INSCRIPTIONS
ON THE WALLS OF THE ENCLOSURE, THE CHANDESVARA AND THE
BRIHANNAYAKI SHRINES
No.
26
In
the inner gopura, on the right of the entrance
The date and
the historical introduction of this inscription are identical with those of
No.24. It records two deposits of money, which were made by a manager of
Rajarajesvara temple and lent out to the inhabitants of a certain village. The
interest of the first deposit was to be paid in paddy and to be used for
procuring various articles of consumption of thirteen yearly procession days.
Paragraph 2 contains a list of these articles, which is as detailed as, and
still more extensive than, the one given in the inscription No. 6, paragraphs
14 and 19. The interest of the second deposit was to be paid in money and to be
used for purchasing camphor, which had to be burnt before the images of
Rajarajesvara and Dakhina-Meru-Vitankar.
Translation
1. Hail!
Prosperity! In the twenty-ninth year (of the reign) of
Ko-Rajakesarivarman, alias Sri-Rajarajadeva, who, while (his)
heart rejoiced, that, like the goddess of fortune, the goddess of the great
earth had become his wife, — in his life of growing strength, during which,
having been pleased to cut the vessel (in) the hall (at)
Kandalur, he conquered by his army, which was victorious in great battles,
Vengai-nadu, Gangapadi, Tadiya-padi, Nulamba-padi, Kudamalai-nadu, Kollam,
Kalingam, Iramandalam, (the conquest of which) made (him) famous
(in) the eight directions, and the seven and a half lakshas of
Ratta-padi, — deprived the Seriyas of their splendour, while (he) was
resplendent (to such a degree) that (he) was worthy to be
worshipped everywhere: — there was engraved on stone (1) the money, which
Adittan (i.e.,Aditya) Suryan, alias Tennavan
Muvenda-Velan, a headman (kiravan) (of) Poygai-nadu, who carried
on the management of the temple (Srikarya) of the lord
Sri-Rajarajesvara, had deposited until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s
reign), (to be put put) to interest (for purchasing) camphor
(karpura), to be burnt instead of the wick (tiri) in the lamp (dipa),
which is offered along with the incense (dhupa) to the lord of the
Sri-Rajarajesvara (temple) and to (the image of) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar;
(2) the money, which (he) had deposited, to be put out to interest for (providing)
the offerings (tiruvamidu) and other requirements of the image (tiru-meni)
which is carried in procession (at) the monthly festival, and of (its)
consort; and (3) the village, which had received this money on interest.
2. (One) padakku
by the Adavalan[1]
(measure) of old rice for boiling (ponaga-para-arisi) (is required) for the
offerings to the god who is carried in procession (at) the festival and (one) kuruni
of old rice for boiling (is required) by his consort, after (both) images have
entered (the sacred hall)[2]
at the procession on (each of) thirteen festival days, viz., (at) the
twelve festivals of Tiru-Sadaiyam, which are celebrated in the temple of
the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara, and (at) the festival, which is celebrated o the
single day of (the nakshatra)Karttigai in (the month of) Karttigai;[3]
and (one) urakku and (one) arakku of old rice (are
required) for appakkay[4]for boiling, or, — as fiva (measures of paddy) yield two (measures
of rice), — seven kuruni, four nari, three urakku, (one) arakku, and
two sevidu and a half of old paddy for boiling, or, — having added an
increment (vasi), — two tuni, four nari (one) uri and (one)
arakku[5]of mixed paddy (puri-nellu).Five nari (one) uri and (one) arakku
of paddy (are required) for (one) nari, three urakku and (one)
arakku of pulse (paruppu), viz., (one) nari and (one)
uri of pulse (to be offered) with the boiled rice, and (one)
urakku and (one) arakkuof pulse for appakkay curry.
Five nari and (one)uri of paddy (are required) for
(one) arakku, one sevidu, and three quarters of a sevidu
of pepper (milagu), viz., one sevidu and a half of pepper
for fruit curry (kaykkari), three quarters of a sevidu of pepper
for appakkay curry, three quarters of a sevidu of pepper for
tamarind curry (pulingari), three quarters of a sevidu of pepper for
curry cooked with tamarinds, and three sevidu of pepper for pepper
powder (milagu-podi). Two nari, (one) urakku, (one)
arakku and one sevidu of paddy (are required) for (one)
arakku and one sevidu of mustard (kadugu), viz., three
sevidu of mustard for fruit curry, one sevidu and a half of
mustard for appakkay curry, and one sevidu and a half of mustard
for tamarindcurry. (One) nari of paddy (is required)
for three quarters, three twentieths and three eightieths of a sevidu of
cumin (jraka), viz., three twentieths and three eightieths of a sevidu
of cumin for appakkay curry, three twentieths and three eightieths
of a sevidu of cumin for curry cooked with tamarinds, seven twentieths
and one fortieth of a sevidu of cumin for pepper powder, and three
twentieths and three eightieths of a sevidu of cumin for tamarind curry.
