No. 106 to 108 Narasingapperumal, Sivayoganathasvamin temples

No. 95 to 97 Abhiramesvara shrine, Chandra sekhara temple, cave at tirumalai

No. 98 to 100 Ujjivanathasvamin, Kharapurisvara, Madhuvanesvara temples

No. 101 to 105 Melaikkoyil, Madhuvanesvara, Adhipurisvara temples

No. 109 to 110 Lakshminarayana-Perumal, Madhuvanesvara temples

No. 106.—  ON THE ROCK AT THE ENTRANCE INTO THE CENTRAL SHRINE OF THE NARASINGAPPERUMAL TEMPLE AT ANAIMALAI[1]

This record which is written in the Vatteluttu character is the only inscription of Parantaka’s reign hitherto found in the vicinity of Madura.  It is dated in his 33 rd year and records a gift by Marudurudaiyan ArunidiKaliyan, an officer of Sola-Perumanadigal (Parantaka I.) to the temple of Narasingapperumanadigal of the sacred Anaimalai (hill).  The temple had to pay 18 ilakkasu every year to the assembly and it had only arranged for the payment of six ilakkasu.  Arunidi Kaliyan apparently agreed to pay the rest himself taking possession of the tank Kaliyaneri which must have belonged to the temple.  He also provided for offerings to the god and the feeding of five Brahmanas, by purchasing two veils of we land under the tank Kaliyaneri.  It was stipulated that the feeding of the Brahmanas was to commence from Friday in the month of Karkataka (of this year) when there was an eclipse of the sun and the nakshatra  was Aslesha.  This incidental mention of the astronomical details helps us to confirm the initial dae of Parantaka I.  (viz., 907 A.D.) already arrived at by Professor Kielhorn from other inscriptions.  According to Mr.  L.D.  Swamikkannu Pillai’s Ephemeris,  A.D. 939, July 19, was a Friday on which the nakshatra Aslesha ended at 80 after mean sunrise.  There was also on this day an eclipse of the sun a 7 hours, 57 minutes after sunrise according to Dr. Robert Schram’s “Eclipses of the Sun in India.”  It was a total eclipse of great importance.  We learn again from the record that ¼ puttakkam was the interest charged on 1 ilakkasu for one month and that each ilakkasu was equal to 7 ½ puttakkam.[2]

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Hail ! Prosperity ! In this, the 33^rd year of (the reign of) king Parakesarivarman, who took Madirai (Madura), (the following) is the deed agreed upon and given by us, the members of the assembly of Narasingamangalam, a brahmadeya  and a devadana included in Kil-Iraniyamuttam, to Marudurudaiyan Arunidi Kaliyan of Marudur in Purangarambai-nadu (a subdivision) of Sola-nadu who was na officer of Solapperumanadigal (i.e., Parantaka I.).  (The temple of) Narasinga-Perumanadigal of the sacred Anaimalai (hill) in our village has to pay to (us) the members of the assembly, eighteen ilakkasu annually on account of the lands belonging to it.  One third of this eighteen kasu in six ilakkasu.  For (realizing) this six ilakkasu fifteen ilakkasu had been deposited on interest in the hands of the members of the assembly.  The interest accruing on the fifteen (ilakkasu) is as follows : —  At (the rate of) one-fourth puttakkam per month on each ilakkasu, there accrues in each month (on the fifteen ilakkasu) three and three-fourths puttakkam  for one ilakkasu (these) forty-five (puttakkam) would give six ilakkasu.  Deducting these six ilakkasu from the taxes (due), the god has (still) to pay 12 kasu to the members of the assembly.  The officer Marudurudaiyan ArunidiKaliyan, having caused to be deducted these 12 kasu  (due to the assembly by the god), (by the virtue of) Urudaiyankulam alias Kaliyaneri.   This tank he shall dig (to any depth) he likes and throw up the embankment to its (full) length ; shall rise the tank bund and collect water in ;this tank to the extent required by him.[3] Marudurudaiyan Arunidi Kaliyan (also) purchased below this tank two veli of wet land[4].  And 300 kalam of paddy (measured) by the annalikkal was got as produce from (these) two veli of wet land under this tank. Receiving the moiety of this (viz.,) 150 (kalam) of paddy, (he arranged that) sacred food shall be offered to this (god) at the three junctures (of the day).  With the remaining 150 (kalam) of paddy (he also arranged that) five Brahmanas (versed in the) Vedas shall beefed with superior food daily, when the god is fed, on the (following) scale laid down: —  for one man two nali  of rice pounded ten or eight times, three vegetables, (one) nali of curd, two sevidu of ghee, two areca-nuts and (two) betel leaves, five plates (talam), five cups (vattil) one ottutti, one ladle (sattuvam).  Five nali of paddy daily (and) one cloth for (every) six months, were (also) provided for one cook.  Thus this feeding should be done.  Commencing from the day when an eclipse of the sun at its least[5] occurred on the (asterism) Aslesha corresponding to a Friday in the month of Karkataka of this year, the supervisor of the temple business (srikaryam), viz., Tiruvayppadi – Narayanan and the members of this village personally arranged thus to conduct this feeding.  We, who look after the business of the (temple) of Narasinga-Peruman of the sacred Anaimalai (hill), and the members of the assembly shall conduct the sumptuous feeding in this wise without failure as long as the sun and the moon (last).  Any of us that fails to do this, whether (he be) a member of the assembly or a supervisor of temple business, when he fails, (shall) pay a daily fine of two kasu to the then reigning king, and with that kasu (collected as fine) a sacred lamp shall be burnt in (the temple) of the god.  If the members of the assembly (as a whole body) fail to do (this), (they) shall pay a fine of six kasu.  (Thus) We, the members of the assembly and the supervisor of the temple business, gave an agreement ot Marudurudaiyan Arunidi Kaliyan.  Even after paying this fine (we), the assembly and the Vaishnavas who supervise the temple business, shall feed the five persons as long as the moon and the sun last without stopping this charity.  He who protects this charity.

