The Indian Analyst
 

South Indian Inscriptions

 

 

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Table of Contents

Text of the Inscriptions 

Part - I

Part - II

Part - III

Part - IV

Part - V

Other Inscription 

Chola Inscription

Telugu Inscriptions from Andra Pradesh

Pallava Inscriptions

Pandya Inscriptions

Telugu Inscriptions of the Vijayanagara Dynasty

Inscriptions Collected During 1903-1904

Other South-Indian Inscriptions 

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Vol. 4 - 8

Volume 9

Volume 10

Volume 11

Volume 12

Volume 13

Volume 14

Volume 15

Volume 16

Volume 17

Volume 18

Volume 19

Volume 20

Volume 22
Part 1

Volume 22
Part 2

Volume 23

Volume 24

Volume 26

Volume 27

Tiruvarur

Darasuram

Konerirajapuram

Tanjavur

Annual Reports 1935-1944

Annual Reports 1945- 1947

Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Volume 2, Part 2

Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Volume 7, Part 3

Kalachuri-Chedi Era Part 1

Kalachuri-Chedi Era Part 2

Epigraphica Indica

Epigraphia Indica Volume 3

Epigraphia
Indica Volume 4

Epigraphia Indica Volume 6

Epigraphia Indica Volume 7

Epigraphia Indica Volume 8

Epigraphia Indica Volume 27

Epigraphia Indica Volume 29

Epigraphia Indica Volume 30

Epigraphia Indica Volume 31

Epigraphia Indica Volume 32

Paramaras Volume 7, Part 2

Śilāhāras Volume 6, Part 2

Vākāṭakas Volume 5

Early Gupta Inscriptions

Archaeological Links

Archaeological-Survey of India

Pudukkottai

South Indian Inscriptions, Volume 2

Tamil Inscriptions

part - iv

OTHER INSCRIPTIONS OF THE RAJARAJESVARA TEMPLE AT TANJAVUR

No.79 on three pillars of the south enclosure

This inscription records that a native of Nallur alias Panchavanmadevi-chaturvedimangalam in Nallur-Nadu, a district of Nittavinoda-valanadu, set up a copper image of Durga-Paramesvari and presented a number of ornaments to it.

The preservation of the inscription is not very good. The second, third and fourth faces of the first pillar are mutilated. But the missing aksharas have been supplied in the majority of cases from the context.

Translation

Hail! Prosperity! The following copper image,— which had been set up in the temple of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sri-Rajarajesvaramudaiyar until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s reign) by . . . . . . . . . . . . . ni Vadugan, (a native) of Nallur alias Panchavanmadevi – [chaturvedimangalam] in Nallur-nadu, (a subdivision) of Nitta-vinodavalanadu.— was engraved (i.e., recorded) on stone, after (it) had been measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord,[1] after the jewels (given to it) had been weighed without the threads and copper nails by the stone called Dakshina-Meru-Vitankan, and after the gold had been weighed by the stone called Adavallan:-

2. One solid image of Durga-Paramesvari, with four divine arms, (measuring) three quarters (of a muram), four viral and six torai in height from the feet to the hair.

3. On lotus on which this (image) stood, set with jewels, and (measuring) three viral and two torai in height.

4. One pedestal— [having] an auspicious marks (? bhadra[2]), [ten] viral in length, three viral . . . . . . . . . . . in its middle,— on which this (image) stood, (measuring) three fourths (of a muram), four viral and six torai in length, eight viral in breadth and five viral in height.

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5. One solid aureola covering this (image and measuring) three muram and six viral and a half in circumference.

6. To this (image) were given:-

7. One Telugu ear-ring (vaduga-vali) (which) weighed,— inclusive of the gold, and the six pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.) round pearls and roundish pearls, — three quarters (of a karanju) and (which was) worth one kasu and a half.

8. One Telugu ear-ring, (which) weighed,— inclusive of the gold and the six pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) round pearls and roundish pearls,— three quarters (of a karanju) and (which was) worth one kasu and a half.

9. One pearl ornament (muttu-mattirai[3]) weighing . . . . . . . . . . kunri,— inclusive of the gold and [one] pearl, (viz.,) a sappatti strung on (it),— and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu and one-fortieth.

10. One pearl ornament weighing,— inclusive of the [gold] and one pearl, (viz.,) a [sappatti] strung on (it),— a quarter (karanju), and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu and one-fortieth.

