South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

27 mānam=anumōdēta vā sa paṁchabhir=api pātakair=upapātakai[ś=cha*] sa[ṁ*]liptō raurav- āksha(ndha)tāmiśchā(sr-ā)di-narakā[ṁ*]ś=chiram=a-
28 nubhavishyati || Ā[rā]māṇāṁ sahasrēṇa taḍāgānāṁ śatēna cha | gavāṁ kōṭi-paradānē ghāṇaka- harttā na su(śu)ddhyati || [6*]^[1]
29 yathā ch=aitad=ēvaṁ tathā śāsana-dātā sva-matama(m=ā)rōpayati | mataṁ mama lavdha- (bdha)-chatu[ḥ]shashṭi-śā(śyā)ma-turaṁgama(m-ā)dhyāsi-vā-
30 dya-prōddāma-ttrakkisa-t[ū]rya^[2]-Āhavanīla-mahāmaṇḍalēsava(śva)ra-śrī-Vijja-rāṇaka-suta- Tṛi(Tri)bhuvananīla-mahāmaṇḍa-
31 lēsva(śva)ra-śrī-Chāmuṁ(mu)ṇḍarājēna^[3] [|*] la(li)khitaṁ śāsanaṁ dhruva-Mammalaiyaḥ- (ya)-svahastēna [|*] yad=atr=ōn-āksharam=adhik-ā- 32 ksharamvā(raṁ vā) tat=sarvvaṁ pramāṇam=iti || ^[4] ||

2. Grant of Vijjala, Śaka 969

This is a set of two plates, each measuring 7·35″ in length, 5·425″ in height, and ·1″ in thickness. They have writing only on the inner side and are strung on a ring, the ends of which are affixed beneath a seal. The counter-sunk surface of the seal bears the figure of a standing deity looking like Vishṇu or the Sun-god. The inscription consists of 30 lines of writing, 14 of which are engraved on the first plate and 16 on the second. The weight of the two plates together with the ring bearing the seal is about 140 tolas.

The characters resemble those in the grant of Chāmuṇḍarāja, edited above. For the two types of ś referred to in connection with the other epigraph, see śavda in line 2 and śayana in line 4. There is close similarity between the two records also in regard to language and orthography and little calls for special remark in these respects. The date of the charter is quoted in the last line (line 30) as the Śaka year 969 (written in figures only) without any other details. But the occasion of the grant is referred to as the Māgha-saṅkrānti in lines 11-12. The grant therefore seems to have been issued on the 22nd January in the year 1048 A.D.^[5]

The record begins with the symbol for Siddham followed by the word svasti and the maṅgala : ‘May there be victory and prosperity.’ But there is no stanza in adoration to any deity as in the record edited above. Then in lines 1-6 Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara Vijjaladēva, also styled Samadhigatāśēsha-pañcha-mahāśabda, is represented as flourishing at Vijayapura. Vijjala is endowed with several other epithets, of which Śaraṇāgata-vajra-pañjara was imitated from the Śilāhāras, although it is found in the records of some other royal families as well. He is also described as ‘the sun that opened the lotus bud which is the illustrious Mōḍha family’. Another of his epithets seems to refer to his success against certain adversaries called Sādhāra, Sēlla and Sahasrabāhu. They appear to have been small local chiefs ; but their identification is uncertain. In the description of Vijjala, there is a stanza in lines 6-7, saying that he was successful against his enemies even when he was the Yuvarāja. The same stanza is found in the Rāshṭrakūta records in the description of Kṛishṇa III (939-67 A.D.) and must have been adopted from the said source. But whom Vijjala served as Yuvarāja cannot be determined.

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^[1] There is a metrical defect in the stanza.
^[2] Sandhi has not been observed here. The word ttrakkisa is difficult to explain.
^[3] Read ºrājasya.
^[4] There are two concentric circles between the double daṇḍas.
^[5] See below, p. 70, note 3.