12. One sacred ear-ring (tirukkudambai), (consisting of) two karanju and eight manjadi of gold.

13. One ear-ring (todu), (consisting of) two karanju and three quarters, four manjadi and (one) kunri of gold.

14. Three strings of round beads (tiral-mani-vadam), containing twelve karanju and a half and two manjadi of gold, — each (containing) four karanju and four manjadi of gold.

15. Two sacred arm-rings (tirukkaikkarai), consisting of nineteen karanju and three quarters of gold, — each (consisting of) nine karanju and three quarters, two manjadi and (one) kunri of gold.

16. Two sacred arm-rings, consisting of twenty-four karanju of gold, — each (consisting of) twelve karanju of gold.

17. One sacred girdle (tiruppattigai) . . . . . . . . . . . [17] (Consisting of) forty-nine karanju and thee quarters of gold.

18. One sacred foot-ring (tiruvadikkarai), (consisting of) eleven karanju and three quarters, two manjadi and (one) kunri of gold.

19. One sacred foot-ring, (consisting of) twelve karanju of gold.

20. One small receptacle for sacred ashes (kuru-madal), (consisting of) twenty karanju and a half, two manjadi and (one) kunri of gold.

21. One skull (kapala), (consisting of) thirty-four karanju, seven manjadi and (one) kunri of silver.

No.35. On a pillar of the south enclosure.

This inscription is engraved in continuation of the preceding one and records a deposit of money in favour of the image of Pichchadevar, the setting-up of which is recorded in No. 34. The deposit was made by certain officers of king Rajarajadeva before the 29^th year of his reign.

Translation

1. Hail ! Prosperity! There was engraved on stone (1) the money, which the Vala[n]-gai-paramba[dai]galilar[18] of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva had deposited until the twenty-ninth year (of the reign) of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva for the offerings and other expenses required by (the image of) Pichchadevar, which was attached to them (and) which had been set up in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara by Lokamahadevi, the consort of our lord, and (2) the village, which had received this money on interest.

2. Seven hundred and forty-three kasu were deposited (under the condition) that, as long as the moon and the sun endure, an interest of three kuruni of paddy per year for each kasu should be delivered into the large treasury of the lord (at) Tanjavur, so as to realize one hundred and eighty-five kalam, seven kuruni and four nari of paddy per year,[19] or (one) tuni, (one) padakku, one nari and (one) uri per day of paddy (measured) by the marakkal called (after) Adavallan. (of this daily rate) two nari of old rice for boiling (are required) by (the image of) Pichchadevar at sunrise, four nari of old rice for boiling at noon, and two nari of old rice for boiling at night ; altogether, (one) kuruni of old rice for boiling, or, — as five (measures of paddy) yield two (measures of rice), — (one) padakku and four nari of old paddy for boiling. The increment (vasi) of one eighth[20] (which has to be added) to the old paddy for boiling, (comes to) two nari and (one) uri of paddy. (One) kuruni of paddy (is required) for (one) urakku of ghee ; three nari of paddy (are required) for (one) nari of pulse ; three nari and (one) uri of paddy for curry ; six nari of paddy for two nari of curds ; (one) nari of paddy for pepper, mustard, cumin and tamarinds ; (one) nari and (one) uri of paddy for twelve areca-nuts and twenty-four betel-leaves ; and four nari of paddy for fire-wood.

3. The members of the assembly of Sri-Viranarayana-chaturvedimangalam, a free village in Rajaenderasimha-valanadu, have to measure every year, as long as the moon and the sun endure, one hundred and eighty-five kalam , two tuni and (one) kuruni of paddy into the large treasury of the lord (at) Tanjavur with the marakkal called (after) Adavallan, which is equal to a rajakesari, for these seven hundred and forty-three kasu, which they have received in the twenty-ninth year (of the reign) of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, — the rate of interest being three kuruni paddy per year for each kasu.

[1] The inscriptions on the pillars and niches of the temple enclosure are arranged in the order, in which they successively meet the eyes of a person performing the pradakshina of the central shrine.

[2] Page 81 of the Madras edition of 1888.

[3] He is called Echchadattan (i.e., Yajnadatta) in the Periyapuranam.

[4] I.e., ‘Siva, represented in the act of conferring a boon (prasada) on Chandesvara ;’ compare paragraphs 12 and 13 of this inscription.

[5] This word may be either connected with the Sanskrit musala, ‘a pestle, a club,’ or with the Tamil musal, ‘a hare.’ In the Tanjavur inscriptions, Musalagan is always represented as lying on the ground. In No. 50, paragraph 7, and in No. 51, paragraph 2, it is distinctly stated that he was lying under the foot of Siva. He therefore appears to be a demon who was conquered by the god.

[6] This pronoun refers to paragraph 2.

[7] On similar surnames see p. 125, note 2. In the large Leyden grant the same surname of Krishna Rama oclcurs twice (lines 131 and 163), while he is called Rajendra-Sora-brahma-m[a*]rayan at the end of that inscription (line 437 f.). In the first two instances, he is designated as chief secretary (olai-nayakan) of Rajaraja, who, according to an inscription at Melpadi (No. 87 of my Progress Report for October 1889 to January 1890, G.O., dated 11^th March 1890, NO. 189, Public) had the surname Mummudi-Soradeva. Consequently, the first surname of Krishna Rama means ‘the great king of the Brahmanas of Mummadi-chola, i.e., Mummudi-Chola or Rajaraja.’ The third occasion, on which Krishna Rama’s name occurs in the Leyden grant, shows that, after the accession of Rajendra-Chola, who issued the grant after the death of his father Rajaraja, the original surname was changed into ‘the great king of the Brahmanas of Rajendra-Chola.’ This change is an additional proof of the identity of Rajendra-Chola with Madurantaka (Vol. I, p. 96).

[8] This word means ‘of high rank’ and appears to be the designation of some office.

[9] This paragraph probably contained the measurements of the pedestal, on which the previously mentioned images were placed.

[10] Of the etymologies of Pichchadevar, which were proposed on page 90, note 6, that from Bhikshadeva appears now more probable.

[11] Compare No. 1, paragraph 3.

[12] The height of the upper pedestal is already stated in paragraph 2.

[13] The literal meaning of idaikkattu is ‘a fastening in the middle.’

[14] In Part I the expression thadavikattina was translated by ‘set into (it).’ Paragraph 10 of this inscription shows, that its technical meaning must be different from that of kattina ‘set,’ which occurs immediately before it. I therefore translate it henceforth tentatively by ‘fastened.’

[15] To these seven pieces were evidently attached the seven strings, of which the ornament consisted. In the next paragraph, there are only three strings, and consequently each talimbam is composed of three piece.

[16] These meanings of padugan and kokkuvay are established by several inscriptions of Part II. Cancel note 2 on page 19 of Part I.

[17] The technical meanings of Kadaligai, ‘a flag’ and of the next word are not known.

[18] See No. 9, paragraph 4.

[19] As stated in paragraph 3, 743 kasu at the rate of 3 kuruni per kasu yield 185 kalams, 2 tuni and 1 kuruni or or 1 lu u I and 4 nari in excess of the required amount.

[20] See page 129, note 8.

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