South
Indian Inscriptions, Volume 2
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Tamil
Inscriptions
part
- i
INSCRIPTIONS
OF THE TANJAVUR TEMPLE
INSCRIPTIONS
ON THE WALLS OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE
No.
6 On
the South Wall second tier
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This and the next inscription,
though of different date, are engraved continuously in two sections. No. 6
fills the whole of the first section and part of the first line of the second
section.
The inscription describes a number
of gifts, which were made until the 29th year of the reign of
Ko-Rajakesarivarman, alias Rajarajadeva, by Arvar Parantakan
Kundavaiyar, who was the elder sister of Rajarajadeva and the queen of
Vallavaraiyar Vandyadevar. As, according to the large Leyden grant,[1]
Rajaraja was the son of Parantaka II. It is evident that the name of his
sister, Parantakan Kundavaiyar, is an abbreviation for Parantakan
magal Kundavaiyar, i.e., Kundavaiyar, the daughter of Parantaka (II.).
Paragraph 2 records a gift of gold
to the same two goddesses, who are mentioned in the inscription No.2.[2]
According to paragraph 1, these two images had been set up in the temple of
Rajarajesvara by Kundaaiyar herhself. The same princess had set up an image of
her mother, to which she presented certain ornaments (paragraphs 3 to 5). Other
ornaments were given to the image of the god Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar (paragraphs
6 and 7), which had been set up by king Rajarajadeva (paragraph 1), and to his
consort (paragraphs 8 and 9), who was one of the two goddesses referred to in paragraph
2. The remainder of the inscription treats of endowments to these two goddesses
(paragraph 10), to the image of Ponmaligaittunjina-devar (paragraph 14), and to
the image of the mother of Kundavaiyar (paragraph 19). These endowments were
made in the following manner. Kundavaiyar deposited certain sums of money (kasu),
which were subsequently borrowed on interest by the inhabitants of certain
villages from the shrine of Chandesvara (paragrah 1), the saint in whose name
the money affairs of temples are generally transacted.[3]
The interest had to be paid yearly into the treasury of the Rajarajesvara
temple at Tanjavur either in paddy[4]
or in money. In the former case, the interest was three kuruni of paddy
for each kasu, and in the latter 12½ per cent. If it assumed that the
rate of interest was the same in both cases, one kasu would correspond
to the value of 24 kuruni or 2 kalam of paddy. In two instances
(paragraphs 18 and 21), money was deposited for purchasing a number of sheep,
from the milk of which two private individuals had to supply daily a certain
amount of ghee for lamps.[5] The value of one sheep was reckoned as 1/3
kasu.
In paragraphs 14 and 19, the value of various daily requirements is given in
measures of paddy; the whole list probably represents the daily wants of a
single punjari.
Translation
Hail! Prosperity! Until the twenty-ninth year (of
the reign) of Ko-Rajakesarivarman alias Sri-Rajarajadeva,
who, â while (his) heart rejoiced, that, like the goddess of fortune,
the goddess of the great earth had become his wife, â 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, Ganga-padi, Tadigai-padi, Nulamba-padi, Kudamalai-nadu,
Kollam, Kalingam, Ira-mandalam, (which was the country) of the Singalas who
possessed rough strength, the seven and a half lakshas of Iratta-padi,
and twelve thousand ancient islands of the sea, â deprived the Seriyas of their
splendor, while (he) was resplendent (to such a degree) that
(he) was worthy to be worshipped everywhere; â Arvar Parantakan Kundavaiyar
gave to the images (tiru-meni) (of the goddess) Umaparamesvari,
who is the consort of our lord Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar, and (of the goddess)
Umaparamesvari, who is the consort of our lord Tanjai-Vitankar, â which (two
images) had been set up in the temple, (called) the lord
Sri-Rajarajesvara, by Arvar Parantakan Kundavaiyar, (who was) the
venerable elder sister of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva (and) and great
queen of Vallavaraiyar Vandyadevar, â to the image which had been set up to
Ponmaligaittunjina-devar,[6]
to the image which Arvar Parantakan Mundavaiyar had set up to her mother, and
to the image (of the god) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar, which had been set up
by the lord. Sri Rajarajadeva, â gold which was weighed by the stone (used
in) the city (Kudinai-kal) and called (after) Adavallan, and jewels
(ratna) which were weighed by the jewel weight (kasu-kal) called
(after) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankan, â excluding the threads (saradu);
the frames (sattam), the copper nails (seppani), the lac (arakku)
and the pinju. For the expenses (nibandha)[7]
which are required by these (gods), Arvar Parantakan Kundavaiyar deposited
money (kasu), to be put out to interest (polisai). (The amount
of this gold, these jewels, these deposits) and the money which the
inhabitants of (certain) villages had received on interest from
Chandesvara, who is the first servant[8]
of the supreme lord (paramasvamin), who has been pleased to take up
gladly is abode in (the temple called) Sri Rajarajesvara, â was engraved
on stone (as follows): -
2. For decorating the sacred hall (tiruvarangu),[9]
which (the goddess) Umaparamesvari, who is the consort of our lord
Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar, and (the goddess) Umaparamesvari, who is the
consort of our lord Tanjai-Vitankar, are pleased to enter, when they are
carried in procession (at) the sacred festival (tiru-vira), -(she)
gave three thousand five hundred karanju of gold, which was a quarter
superior in fineness to the (gold standard called) dandavani, and
one thousand five hundred karanju of gold, which was one (degree)
inferior in fineness to the dandavani, â altogether, five thousand karanju
of gold.