11. One pearl ornament weighing,— inclusive of the gold and one pearl, (viz.,) a sappatti strung on (it),— a quarter (karanju), and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu and one-fortieth.

12. One pearl ornament weighing,-inclusive of the gold and one pearl, (viz.,) a sappatti strung on (it),— a quarter (karanju), and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu, and one-fortieth.

13. One panchasari with the two paligai[4] of the middle gold clasp, (each consisting of) five (pieces) soldered into one and each having a single small eye (siru-padugan), weighing six karanju inclusive of the lac and the one hundred and eighty-seven pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) polished pearls, small pearls, crude pearls and sakkattu. (Its) price (was) four kasu.

14. One [girdle (kalavam)],— with the eighty-one pearls in all, (viz.,) round pearls, roundish pearls, polished pearls and small pearls strung on (its) three [strings] and with the two paligai, (each consisting of) three (pieces) soldered into one and (each) having a single eye (padugan),— weighing, inclusive of the lac, two karanju and three quarters, seven manjadi and (one) kunri, and worth two kasu and a half.

15. One (ornamental consisting of a) single string (ekavalli[5]) weighing (one) karanju, four manjadi and (one) kunri, inclusive of the twenty-eight pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) round pearls, roundish pearls, polished pearls and small pearls, and the two talimbam each having a single eye
(padugan). (Its) price (was) one kasu and a half.

16. One ruby marriage badge (tali), having a small sanbangarai[6] of gold, worth three kasu. On (it) were set five diamonds in all, (viz.) kakavrinta and urulai; and one ruby with komalam and kudi. m. (It had) one eye (padugan) and one hook (kokkuvay) round the collar (karai). (Its total) weight including the lac (was) (one) karanju and three manjadi.

17. One pearl bracelet (muttin-sudagam) with balls soldered on a band of gold, weighing four karanju and three quarters and four manjadi, inclusive of one gold pin[7], and the two hundred and fifty pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) crude pearls, sappatti and sakkattu. (Its) price (was) four kasu.

18. One pearl bracelet with balls soldered on a band of gold, weighing four karanju and six manjadi inclusive of one gold pin, land the two hundred and eighty-four pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) crude pearls and pearls in clusters (punjai-muttu[8]) and crude pearls. (Its) price (was) four kasu.

19. One pearl bracelet with balls soldered on a band of gold, weighing five karanju and a quarter, inclusive of one gold pin, and the two hundred and ninety-two pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.) pearls in clusters (punjai-muttu) and crude pearls. (Its) price (was) four kasu and a half.

20. One pearl bracelet with balls soldered on a band of gold, weighing five karanju and a quarter, inclusive of one gold pin, and the two hundred and five pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.) crude pearls and pearls in clusters (punjai-muttu). (Its) price (was) four kasu and a half.

21. One sacred foot-string (tirukkalvadam) with the twenty-seven pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.) round pearls, roundish pearls, crude pearls and sappatti, weighing half a karanju, three manjadi and two tenths[9] and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu and one-fortieth.

22. One sacred foot-string with the thirty pearls in all strung on (it), (viz.,) round pearls, roundish pearls, crude pearls and sappatti, weighing half a karanju, two manjadi and (one) kunri, and worth seven-twentieths of a kasu and one-fortieth.

23. One pair of sacred ear-rings (tirukkambi), (consisting of) two karanju and three quarters and four manjadi of gold.

24. One string of beads for the marriage badge (tali-manivadam), (consisting of) (one) karanju and three manjadi of gold.

25. One sacred girdle (tiruppattigai), (consisting of) two karanju of gold.

26. One pair of sacred foot rings, (consisting of) five karanju and six manjadi of gold.

27. One handle for a flywhisk, (consisting of) nineteen karanju and nine manjadi of gold.

28. One handle for a flywhisk, (consisting of) nineteen karanju and a half and four manjadi of gold.

No. 80. On a pillar of the south enclosure

This inscription records that Prithi[i]vimahadeviyar, a queen Rajarajadeva, set up a copper image of Srikanthamurtigal, and presented some ornaments to it. An endowment in favor of the same image is registered in No. 82 below.

The pillar on which the inscription is engraved is considerably damaged, especially the first face.

