South Indian Inscriptions

INCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF TRIPURI

milk the cow (which is) useful for the sacrifice, and wash quickly the sruch together with the sruva.¹ Let the wife (of the sacrificer) attend the Gārhapatya fire with hot water’.

(V. 14) In his harem, this was said by the sārikā (every) evening :—‘O Superintendent of the harem ! let the floor of the residential mansion be washed with scented water. Courtezans ! give (me) numerous jewelled lights with bright flames. O maidservant ! keep ready all (the) scents. O Queen ! You also mind (your) dress !’

(V. 15) All the sacrifices of the illustrious minister of the lord of Chēdi, who gave away (in charity) all his wealth, reached the standard of the Viśvajit sacrifice.²

(V. 16) How insignificant are we of worthless speech in enumerating the merits of that illustrious Bhatta Sōmēśvara,—at the place of whose sacrifices and in the fore-front of whose battles, hymns and eulogies are recited by the Hōtri priests and bards (respectively) ; (sāmans and panegyrics) are sung in shadja and other notes and in an extremely sweet voice by the Udgātri priests³ and musicians (respectively) ; (and) there moves about (respectively) the Adhvaryu priest, foremost in sacrificial work, whose hand is wet with (the water poured in making) gifts, and the elephant whose trunk is wet with rutting juice !

(V. 17) To his palanquin the illustrious Lakshmanarāja (II) put his shoulder, when the bearer of it ascending to anairy place⁴ was stumbling a little on account of the fatigue of carrying it.

(V. 18) This temple of the god (Vishnu) the enemy of demons, which has covered the faces of (all) quarters, has been constructed by that virtuous and foremost minister of the illustrious lord of Chēdi,—(the temple) whose banner-cloth, which is incessantly fluttering, being struck by wind, is most assuredly making a sign to such as go through the sky to turn back (from the temple) which has blocked their path.

(V. 19) This high temple which appears very straight outside, but is very curved inside, which has surpassed (in height) the temples of others, (and) which has manifestly risen above the whole world, appears like an insolent calumniator who shows himself very straight-forward outwardly, (but) is crooked at heart, who has disparaged others’ fame, and openly insulted all people.⁵

(V. 20) This temple also, which, though possessing splendour, confers liberation, showing all forms (by its sculptures) in front would have borne resemblance to (Vishnu) the enemy of gods (who, though he deprived Bali of his fortune, conferred liberation, showing him his all-embracing form), if (only, like the latter), it had been small (in size)⁶.

(V. 21) On account of the upraised flag (of this temple) made of a white (piece of) cloth attached to the (upper) end of an extremely high staff, the heavenly river, with its stream flowing along the staff which looks splendid with the golden jar (on the spire of the temple), appears always to assume the very form of a banner.

(V. 22) Association with the exalted leads to great excellence ; for even the dazzling sun can be easily looked at from here.⁷

(V. 23) On the top of this temple which can be reached (by the sun) after a pair of watches (i.e., six hours), where there is a (cool) breeze produced by the flapping of the
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¹ Such means a sacrificial ladle in general, while sruva is a sacrificial ladle of khadira (Acacia Catechu), measuring a cubit (aratni) in length.
² Because he gave away all his wealth in each sacrifice.
³ The priests who sing the hymns of the Sāmavēda.
⁴ Vātandhama, an airy place, is mentioned in the Kāśikā on Pānini, III, 2, 30.
⁵ There are puns on several words here, on account of which they can be construed with the temple and the calumniator.
⁶ Vishnu was vāmana (dwarfish).
⁷ For it is connected with the high temple