3. To the image, which Arvar Parantakan Kundavaiyar
had set up to her mother, (she) gave: -
4. Twenty ear-rings (kambi), consisting of
six karanju and (one) kunri of gold.
5. One string of beads for the marriage-badge (tali-mani-vadum),
(consisting of) four karanju, six manjadi and (one)
kunri of gold, â including the marriage-badge (itself).
6. To (the god) Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar (she) gave:
â
7. One ornament consisting of a singe string,[10]
on which were strung thirty-five old pearls, â viz.,roundish pearls
(anuvattam), polished pearls (oppu-muttu) and small pearls (kuru-muttu),
â two corals (pavaram), two lapis lazuli (rajavarta), (one) talimbam,[11]
(one) padugan and (one) kokkuvay, and which weighed four karanju
eight manjadi and four tenths, corresponding to a value of eleven kasu.
8. To (the goddess) Umaparamesvari, who is
the consort of our lord Dakshnina-Meru-Vitankar, (she) gave: -
9. One ornament consisting of a single string, on
which were strung thirty-five old pearls, â viz., roundish pearls,
polished pearls and small pearls, â two corals, two lapis lazuli, (one)
talimbam, (one) kunri, corresponding to a value of twelve kasu.
10. For the sacred food (tiru-amirdu),
temple-garlands (tiruppallittamam), oil for the sacred lamps, and other
expenses (arivu), which are required, when (the goddess) Umaparamesvari, who is the consort of our lord Dakshina-Meru-Vitankar, and (the
goddess) Umaparamesvari, who is the consort of our lord Tanjai-Vitankar,
are carried in procession (at) the sacred festival, (she)
deposited money, to be put on to interest. Having agreed to measure from (the
harvest of) the pasan[12]
in the twenty-eighth year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the
moon and the sun endure, three kuruni of paddy per year as interest for
each kasu into the large treasury (bhandara) of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara
(at) Tanjavur with the marakkal called (after) Adavallan,
â the members of the assembly (sabha) of Jananatha-chaturvedimangalam, a brahmadeya in
Mudichchora-nadu, (a subdivision) of
Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to measure every year fifty kalam of paddy
for the two hundred kasu which they have received out of (that money)
11. Having agreed to measure from (the harvest
of) the pasan in the twenty-eighth year (of the kingâs reign),
as long as the moon land the sun endure, three kuruni of paddy per year
as interest for each kasu into the large treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with the
marakkal called (after) Adavallan, â the
members of the assembly of Irumbudal, alias Manukulachulamani-chaturvedimangalam, a
brahmadeya in Avur-kurram, (a
subdivison) of Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to measure every year twenty-five kalam of paddy for the one hundred
kasu, which they have
received.
12. Having agreed to measure from the twenty-ninth
year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the moon and the sun endure, three kuruni of paddy per year as interest for each
kasu into the large
treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with the marakkal
called (after) Adavallan, â the members of the assembly of
Rajasraya-chaturvedimangalam, a brahmadeya in Uraiyur-kurram, (a
subdivision) of Keralantaka-valanadu, have to measure every year one
hundred and twenty-five kalam of paddy for the five hundred kasu,
which they have received.
13. Having agreed to measure from the twenty-ninth
year (of the kingâs reign) three kuruni of paddy per year as
interest for each kasu into the large treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with the
marakkal called (after) Adavallan, â the villagers of Perumilattur in Kirar-kurram, (a subdivision)
of Nittavinoda-valanadu, have to measure every year fifty kalam of paddy
for the two hundred kasu, which they have received.