Translation

Hail! Prosperity! The following copper image,— which had been set up in the temple of Sri-Rajarajesvaramudaiyar until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s reign) by Prith[I]vimahadeviyar, the consort of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva,— was engraved (i.e., recorded) on stone, after (it) had been measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord and after the gold had been weighed by the stone called [Adavallan]: -

2. One solid image of Srikanthamurtigal with four divine arms comfortably seated and (measuring) three quarters (of a muram) and four viral in height from the feet to the hair.

3. One lotus on which this (image) was seated set with jewels (and measuring) four viral in height.

4. One pedestal (pitha), one cubit and a half and one-eighth in length, three quarters (of a cubit) and four viral and a half in breadth, and six viral and a half in height.

5. One solid aureola covering this (image and measuring) three (cubits) and three-quarters and one viral and a half in circumference.

6. To this (image) were given: -

7. One pair of sacred ear-rings, (consisting of) two karanju and (one) kunri of gold.

8. Two sacred arm-rings, (consisting of) nine karanju and a half of gold – at four karanju and three quarters for each.

9. One sacred arm-ring, (consisting of) four karanju and three quarters and two manjadi of gold.

10. one sacred arm-ring, (consisting of) four karanju and a half and three manjadi of gold.

No. 81. on a pillar of the south enclosure.[10]

This inscription records that the son of an officer of rajarajadeva set up a copper image of the goddess Kala-Pidari. A temple (srikoyil) of this goddess and its sacred court (tiru-murram) at Maganikudi in Venkonkudikkandam, a subdivision of Maranadu alias Rajasraya-valanadu are mentioned in No. 5 above, paragraph 13, and another at Turaiyur in Kir-Palaru, a subdivision of Pachchir-kurram in the same nadu, in paragraph 15 of the same inscription.[11]

Translation

Hail! Prosperity! The (following) copper image, set up in the temple of the lord Sri-Rajarajaesvaramudaiyar until the twenty-ninth year (of the king’s reign) by Kandayan alias Rajaraja-Kattiyaraiyan, son of Kattiyaraiyan, a Perundanam[12] of the lord Sri-Rajarajadeva, was engraved (i.e., recorded) on stone after (it) had been measured by the cubit measure (preserved) in the temple of the lord:-

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2. One solid image of (the goddess) Kala-Pidari with four divine arms, (measuring) sixteen viral in height from the seat reaching up to the hair.

3. One pedestal on which this (image) was seated, (measuring) twenty-two viral and two torai in length, eleven viral in breadth and eight viral and two torai in height.

4. One solid aureola covering this (image and measuring) two cubits and fifteen viral in circumference.


[1] This translation presumes that the expression koilil muzhathal is used for koil muzhuthal. A similar used of the locative for the genitive occurs in kali onetril kanil (above, page 15, paragraph 20) and in irandantharathil muthal (above, page 22, paragraph 3). But it is not unlikely that the locative koilil has to be taken with alanthu, in which case the expression would signify that the weighing and measuring were actually done in the temple.

[2] The word bhadra occurs in two other inscriptions in the description of a pedestal (above, page 223, paragraph 4 and page 225, paragraph 4)

[3] According to Monier Williams’ Sanskrit Dictionary means ‘an ear-ring’

[4] This term occurs also in No. 51, paragraph 13 and N. 56, paragraphs 7 and 9.

[5] Ekavalli is apparently the same as the Sanskrit ekavali (eavali in Prakrit), which occurs in Kalidasa’s Vikramaorvasiya (Bombay edition, page 19). Mr. S. P. Pandit remarks on the word that it “is a long gold or pearl necklace reaching up to the feet, such as is seen on the large statues of gods in the caves of Badami.”

[6] This term does not occur anywhere else in the Tanjore inscriptions.

[7] The terms odani and nilaiyani occur in No. 2 above, paragraph 11.

[8] This term occurs also in No. 44 above, paragraph 9.

[9] The term ma as a fraction of a manjadi means ‘a tenth’ and not as it is commonly used in Tamil ‘a twentieth;’ see page 36 above, note 1. Similarly, the word kani, as a fraction of a manjadi, means ‘a fortieth;’ see above page 65, note 1.

[10] No. 28 of 1897

[11] Four different varieties of the goddess Pidari are known to us from the same epigraph, viz., Punnaitturai-nangai, Poduvagai-ur-udaiyal, Kuduraivattam-udaiyal and Tiruval-udaiyal.

[12] On this term see p. 223 above, note 1; compare also the term siruthanthuperuntharam on p. 224, above, 1. 4 f.

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