No. 107.—  ON THE NORTH WALL OF THE CENTRAL SHRINE IN THE SIVAYOGANATHASVAMIN TEMPLE AT TIRUVISALUR[6]

This inscription records a gift of sheep for a lamp to the temple of Tiruvisalur by a female servant of Kamaniyakkanar.  This lady who was apparently a member of the royal family is not mentioned elsewhere.

Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 3^rd year of (the reign of) Parakesarivarman, who took Madirai (Madura) Isakkanayya – Nangai, one of the servants (parivaram) of Kamaniyakkanar of . . . . . . . . . .. nadu, gave one sacred lamp (to burn) as long as the moon and the sun (last), as a sacred perpetual light, to (the temple of) the god of Tiruvisalur in Amaninarayana-chaturvedimangalam which was a devadana and a brahmadeya  on the north bank (of the Kaveri).  For this (purpose) (she) gave ninety sheep.  (The assembly of) all Mahesvaras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shall protect this.  The sacred feet [of those who protect] (shall be) on (my head).

No. 108.—  ON  A SLAB BUILT INTO THE FLOOR OF THE ADHIPURISVARA TEMPLE AT TIRUVORRIYUR[7]

This inscription is dated in the 34^th year of king Parakesarivarman who took Madura and records the gift of 90 sheep for a lamp to the Siva temple at Tiruvorriyur (Adhipuri), by the chief Maran Paramesvaran alias Sembiyan Soliyavaraiyan of Sirukulattur, on his return from conquering Sitpuli and destroying Nellur.  The mutilated Sanskrit verse at the beginning gives the king the title Virakirti.  This military campaign reveals for the first time the extent to which the sway of the Chola king Parantaka I. extended on the east coast.[8]

The name Sitpuli is Tamil and means ‘the fierce tiger.’  The corresponding Sanskrit equivalent, if any, must end in the word vyaghra.  We do not know of any names of contemporaneous kings of the Telugu country at this period which ended either with vyaghra  or puli.

In the time of Nandivarman Pallavamall, however, there was, according to the Udayendiram plates, a chief named Prithivivyaghra whom Udayachandra drove out of the district of Vishnuraja (i.e., the Eastern Chalukya king Visnuvardhana III.).  It is not impossible that our Sitpuli was a later member of the Nishada family to which Prithivivyaghra belonged. Hail ! Prosperity ! . . . . . . . . .. . . to (the temple of Siva), the enemy of . . . . . . . . . at the prosperous (town) Adhipuri, that Virakirti gave 90[9] goats.  In the 34th year of (the reign of) king Parakesarivarman who took Madirai (Madura), Maran Paramesvaran alias Sembiyan Soliyavaraiyan, a native of Sirukulattur in Poyyir-kurram (a district) of Tenkarai-nadu (which was a division) of Sola-nadu, while returning (from his campaign) after having struck Sitpuli (in battle) anddestroyed Nellur, gave for burning a sacred perpetual lamp to the (god) Mahadeva (Siva) at Tiruvorriyur as long as the moon and stars (last), 96 fat sheep which neither die nor grow old. [1]  No. 63 of 1905. [2]  Puttakkam may be a compound of pudu and akkam.  The latter term occurs in tanjore inscriptions as the equivalent of 1/12 kasu.  If the value of puttakkam and akkam did not change in the interval between the reigns of Parantaka I. and Rajaraja I. the comparative value of ilakkasu  with reference to the kasu  current in the Chola country, could easily be obtained.  The former would in this case be 5/8ths of the latter. [3]  See below, page 392, note 2. [4]  The phrase Ikkulam ithinkizh admits of the interpretation Ikkulathinkizh. [5]  The phrase kurai kiranam must indicate “total eclipse” as appears from the remarks made in the introduction. [6]  No. 29 of 1907. [7]  No. 160 of 1912. [8]  See Madras Epigraphical Report  for 1913, page 94, paragraph 18. [9]  The word navati (90) has been apparently wrongly used to specify the number of goats, which according to the Tamil portion were 96. Home Page

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