14. Having agreed to measure from the twenty-ninth
year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the moon and the sun endure, thee kuruni of paddy per year as interest for each
kasu into the large
treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with the marakkal
called (after) Adavallan, â the members of the assembly of
Gandaraditya-chaturvedimangalam in Poygai-nadu, (a subdivision) of
Vadakarai-Rajendra-smha-valanadu, have to measure every year one hundred
and thirty kalam of paddy for the five hundred and twenty kasu,
which they have received out of the money, which (she) had deposited (under
the condition), that every year, as long as the moon and the sun endure,
three kuruni of paddy should be measured as interest for each kasu
into the large treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with
the marakkal called (after) Adavallan for (the requirements
of) the image, which had been set up to Ponmaligaittunjina-devar. (one) kuruni and two
nari of paddy (are required) for (conversion
into) four nari of old rice (to be used) for the sacred food
(tiruvamudu) at both
times (of the day), â two nari of old rice (being used)
each time; four nari of paddy for (one) arakku[13]
of ghee (ney-amudu), â two sevidu and a half (being used)
each time;[14] six mari
of paddy for six dishes of
curry (kari-amudu), â three dishes of curry (being used) each time; (one) nari and (one)
uri of paddy for (one) uri of pulse (paruppu-amudu), â (one) urakku
(being used) each time; (one) nari and (one) uri of
paddy for half a palam of sugar (sarkarai-amudu), â (one) kaisu
(being used) each time;[15]
two nari of paddy for two sevidu and a half of ghee, to prepare
fried curry (porikkari-amudu),â one and a quarter sevidu of ghee
(being used) each time; three nari of paddy for two plantains (varaippara-amudu), â one
(being used) each time; three nari of paddy for (one) nari
of curds (tayir-amudu), â (one) uri (being used) each time; (one)
uri and (one) drakku of paddy for mustard (kadugu), pepper (milagu)
and salt (uppu); four nari of paddy for fire-wood (viragu); and (one)
nari
of paddy for eight areca-nuts (adaikkay-amudu) â four nuts (pakku)
(being used) each time, â and for thirty-two betel-leaves (vellilai-amudu);
â altogether, â including the
old paddy for the boiled rice (ponagam), -[16]
(one) tuni, two
nari, (one) uri and (one) arakku of paddy every day,[17]
one hundred and twenty-nine kalam, two tuni, (one) padakku and
one nari of paddy every year, or, â (including) the excess (erram)
of (one) kuruni and seven nari of paddy, â one hundred and
thirty kalam of paddy.[18]
15. For realizing fifty-one
kasu, -[19]
viz., twenty-six kasu for the sacred cloth[20]
to be worn by this (god),[21]
two kasu for four sacred curtains,[22]
two kasu for four sacred towels (tiruvorradai), two kasu for four
sacred canopies (tiru-merkatti) four kasu for sixteen sacred
cloths on which rice is offered (tiruppavadai), and fifteen kasu
for temple-garlands (tiruppallittamam), at the rate of half an akkam per
day or one hundred and eighty akkam per year, -[23]
twelve akkam being reckoned as one kasu,â (she) deposited
money (under the condition) that, as long as the moon and the sun endure, one
eighth akkam per month should be paid as interest for each kasu.[24]
Having agreed to pay every year from the twenty-ninth year (of the kingâs
reign), as long as the moon and the sun endure, one eighth akkam per
month as interest for each kasu into the treasury of the lord
Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur, â the members of the assembly of
Sri-Viranarayana-chaturvedimangalam, a free village (? Taniyr) in
Rajendrasimha-valanadu, have to pay every year twenty-four and a half kasu
for the one hundred and ninety-six kasu, which they have received out of
(that money).
16. Having agreed to pay every year from the
twenty-ninth year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the moon and the sun
endure, one eighth akkam per month as interest for each kasu into
the treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur, â the members
of the assembly of Sri-Parantaka-Chaturvedimangalam, a free villalge in
Rajendrasimha-valanadu, have to pay every year fourteen kasu for the one
hundred and twelve kasu, which they have received.
17. Having agreed to pay every year from the
twenty-ninth year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the moon and the sum
endure, one eighth akkam per month as interest for each kasu into
the treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur, â the members
of the assembly of Su[la]mangalam, a brahmadeya in Kirar-kurram, (a
subdivision) of Nitta-vinoda-valanadu, have to pay every year twelve and a
half kasu for the one hundred kasu, which they have received.