Two nari, (one) uri, (one) arakku and four sevidu
of paddy (are required) for three palam and (one) kasu[6]and a half of sugar (sarkarai), viz., (one)kasu and a half
of sugar for appakkay curry, two palam and (one) kasu of
sugar for tamarind curry, and three kasu of sugar for the offerings, (One)
kuruni and seven nari of paddy (are required) for (one)
urakku, (one) arakku, three sevidu, and three
quarters of a sevidu of ghee (ney), viz., three quarters
of a sevidu of ghee for appakkay curry, three sevidu of
ghee for fried curry (porikkari), and (one) urakku and (one)
arakku of ghee for the offerings. (One) nari of paddy (is
required) for eight palam of tamarinds, viz., one palam
and a half of tamarinds for curry cooked with tamarinds, three kasu of
tamarinds for tamarind curry, and five palam and three kasu of
tamarinds for the sacred bath. (One) kuruni and one nari
of paddy (are required) for three nari and (one) uri of
curds for the offerings. (One) urakku of paddy (is required)
for three sevidu of gram (kollu) for tamarind curry. Five nari
of paddy (are required) for eighteen plantains (varaipparam), viz.,
three plantains for tamarind curry, and fifteen plantains for the offerings.
Six nari of paddy (are required) for curry. (One) urakku and (one)
arakku of paddy (are required) for (one) urakku and
(one) arakku of salt (uppu) for curry and curds. Two nari
of paddy (are required) for twelve young leaves (kuruttu) on which the
boiled rice (is offered). Four nari and (one) uri of paddy
(are required) for thirty areca-nuts (adaikkay) and sixty betel-leaves (vellilai).
(One) nari of paddy (is required) for (one) kasu
of bark.[7]
(one) kuruni and six nari of paddy (are required)
for fire-wood (viragu). Altoglether, (one) kalam, (one) tuni
and (one) padakkuof mixed paddy (are required) on each
sacred day, or
nineteen kalam, (one) tuni and (one) padakku bythe
Adavalan (measure) of mixed paddy for the thirteen monthly festivals,
which are celebrated every year. In order to realize (these),
seventy-eight 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.
3. There were
(further) deposited sixteen kasu (under the condition)
that, as long as the moon and the sun endure, an interest of one eighth kasu
per year for each kasu should be paid for (purchasing) five karanju
and three quarters, three manjadi and two tenths of camphor,[9]viz., (1) three tenths (of amanjadi) of camphor per day,
to be burnt instead of the wick in the lamp, which is offered along with the incense
to the lord of the Sri-Rajarajesvara (temple) and to (the image of)
Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar, or five karanju and eight manjadi of
camphor per year, and (2) three tenths (of a manjadi) of camphor in excess
of the daily rate, which is used for burning instead of the wick, on each
of thirty-four days, viz., at the twelve festivals of Tiru-Sadaiyam,
on the single day of (the nakshatra) Karttigai in (the month of) Karttigai,
at the twelve samkrantis, and on the nine days of the great sacred
festival (utsava), — altogether, half a karanju and two tenths (of
a manjadi) of camphor. Altogether, ninety-four kasu (were
deposited).[10]
4. The
members of the assembly of [Perunangaiman]galam, a brahmadeya in
Venni-kurram, (a subdivision) of Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to
measure every year, as long as the moon land the sun endure, nineteen kalam,
(one) tuni and (one) padakku of paddy into lthe large
treasury of the lord with the marakkal called (after) Adavallan,
which is equal to a rajakesari, for the seventy-eight kasu, which
they have received (out of) this money after (the harvest of) the
pasan in the twenty-eighth year (of the king’s reign), — the rate
of interest being three kuruni of paddy per year for each kasu.
5. The same
(villagers) have to pay every year, as long as the moon and the sun
endure, two kasu into the treasury of the lord for (the remaining)
sixteen kasu, which they have received after (the harvest of) the pasan[11]
in the twenty-eighth year (of the king’s reign), — the rate of interest
being one eighth kasu per year for each kasu.
No.
27 In the inner gopura, on the right of the
entrance
This
inscription records, that a minister of Rajarajadeva deposited a sum of money,
the interest of which was to be spent for purchasing camphor. The deposit was
made in the 28th, and the inscription itself engraved in the 29th
year of the reign of Rajarajadeva.
