South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

off the right bank of the southern branch of the Kāvērī^[1] so that a large volume of water might flow out and the effect of erosion into the soil of Śrīraṅgam, i.e., on the north bank of the Kāvērī, would be minimised. A coarse grass of the penreed type was planted on the left bank. The grass served as a good protection to the boundary on that side. The waters of the Kāvērī were partially dried up along the south bank. Owing to the cutting of the stream^[2] to the right of the Kāvērī, water encroached upon the cultivated fields belonging to the Mahājanas of the village, Chintāmaṇi. They seemed to have raised objection to this step. The Jīyar gave them lands in the Koḷakuṭṭai village in exchange for the lands flooded on account of the cutting of the stream. But the Brāhmaṇas were dissatisfied and appealed to the Chōḷa king. The case was taken up and when questioned by the Chōḷa king about the injustice done to the Brāhmaṇas, the Jīyar, in the course of his arguments justifying his action, is stated to have quoted the Lord’s own words…nnimittakṛitam-pāpamm(pam)=api dharmmāya kalpatē as occurring in the Bhagavad-Gītā.^[3] The Chōḷa was much pleased with this representation and exclaimed that if that was the motive the sin was as valuable as pure gold and approved of his action.^[4]

The Kōyilolugu, a chronicle of the Śrīraṅgam temple, gives with a few differences the details of the same events recorded in the inscription regarding Nalantigal Nārāyaṇa Jīyar, a free translation of which is given below :

‘Every year when the Kāvērī is in spate, the Tirukkuraḷappan-sannidhi used to be submerged under the waters flooding into the temple. In order to avoid this the Jīyar having informed the lord of the region consulted Śrī Sēnāpati Dhurandharar Kandāḍai Tōlappar and excavated a channel to the south of the Kāvērī at the end of the street leading to Punnāga-Tīrtha. The Brāhmaṇas of the village Chintāmaṇi obstructed the operations by lying down across the boundary. The Jīyar told them that it was a sacred service to the Perumāḷ and hence they should not obstruct. But they did not listen to him. The Jīyar looked down upon them. He went on with his work and raised embankments to the channel on both sides after erecting an avenue called aṇi-araṅgan-vāśal. He made his follower Karuṇākaradāsa stand guard at a point of the breach at the south east of Punnāga-Tīrtha and sacrificed him.^[5] To the north he consecrated the Kshudradēvatā (i.e., Śāstā) and the village goddess known as Tiruvaraṅgachchelvi and took similar steps in

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^[1] It may be noted here that the undivided (akhaṇḍa) Kāvērī divides itself into two, just above the town of Śrīraṅgam. The north branch is called Koḷḷiḍam and the south Kāvērī. The present record calls the southern branch ‘Tentirukkāvēri’.
^[2] A Chintāmaṇi-ōḍai is spoken of in the Trichinopoly District Gazetteer, p. 148. But the stream of our record cannot be identified with it because the ōḍai is said to fall into the Koḷḷiḍam and this stream flows to the right of the Kāvērī.
^[3] This is only one half of the verse of which the first letter is missing as the stone is peeled off here ; and the verse is not found in the Bhagavad-Gītā. Evidently the missing letter may be sa or ma yielding the meaning benevolent or done in my (God’s) cause. The following instance of another irregular quotation may be noted : Tirumaṅgai Ālvār raised several structures around the shrine at Śrīraṅgam with the help of many architects. They demanded payments of their dues. Luring them with the prospects of treasure trove on the opposite bank, he took them in a boat across the Kāvērī. He had given secret instruction to the ferrymen to capsize the boats in the middle of the river in justification of which the following stanzas were said to have been quoted by him as the lord’ own words ; “Ētat-kāryyaṁ mahāpāpa-hētukaṁ n=āvamanyatha | Purā Bhagavat=aiv=ōktaṁ sūkshma-dharmam=anuttamam|| Man=nimittam=idam pāpam=api puṇyāya kalpatē | Mām=anādṛitya puṇyam vā api pāpāya kalpatē.||” Vide, Prapannāmṛitam, p. 375.
^[4] Iduvē ninaiv=ānāt indap-pāvam aḍik-kalañju pon perum. The idea of value is conveyed by the word kalañju a standard measure in gold and the word aḍi adds the idea of the fineness of the material and thus the ślāghyatā of the action is indicated.
^[5] The corresponding expression baliy=āga-pārttu as it occurs in Kōyilolugu, is not quite clear. In the other context it indicates that Karuṇākaradāsa was sacrificed. It is highly improbable that the Brāhmaṇas of Chintāmaṇi were sacrificed. And our record too tells a different tale.