No. 29 outside of the east wall of the inner prakara

No. 27 to 28 Rajgopala-Perumal temple

No. 30 north wall of the mandapa

No. 31 to 33 south, west wall of the mandapa

No. 34 to 35 outside of the east wall of the inner prakara

No. 36 to 39 south, east wall of the mandapa in the perumal temple

No. 40 to 41 east wall of the Dharmesvara temple

No. 29.- On the outside of the east wall of the inner prakara of the Rajagopala-Perumal temple

Above, Vol. II. p. 303, I noticed two inscriptions of the 4^th year of the reign of Parakesarivarman, alias Rajendradeva.  One of these is the subjoined inscription.  It is dated on a week-day (1. 14 f.) which will probably admit of astronomical calculation as soon as a second, similarly dated record of the same reign may be discovered.[1]  The text of the historical introduction has been settled with the help of two other inscriptions, viz.,-

1. Tv. = an inscription of the 4^th year in the Bilvanathesvara temple at Tiruvallam in the North Arcot district (No. 190 of 1894).

2. Tm. = an inscription of the 8^th year in the vaidyanatha temple  at Tirumalavadi in the Trichninopoly district (No. 84 of 1895).

Like the inscriptions of his predecessor Rajadhiraja (p. 55 f. above) and those of his successor Virarajendra I. (p. 33 above) this inscription of Rajendra opens with a list of relatives on whom the king conferred certain titles (II. 1 to 6).  The recipients of these honours were a paternal uncle of the king, four younger brothers of his, six sons (?)[2]  The fifth of the sons – Mudikonda-Chola with the title Sundara-Chola[3] - is perhaps identical with a prince of the same name and title, who is mentioned in the inscriptions of Rajendra’s successor, Virarajendra I.[4]

Lines 6 to 12 give a detailed account of the battle of Koppam, which is only briefly noticed in the hitherto published inscriptions of Rajendra.[5]  His enemy Ahavamalla (Somesvara I.) is here expressly called Salukki, i.e.,  the Chalukya king (ii. 7, 9 and 10).  The Chola king invaded Ratta-mandalam and was met by Ahavamalla at Koppam.  At first the advantage seems to have been on the side of the Chalukya king.  Rajendra himself and his elephant were wounded by arrows, and the men who had mounted the elephant along with him were killd.  But fresh troops were advanced and truned the fortune of the battle.  Ahavamalla fled, and several of his officers fell.  Among these the inscription mentions a younger brother of the Chalukya king – Jayasimha,[6] Pulikesin,[7] Dasapanman,[8] Asokaiyan, Araiyan, Mottaiyan and Nanni-Nulamban,[9] and among those who took part in the flight, Vanniya-Revan, Tuttan and Kundamayan.  The first of these three chiefs is perhaps identical with the Haihaya Mahamandalesvara Revarasa, who is mentioned as a vassal of Somesvara I. in an inscription of A.D. 1054-55.[10]  Among the spoil of the battle were many elephants, three of which are mentioned by name (1. 11), the banner of the boar, and two queens by name Sattiyavvai and Sangappai (1. 12).

Finally, Rajendra dispatched an army to Ceylon, where the Kalinga king Vira-Salamegan was decapitated and the two sons of the Ceylon king Manabharanan were taken prisoners.  Another Vira-Salamegan, who is stated to have migrated to Ceylon from Kanyakubja, had been killed by Rajendra’s predecessor Rajadhiraja.[11]  The same Chola king had decapitated another Manabharana, who was, however, a Pandya king and not a king of Ceylon.[12]  The Mahavamsa mentions two princes of the name Manabharana, and two others of the name Kittisirimegha.  Manabharana I.[13] and Kittisirimegha I. were nephews and sons-in-law of the Ceylon king Vijayabahu I. (chapter lix. Verses 42 and 44).  His queen Tilokasundari was a princess of Kalinga (ibid. verse 29 f.).[14]  Manabharanan and Vira-Salamegan in the subjoined inscription might correspond to Manabharana and Kittisirimegha in the Mahavamsa, and the reason why Vira-Salamegan is styled a Kalinga king in the inscription might be thefact that his mother-in-law was a Kalinga princess according to the Mahavamsa.  On the other hand king Vijayabahu I. is supposed to have reigned from A.D. 1065 to 1120, and Vikkamabahu I. in whose time Manabharana I. and Kittisirimegha I.  usurped the government of Ceylon, from A.D. 1121 to 1142, while Rajendra and Virarajendra I. have to be accommodated between A.D. 1050 and 1070.[15]  Consequently, Manabharana and Vira-Salamegan in the inscription must be distinct from, and prior to, Manabharana I. and Kittisirimegha I. in the Mahavamsa.  But, as I have previously stated (p. 39 above), the conquest of Ceylon by Rajendra is established by the existence of an inscription of his in that island.