Translation
1. There was
engraved on stone (1) the money, which had been deposited until the twenty-ninth
year (of the reign) of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, to be put out to interest for
the benefit of the god, by Karayil-edutta-Padam, (who was a native of)
Rajakesari-nallur in Inganadu, (a subdivision) of Arumorideva-valanadu, the
headman (kiravan) of Rajakesari-nallur, and the royal minister who wrote the
orders of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, and (2) the village, which had received
the deposited money on interest.
2. Fifty kasu
were deposited (under the condition) that, as long as the moon and the sun
endure, an interest of one eighth kasu per year should be paid for each kasu,
so as to realize six kasu[12]for (purchasing), — at the rate of three karanju of camphor
for each kasu, — eighteen karanju of camphor per year, viz.,
(one) manjadi of camphor per day, to be burnt instead of the wick
in one perpetual sacred lamp[13]
for the benefit of the god.
3. The
members of the assembly of Perunangai[mangalam], a brahmadeya in
Venni-kurram, (a subdivision) of Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to pay every
year, as long as the moon and the sun endure, six and a quarter kasu
into the treasury of the lord for these fifty kasu, which they have
received after (the harvest of) the pasan in the twenty-eighth
year (of the reign) of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, — the rate of interest
being one eighth kasu per year for each kasu.
No.28 In the inner gopura, on the right of the
entrance
This
inscription is engraved underneath the preceding No. 27. It is considerably
injured, especially in the first ten lines. The date is only partially
preserved, but, to judge from paragraph 6, was the same as that of No. 27. The
inscription records a deposit of money, the interest of which was to be used
for feeding ten siva-yogins on each of twenty-four festival, days. The
name of the donor is lost.
Translation
1. . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
2. The
twenty-four days on which festivals are celebrated, are: — Thirteen monthly
festivals, [including the twelve festivals] of Tiru-Sadaiyam, (which
have been instituted by) [the lord] Sri-Rajarajadeva; one festival,
celebrated on the day . . . . . . . . . . . .; one festival, celebrated on the
day on which (the temple) is circumambulated from left to right[14]at the hoisting of the sacred banner [for the annual great festival]; and
nine days on which the annual festival is celebrated.[15]
3. On each of
these festival days, ten Siva-yogins who worship the lord, have to be
fed in the hall (salai) of the temple.
4. Of
twenty-five kalam of paddy per year, (one) kuruni and two nari
by the Adavallan (measure) of paddy have to be given for one meal to
each of the two hundred and forty Siva-yogins, who have to be fed on
these twenty-four festival days.
5. For this
purpose, one hundred 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.
6. The
members of the assembly of [Peru]nan[gaimangal]am, a brahmadeya in
[Venni]-kurram, [(a subdivision) of Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to
measure] every year, as long as the moon and the sun endure, [twenty-five kalam
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 one hundred kasu , which they have received after (the harvest
of) the pasan in the twenty-eighth year (of the reign) of the
lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, — the rate of interest being three kuruni of
paddy per year for each kasu.
[3]
In order to make this sentence intelligible, I have left out some useless
repetitions.
[4]
According to the Tamil dictionaries, appam is the name of a plant, which is
also called Puttuthirupi. The Dictionnaire Tamoul-Francais gives puttupazham as
‘a kind of edible fruit.’ As appam is synonymous with puttuthirupi, appakkai,
‘the appa fruit,’ may be the same as puttupazham ‘the puttu fruit.’
[5]
Accodingly, an increment of 7 nari, 1 uri, 1 arakku and 2 ½ sevidu, or about
1/8, as in No. 35, paragraph 2, was added. A similar increment (erram) is
referred to in No. 6, paragraphs 14 and 19.
[6]
Kasu is another form of kaisu, on which see page 75, note 2.
[7]
Sithari is probably the same as sithar ‘the thin bark of certain trees,’ which
in the present case may have been used for lighting the kitchen fire.
[9]
Accordingly, 2 karanju and 14 1/10 manjadi of camphor could be purchased
for 1 kasu. In No. 27, paragraph 2,
the rate is 3 karanju, and in No. 9,
paragraph 2, 2 ½ karanju per kasu.
[10]Viz., 78 kasu for paddy (paragraphs 2 and 4) and 16 kasu for camphor (paragraphs 3 and 5)
[11]
Pisan is another form of pasan, pasanam or pisanam see page 74, note 1.
[12]
As stated correctly in paragraph 3, 1/8 of 50 is 6 ¼ . The inscription does not
say what became of the additional ¼ kasu.
[13]
Nonthavilakku or, as it is frequently spelt in inscriptions, Nanthavilakku is
perhaps a corruption of Nonthavilakku ‘a lamp, the wick of which need not be
trimmed’ (because oil is continually supplied to it).
[14]
Valanjai corresponds to the Sanskrit pradakshinikri.
