South Indian Inscriptions Volume_3 - Pasupatisvara Temple Inscriptions at Karuvur @ whatisindia.com

South Indian Inscriptions

Volume - III
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Part - I
Inscription at Ukkal
Melpadi
Karuvur
Manimangalam
Tiruvallam
Part - II
Kulottunga-Chola I
Vikrama Chola
Virarajendra I
Kulottunga-Chola III
Part - III
Aditya I
Parantaka I
Gandaraditya
Parantaka II
Uttama-Chola
Parthivendravarman
Aditya II Karikala
Part - IV
copper-plate Tirukkalar
Tiruchchengodu
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

III.- Inscriptions in the Pasupatisvara temple at Karuvur

No. 23 to 26 outside of the second prakara, left & right of entrance

No. 20 south wall of the Pasupatisvara temple

No. 21 to 22 south wall of the shrine of the goddess

No. 23.- On the outside of the second Prakara, right of entrance

This inscription is dated in the 23^rd year of the reign of Tirubhuvanachakravartin Kulottunga-Choladeva, who claims to have conquered Ilam (Ceylon), Madurai (Madura) and Karuvur and to have cut off the head of the Pandya king. The time of this Kulottunga-Chola is settled by an inscription in the Ranganayaka temple at Nellur (Nellore), which couples Saka-Samvat 1119 with the 19^th year of his reign.[1] On the basis of this inscription and of some others which contain elements for astronomical calculation, Professor Kielhorn has shown that the kingâs reign commenced between the 5^th June and 8^th July, A.D. 1178.[2] Kulottunga-Choladeva I. ascended the throne in A.D. 1070,[3] and Kulottunga-Choladeva II. issued the Chellur plates in A.D. 1132.[4] Consequently, the king, to whose reign the present inscription belongs, has to be designated Kulottunga-Choladeva III. In other inscriptions he hears the names Parakesarivarman, Virarajendradeva (II.) and Tribhuvanaviradeva. His latest date is the 39^th year in an unpublished inscription at Chidambaram. Accordingly, he must have been the immediate predecessor of Tirubhuvanachakravartin Rajarajadeva, who ascended the throne about A.D. 1216.[5]

The immediate purpose of the subjoined inscription is to record that the king granted to the Karuvur temple the village of Mannarai and a portion of Keralapalli[6].

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the twenty-third year (of the reign) of the emperor of the three worlds, Sri-Kulottunga-Soladeva, who was pleased to take Ilam, Madurai, the crowned head of the Pandya, and Karuvur, - the emperor of the three world, Koneri[nmai]kondan,[7] (addresses the following order) to the Pujari (devarkanmi), to the overseers of the Sri-Mahesvaras, and to the manager of the temple of Tiruvanilai-Mahadeva at Karuvur alias Mudivalngu-Solapuram, (city) in Vengalanadu, (a district) of Kongu, alias Sola-Kerala-mandalam.

(L. 3.) âWe have given as temple land to (the god) Mahadeva of Tiruvanilai (temple) for the expenses required by this god (the village of) Mannarai, containing fifty veli of land in Kera[la]palli and in Mannarai in Tattaiyur-nadu, (a district) of the same nadu.[8]

(L. 4.) âHaving declared that the land enclosed within the four great boundaries of this village, (including) the grass for the calves, and (the land) enjoyed in full by the great village, should be given to this god as tax-free temple land from the twenty-third (year of our reign), we have ordered (our) revenue officers[9] to enter (it) as such in the account (book).

(L. 6.) âIf this land is (actually) taken possession of, you shall permit (the temple authorities) to take possession (of it) as tax-free temple land and to defray the expenses (of the temple) from (the produce of) these villages from the twenty-third (year of our reign), as determined by Keralan.â[10]

(L. 7.) Written by the royal secretary, Minavan-Muvendavelan. This (is) the writing of Tondaiman. This (is) the writing of Vilinattarayan. This (is) the writing of Varagunarajan. This (is) the writing of Pangalattarayan. This (is) the writing of Valuvarajan.

