South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

The plates measure almost uniformly 8 inches in length, 2·5 inches in breadth and 1/16 inch in thickness. A circular hole about 9/16 inch in diameter is cut at the centre of the margin at a distance of 3/8 inch from the left side of each plate. The ends of the ring which is about 3 inches in diameter, are soldered into the bottom of a circular seal, 1·6 inch in diameter. The seal bears in relief the following figures. A lotus flower with five petals is carved at the bottom. Above this is a couchant bull with hump. Its head facing the front is placed towards the proper right. Two flywhisks fastened by a double chord are shown on either side of the animal. At the top of the seal and above the animal is a crescent. The ring with the seal weighs 26 tolas. The whole set together with the ring and the seal weighs 80 tolas. Unlike the seal of the Kūram grant no legend is engraved on the present seal.

The charter belongs to a ruler of the Pallava house and the figure of the bull in the above description represents the emblem of the family. From other copper plate records and also coins we know that the bull was the emblem of the Pallavas. This emblem is not clearly visible on the seals of some early copper plate charters of the family. The figure, though somewhat crude, is recognised beyond all doubt for the first time on the seal of the Vilavaṭṭi grant of Siṁhavarman.^[1] We may, however, note one peculiarity. Whereas the bull of the Vilavaṭṭi grant faces the proper left, that of the Kūram grant, the present charter and others of the later period,^[2] faces the proper right. An interesting fact to be observed in regard to the Pallava emblem represented on the seal of the present document is that it is the best of its kind on account of its fine workmanship, surpassing all the rest discovered so far.

The characters are Kannaḍa-Telugu of the early 8th century. The letters are handsomely incised, though uniformity of size is not maintained throughout. In the aspect of their neat and elegant execution, the characters of the present inscription may be compared with those of the Uruvupalli record, though the former are removed from the latter in point of time by over two centuries. The initial i, ē and ai are found in lines 19, 18 and 17 respectively ; and they are noteworthy. The signs for t and n are fairly distinguished, the former, which is fully curved with a loop at the top, being akin to its successor of a late period. The final r and n are used in lines 16 and 21 respectively. The medial short i is made up of a complete circle on the top of the letter ; and this is differentiated from the long one which is shaped like a spiral with a knot towards the left above the same. The final m at the end of a word is changed to anusvāra in many cases ; while in others, when it is not so transformed, it is represented by a peculiar mark which looks like a vertical stroke with a hook at the bottom towards the left. Instances of the anusvāra may be seen in the following words : ayaṁ in line 13 and vishaṁ in line 22. The hooked stroke is illustrated by the following cases : jitam and Pallavānām in line 1, brahmasvam in line 22 and svadattām in line 23. The anusvāra is changed to the appropriate class nasal and involved into sandhi in the following cases : Lōkapālānām=paº in line 3 and śārīran=daṇḍa- in line 20. The subscripts of the letters dh and v are not sometimes distinguished ; e.g., bdha and rvva in line 5.

In regard to orthography, it may be observed that the rule regarding the reduplication of the consonant preceded by r is implicitly obeyed in all cases.^[3]

The language is Sanskrit and the composition for the major part of the record (lines 1-20) is in prose. The statement relating to the executor of the document (ājñāpti) is in verse (lines 20-21). This is followed by the imprecation which is, as usual, in verse (lines 22-25). The text

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^[1] For a description of the seal of the Vilavaṭṭi grant and discussion on the Pallava emblem, see above, Vol. XXIV, pp. 296-97 and plate facing p. 297.
^[2] The photographs of the seals of the Kūram and Taṇḍantōṭṭam plates are published in S. I. I., Vol. XII, plate VII. The seal of the Vēlūrpāḷaiyam plates is published, ibid., Vol. II, plate facing p. 521.
^[3] It may be noted that h in the expression arhati in line 20 is not doubled, since this case is not covered by the rule, achō rahābhyāṁ dvē (Ashṭādhyāyī, VIII-4-46).