THE VIJAYANAGAR KINGS

rajahaṁsa at the lotus-feet of Śriraṅgarāja, a bee at the feet of Parāṅkuśa, one born to save the whole world, one who improved the wealth of the temple (by reforming its administration) and as one who was thrilled by the very mention of the name of Ponnaraṅgam’. It is stated that this gift was dedicated by the donor to Piḷḷailōkāchārya by which is evidently meant his image which should have been set up in the temple, since the date of the teacher is long anterior to that of the present record.

   Another record (No.49) from Śrīraṅgam, dated in Śaka 1530, makes mention of a certain Vēdavyāsa-Bhaṭṭarayyaṅgār Kōvilappayar whose disciple Ėkāṅgi-Bhaṭṭar Tiruvēṅgaḍayan is said to have made a gift of money to the temple for worship and offerings every month on the day of his natal star Chitrā. For conducting the Chitrā-paurṇamī festival in the same temple, an endowment of land was made by Peddaṇa-Nāyaka Kastūri-Raṅgappa-Nāyaka (No.99). Provision is made in No.35 from the same place by some merchants for the recitation in the temple, of Iyorpā, i.e., the Third Thousand of the Vaishṇava work Nālāyiraprabandham. We learn from an epigraph from Tiruppaṅgili (No.190) dated in Śaka 1514 that the tenants occupying the lands of the temple had left their holdings on account of increase in the rents due by them and gone to different places and that they were induced to return to their lands by the offer of favourable terms.

Ramadevaraya.
   57. A late inscription dated in Śaka 1556 from Śrīraṅgam (No.45) makes mention of a maṇḍapa built by Nāgarāja, son of Achyutayyarāja of the Gautamagōtra who is referred to as the tānāpati (local agent) of Rāmadēvarāyar. This latter chief was probably identical with Rāma, the successor of Veṅkaṭa I, whose latest date, however, known so far is A.D. 1630. i.e., 4 years earlier than the date of this record.

Śrīraṅga (Śaka 1615).
   58. The latest inscription of the dynasty belongs to Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara Dharmarāja Śrīraṅgarāja and is dated in the cyclic year Śrīmukha (No.188). This record, from its paleography, may be assigned to the 17th century A.D. And would be one of Śrīraṅga whose inscription dated in Śaka 1619 is already known (No. 241 of 1935-36). The cyclic year Śrīmukha of the present record would then correspond to Śaka 1615. This inscription registers a great of land on favourable terms to the dēvaraḍiyār (maid-servants) of the temple at Tirup- paññili, who had till then only the lease-right for cultivation.

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