No. 24.- On the outside of the second Prakara, left of entrance

This inscription is dated in the 25^th year of the reign of Tribhuvanachakravarin Kulottunga-Choladeva (III.), who receives here the same attributes as in No. 23. It records that the villagers of Tevanappalli sold some land to the temple for three kalanju of gold, which a hunter had paid into the temple treasury. This person was a native of Puvaniyam near Punnam in Vengala-nadu, a district of Sola-Kerala-mandalam. Tevanapalli belonged to Tattaiyur-nadu, another district of same mandalam. The land granted was bounded in the east by the village of Nombalur.

Punnam is found on the map of the Coimbatore district, about 6 miles west-nort-west from Maruvur. From inscriptions of Rajaraja I. and Rajendra-Chola I. on the walls of the small deserted temple of Somesvara at Somur near the junction of the Kaveri and Amaravati rivers, 7 miles east of Karuvur, it appears that Tevanappalli was the ancient name of Somur, and that the Somesvara temple belonged to Tirunombalur, a quarter or hamlet of Tevanappalli.

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the twenty-fifth year (of the reign) of the emperor of the three worlds, Sri-Kulottunga-Soladeva, who was pleased to take Ilam, Madurai, the crowned head of the Pandya, and Karuvur, - three kalanju of pure gold, weighed by the gold weight (kasu-kal),[11] were paid into the treasury of the god of the Tiruvanilai (temple), (who is) the lord of Karuvur, alias Mudivalangu-Solapuram, (a city) in Vengala-nadu, (a district) of Sola-Kerala-mandalam, by Velan Kariyan, alias Marudanga-Velan, (one) of the hunters (Vettuvar) of Puvaniyam (near) Punnam, (a village) in the same mandalam (and) in the same nadu.

(L. 3.) We, the villagers of Tevanappalli in tattaiyur-nadu, (a district) of the same mandalam, have received these three kalanju of gold for the use of the village.

(L. 4.) Having received these three kalanju of gold from the sacred hand of the holy Chandesvaradeva, who is the first servant (of Siva),[12] (we) sold as temple land one fortieth (veli), roughly, of land, which bears the name padikappananjey[13] (and) which is watered by the Alodupoyi[l] (channel) of the western fields.

(L. 5.) The boundaries of this (land are) : - The eastern boundary (is) to the west of the site of Nombalur ; the northern boundary (is) to the south of the Vritti ;[14] the western boundar (is) to the east of the branch (channel) which flows towards the south ; and the southern boundary (is) to the north of the field of Anu[kka]-Nambi.

(L. 6.) This one fortieth (veli) of land, enclosed within these four great boundaries, shall belong to this god as temple land, free of taxes (and) to be enjoyed in full.

(L. 7.) We, the villagers, having fixed (?) and received all revenue, taxes, small tolls . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . (and) pounded rice due from this
land, and having given this one fortieth (veli) of land as tax-free temple land, shall not be permitted to waste the good water, but shall use the dirty
water for irrigation.

(L. 8.) Having agreed thus, we, the villagers of Tevanappalli, engraved (it) on stone as tax-free temple land. This god . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

No. 25.-On the north wall of the Pasupatisvara shrine

This inscription contains an order of a king who bore the titles Tribhuvanachakravartin Konerinmaikondan.[15] He granted certain privileges to the artisans (Kanmalar) of the district of Vengala-nadu,- to take effect from the month of Adi of the 15^th year of his reign.

An almost identical duplicate of this inscription (No. 562 of 1893)is engraved on the central shrine of the Goshthisvara temple at Perur near Coimbatore. It differs chiefly in being addressed to the Kanmalar of Southern Kongu (Ten-kongu) and in the kingâs bearing the title Konerimelkondan instead of Konerinmaikondan.

(Line 1.) Hail ! The emperior of the three worlds, the glorious Konerinmaikondan (addresses the following order) to the Kanmalar of Vengala-nadu.

âWe have ordered that, from the month of Adi of the 15^th (year of our reign), at your marriages and funerals, double conches may be blown and drums, etc., beaten, that sandals may be worn (on the way) to places which you have to visit, and that your houses may be covered with plaster. On the authority of this written order (olai), this may be engraved on stone and on copper in (all) places desired by you, so as to last as long as the moon and the sun.â

(L. 5.) This (is) the writing of Viluppadarayan.