The subjoined inscription records that the villagers received an unspecified sum from Kamakkavvaiyal, the mother of the Senapti Jayankonda-Chola-Brahmadhiraja, and granted in return a piece of land at Amanpakkam – the modern Ammanambakkam – on the south of Manimangalam[16] to the temple.  This land was situated “to the south of the land that has been formerly granted to this god by a stone inscription.”  The reference is to an inscription of Rajakesarivarman (No. 27 above), which registers a grant of land on the south of Manimangalam and east of Amanpakkam.

(He) bestowed high crows, resplendent with large jewels, on Gangaikonda-Solan, who was the younger brother of his father (and who was) powerful in defeating (his enemies), (with the title) ‘Irumadi-Solan of exuberant valour;’ among his royal younger brothers of warlike strength, on the victorious Mummadi-Solan,[17] (with the title) ‘Sola-Pandiyan whose valour conquers (enemies) on the battle-field ;’ on Vira-Solan, the lord of Koli (i.e. Uraiyur),[18] who wore ankle-rings, (with the title) ‘Karikala-Solan[19] (who is) praised on earth ;’ on Madhurantakan,[20] whose strong and broad hand (wielded) the sword in warfare, (with the title) ‘Sola-Gangan ;’[21] on Parantakadevan,[22] whose valour was combined with strength of shoulders, (with the title) ‘Sola-Ayottiyarajana ;’[23] among (his) sons,[24] who regarded with kindness (their enemies ?) in distress, on Rajendra-Solan, (who was) praised on this earth, (with the title) ‘Uttama-Solan ;’[25] on Mudikonda-Solan, (who wore) a garland of opening buds (as) an ancient (i.e., hereditary)ornament, (with the title) ‘the brave Vijayalayan ;’[26] on Sola-Keralan,[27](who holds) a long bow ;’ on Kadarankonda-Solan[28] of great valour, (with the title) ‘Sola-Janakarajan[29] in whom the eminence of the race of the Sun rests ;’ on Mudikonda-Solan, who conquered the earth (surrounded by) the roaring ocean (and who was) praised by many, (with the title ) ‘Sundara-Solan;’ on Irattapadikonda-Solan,[30] (who was) the rock of support to pure Tamil, (with the title) ‘Sola-Kannakuchchiyarajan,[31] the lord of the ancient earth ;’ then, among the sons of his sons,[32] on Madhurantakan,[33] who was (i.e., resembled) the great sun (and who wore) sounding ankle-rings, (with the title) ‘Sola-Vallabhan[34] (who leads) a victorious army ;’ and on the matchless Anaichcheagan,[35] whose hand (held) a strong bow, (with the title) ‘Nripendra-Solan.’

(L. 6.) While (the Chola king) was resplendent on earth, the proud and furrous Salukki (i.e., Chalukya king) Ahavamallan, - having heard the substance of the report that the Valavan (i.e., the Chola king), desirous of war, had started (from his country), had reached Iratta-mandalam, (whose inhabitants are) very brave, and had destroyed many rivers ( ! ), districts and towns, - exclaimed : “This (is) a disgrace to me !,” sprang up, (his) eyes burning (with rage), went into Koppam, the strength (of whose position is) hard to describe, (and) commenced to attack the enemy.

(L. 8.) At that time, when the shower of his (viz., Ahavamalla’s) straight arrows pierced the forehead of his (i.e., the Chola king’s) elephant, his royal thigh, and (his) shoulders which resembled hillocks, and when the warriors wearing ankle-rings, who had mounted the elephant along with