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18. Pattattalan Achchan Adigal has to pour out
daily (one) urakku of ghee for the thirty-two kasu, which has received out of
the money, which (she) had deposited for (purchasing,) â at the rate of three
sheep for each kasu, â ninety-six sheep, (the milk of) which is
required (for preparing ghee), in order to keep ten twilight lamps
(samdhi-vilakku) burning for this (god),
as long as the moon and the sun endure, at the rate of (one) urakku of
ghee per day.
19. Having agreed to measure from the twenty-ninth
year (of the kingâs reign), as long as the moon and the sun endure,
three kuruni of paddy per year as interest for each kasu into the
large treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajaesvara (at) Tanjavur with the marakkal
called (after) Adavallan, â the villagers of Kundavai-nallur in Karambai-nadu,
(a subdivision) of Nittavnoda-valanadu, have to measure every year one hundred
and thirty kalam of paddy for the five hundred and twenty kasu, which
they have received out of the money, which (she) had deposited (under the
condition), that every year, as long as the moon and the sun endure, three kuruni
of paddy should be measured as interest for each kasu into the large
treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at) Tanjavur with the marakkal called (after) Adavallan for (the requirement of) the image,
which Arvar Parantakan Kundavaiyar, â (who was) the venerable elder
sister of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva (and) the great queen of
Vallavaraiyar Vandyadevar, â had set up to her mother. (one) kuruni and
two nari of paddy (are required) for (conversion into)
four nari of old rice (to be used) for the sacred food (tiru-amurdu)
at both times (of the day, â two nari of old rice (being used)
each time; four nari of paddy for (one) arakku of ghee, â two
sevidu and a half (being used) each time; six nari of paddy
for six dishes of curry, â three dishes of curry (being used) each time;
(one) nari and (one) uri of paddy for (one) uri of
pulse, â (one) urakku (being used) each time; (one) nari
and (one) uri of paddy for half a palam of sugar, â (one) kaisu
(being used) each time; two nari of paddy for two sevidu
and a half of ghee, to prepare fried curry, â one and a quarter sevidu
(being used) each time; (one) nari of paddy for two plantains, â one
(being used) each time; three nari of paddy for (one) nari
of curds, â (one) uri (being used) each time; (one) uri and (one) arakku of paddy for mustard, pepper and salt; four
nari of paddy
for fire-wood; and (one) nari of paddy for eight areca-nut, â
four (nuts being used) each time, â and for thirty-two betel-leaves; â
altogether, â including the old paddy for the boiled rice, â (one) tuni,
two nari, (one) uri and (one) arakku of paddy every day, one
hundred and twenty-nine kalam, two tuni, (one) padakku and one nari
of paddy every year, or, â (including) the excess of (one) kuruni
and seven nari of paddy, â one hundred, â one hundred and thirty kalam
of paddy.
20. For realizing sixty-one
kasu every year,
â viz., thirty-six kasu every year for the sacred cloth to be worn by
this (goddess),[25] two kasu
for four sacred curtains, two kasu for four sacred towels, four kasu
for sixteen sacred cloths on which rice is offered, two kasu for four
sacred canopies, and fifteen kasu for temple-garlands, at the rate of
half an akkam per day or one hundred and eighty akkam per year, â
twelve akkam being reckoned as one kasu, â (she) deposited
money (under the condition) that, as long as the moon and the sun
endure, one eighth akkam per month should be paid as interest for each kasu.
Having agreed to pay every year from the twenty-ninth year (of the kingâs
reign), as long as the moon and the sun endure, one eighth akkam per
month as interest for each kasu into the large treasury of the lord Sri-Rajarajesvara (at)
Tanjavur, â the members of the assembly of
Sri-Parantaka-chaturvedimangalam, a free village in Rajendrasimha-valanadu,
have to pay every year sixty-one kasu for the four hundred and
eighty-eight kasu, which they have received out of (that money).
21. Pattattalan Kaliyan
[Pa]radan (i.e., Bharata) has to pour out daily (one) urakku of ghee for the
thirty-two kasu, which he has received out of the money, which (she)
had deposited for (purchasing), â at the rate of three sheep for each kasu,â
ninety-six sheep, (the milk of) which is required (for preparing ghee),
in order to keep ten twilight lamps burning for this (goddess), as long
as the moon and the sun endure, at the rate of (one) urakku of
ghee per day.
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