PART-II
TAMIL
AND GRANTHA INSCRIPTIONS
II.
INSCRIPTIONS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF VELUR
NO.43.
ON A STONE AT ARAPPAKKAM NEAR VELUR
This
and the next-following seven inscriptions record grants to
Jvarakhandesvara-svamin of Velur, i.e. to the Vellore Temple, which
is nowadays called Jalakanthesvara.
The name of the temple is spelt Jvarakandesvara in five
inscriptions, Jvarakanthesvara in two others and Jvarakandhesvara in
one of them. The
Sanskrit original of these various forms seems to have been
Jvarakhandesvara. Jvarakhanda,
“the destroyer of fever,” would be a synonym of Javarahara,
which is applied to Siva in the name of one of the Kanchipuram
temples.
The
inscriptions Nos.43 to 46 are dated on the same of the Akshya
year, which was current after the expiration of the Saka year 1488,
and during the reign of Sadasiva-deva-maharaja, They record grants
which were made to the Vellore Temple at the request of
Sinna-Bommu-nayaka of Velur by the mahamandalesvara Tirumalaiyadeva-maharaja,
also called Tirumalai-rajayan, (the younger brother of) Ramaraja,
with the consent of Sadasiva-Deva-maharayar.
The
historical results obtained from these four inscriptions are:-
1.
That Sadasiva-deva of Vijayanagara was still alive in 1566-67 A.D.,
i.e., ten years after the latest grant mentioned in my second paper
on the Karnata Dynasty.
2.
That, after the death of his elder brother Rama, Tirumala-raja of
Karnata
continued to acknowledge the king of Vijayanagara as his sovereign
and submitted to the title of mahamandalesvara.
3.
The Sinna-Bommu-nayaka of the four inscriptions is perhaps identical
with “Bommi Reddi or Naidu,” to whom tradition assigns the
foundation of the Vellore Temple.
The
Vilapaka grant of Venkata I. of Karnata dated Saka 1523 mentions a
certain Linga-bhupala, son of Veluri-Bomma-nripati and grandson of
Virappa-nayaka-kshamapa.
Velluri-Bomma is evidently the same as Sinna-Bommu-nayaka of Velur.
From the title “Prince” , which the Vilapaka grant
attributes to Bomma and to his father and son, it follows that his
family were petty chiefs under the kings of Karnataka, who were
again nominally dependent on the kings of Vijayanagara.
The
inscription No.43, as mentioned in Sewell’ Lists of
Antiquities, records the gift of
the village of Arapakkam, where it is still found.
TRANSLATION
Let
there be prosperity ! Hail ! After Sinna-Bommu-nayaka (of) Velur had
made a petition to the illustrious mahamandalesvara Ramaraja-Tirumalaiya-deva-maharaja,
- Tirumalai-rajayan, having made a petition at the feet of
Sadasiva-deva-maharayar, gave the village of Arappakkam to (the
temple of) Jvarakandesvara-svamin (at) Velur for (providing)
all kinds of enjoyments, on Wednesday the twelfth
lunar day of the latter half of the month of Kumbha of the Akshaya-sainvatsara,
which was current after the Saka year 1488 (had passed), while
the illustrious Sadasiva-deva-maharayar was pleased to rule the
earth.
(Line
21.) “of a gift and protection, protection is more meritorious
than a gift ; by a gift one obtains (only) heaven, by
protection the eternal abode.”
NO.44.
ON A STONE AT ARIYUR NEAR VELUR
The
object of the grant is “the village of Murukkeri-Sirreri within (the
boundaries of) Arugur,” i.e., of the modern Ariyur.
NO.45.
ON A STONE AT ARUMBARITTI NEAR VELUR
The
object of the grant is the village of Arumbaritti.
NO.46.
ON A STONE AT SADUPPERI NEAR VELUR
The
object of the grant is the village of Sadupperi.
NO.47.
ON A STONE AT SATTUVACHCHERI NEAR VELUR
This
and the next-following two inscriptions are dated on the same day of
the Yuva year, which was current after expiration of the Saka
year 1497, and during the reign of the mahamandalesvara
Sriranga-deva-maharayar. They
record grants to the Vellore Temple, which were made at the request
of Sinna-Bommu-nayaka of Velur by Krishnappa-nayaka Ayyan, with the
consent of Sriranga-deva-maharayar.
The
Sriranga-deva mentioned in Nos. 47 to 49 is Srirangaraya I. of
Karnata, of whom we have copper-plate grant of Saka 1497 and 1506
An inscription of his tributary Krishnappa-nayaka dated Saka 1500
has been translated by Mr.Rice.
On Sinua-Bommu-nayaka of Velur, see the introduction of No.43.
The
inscription No.47 records the gift of the village of Sattuvachcheri,
where it is still found.
TRANSLATION
Let
there be prosperity ! Hail ! After Sinna-Bommu-nayaka (of)
Velur had made a petition at the feet of Sriranga-deva-maharayar,
gave the village of Sattuvachcheri to (the temple of)
Jvarakandhesvara-svamin (at) Velur for (providing) all
kinds of enjoyments, on Wednesday the thirteenth lunar day of the
dark half of the month of Makara of the Yuva-Samvatsara, which
was current after the Saka year 1497 (had passed), while the
illustrious mahamandalesvara Sriranga-deva-maharayar was
pleased to rule the earth.
(Line
22.) “of a gift and protection,” etc.
Let there be prosperity !
NO.48.
ON A STONE AT SAMANGINELLUR NEAR VELUR
The
object of the grant is the village of Senbaga-Perumal-nallu, i.e.,
the modern Samanginellur.