No. 26.- On the outside of the second Prakara, left of entrance

This inscription contains an order of a king who bore the title Konerimelkondan. The date of the order was the 438^th (!) day of the 23^rd year of his reign (1. 4). The king granted the village of Andanur, surnamed Vira-Sola-nallur, for the maintenance of the temple servants, whom he had settled in a quarter which was called Vira-Solan-Tirumadaivilagam after his own name, from this designation and from the surname of the village granted, it follows that his actual name was Vira-Chola.

The village of Andanur was bounded in the west by Nelluvayppalli, which is the object of the grant recorded in No. 22 above.

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! Konerimelkondan (addresses the following order) to the Pujaris of the temple of the god of Tiruvanilai at Karuvur.

â(We) have given (the village of) Andanur, alias Vira-Sola-nallur, on the southern bank (of the river) for the maintenance[16] of the ascetics (tapasvin), Siva-Brahmanas, dancing-girls (devar-adiyar), drummers (uvachchar) and servants (nimandakkarar)[17] (performing) various duties, who reside in the Vira-Solan-Tirumadaivilagam[18] which (we) have founded in our name for the temple of this god. (We have granted that we shall not levy the taxes, elavai and ugavai,[19] due from this village. We have given our written order to the effect that (the donees) shall thus enjoy this village as long as the moon and the sun endure, doing all kinds of service of the temple of this god. Let this be engraved on copper and on stone.â

(L. 4.) This (is) the writing of Viladattaraiyan. On the four-hundred-and-thirty-eighth day of the twenty-third year (of the reign).

âthe four great boundaries of this village (are), to the west of the high-road of [K]araittu[r]ai ; the southern boundary (is) to the north of the boundary of Adichchamangalam ; the western boundary (is) to the east of the boundary of Ne[lluv]ayppalli ; and the northern boundary (is)to the south of the river. The land enclosed within the proper four great boundary of Ne[lluv]ayppalli ; and the northern boundary (is) to the south of the river. The land enclosed within the proper four great boundaries we have given for the maintenance of the residents of this Madavilagam.

(L. 6.) âThis (charity is placed under) the protection of all Mahesvaras.â

[1] No. 197 of 1894 ; Ep. Ind. Vol. IV. P. 219.

[2] Ibid. p. 266.

[3] See Professor Kielhornâs calculations, l.c.

[4] Ind. Ant. Vol. XX. P. 285.

[5] See Vol. I. p. 86. An inscription of the 2^nd year of Tirubhuvanachakravartin Rajarajadeva at Tiruvidaimarudur (No. 143 of 1895) mentions an image which had been set up in the 37^th year of âthe great king (periya-devar) Tribhuvanaviradeva.â

[6] The same village is mentioned in a short inscription (No. 68 of 1890) of the 34^th year of Parantaka I. at Somur near Karuvur.

[7] Regarding this title see Vol. II. pp. 110 and 246.

[8] This refers apparently to Vengala-nadu in 1, 2. But No. 24, 1. 3, shows that both Vengala-nadu and Tattaiyur-nadu were independent districts of Sola-Kerala-mandalam.

[9] Varikku kurru seivargal (which occurs also in Vol. II. No. 21, second section, 1. 4) corresponds to variyellar in No. 20, 1. 21.

[10] This is perhaps the name of the person at whose instance the king made the grant.

[11] In the Tanjore inscriptions the same weight is used for weighing jewels ; see Vol. II. p. 35, note 1.

[12] See ibid. p. 73, note 2.

[13] I.e. âthe wet land of the village watchmanâ

[14] I.e., âthe land enjoyed by Brahmanas or other;â compare Vol. I. p. 91, note 7.

[15] See above, p. 44, note 8.

[16] This seems to be the technical meaning of jivana-sesha, which means literally âthe remainder of life.â

[17] See Vol. II. p. 278, note 2.

[18] The term madaivilagam or madavilagam is applied to the quarter in the environs of a temple ; see above, p. 24, note 3.

[19] These two obscure terms occur also in No. 20, 1. 13, and No. 22, 1. 7.

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