North Indian Inscriptions

RANGANATHA INSCRIPTION OF SUNDARA-PANDYA.

TRANSLATION.

Hari. Ôm. Hail ! Prosperity !

......(Verse 1.) Having caused to long for the other world (i.e. to set or die) that Moon of the Karṇâta (country), by whom this lotus-pond⁷ of Śrîraṅga had been reduced to a pitiable state, (and) re-instating in this (lotus-pond of Śrîraṅga) (the goddess) Lakshmî, who is worshipped in the three worlds,— king Sundara-Pâṇḍya rose full of brilliancy,⁸ (like) the Sun.

......(V. 2.) The king who was the Mahêndra of the glorious (city of) Madhurâ, built for the lord of Raṅga a shrine (âlaya) with the gold which (he) had given by frequently performing the ascending of the scales.⁹ The mass of its rays, red like fresh roses, appears to be the dawn which indicates perpetually the rise of the bright moon of (the king’s) fame from the mountain of his (the god’s) raised arms.¹⁰

......(V. 3.) Having covered with gold the shrine (vimâna) of Hari (Vishṇu) at Raṅga, the Sun among kings placed in it (an image of) the highest being (parama-puṁs),— which consisted of gold to the tips of the nails, (and which he called) after that name of his, which had arisen out of that great work,¹¹— just as the Yôgin (places the highest being) in (his) pure mind.

......(V. 4.) The Sun among kings gave to Śârṅgin (Vishṇu), who resides at Raṅga, a garland of emeralds,¹² which (he) had taken from the treasure of the Kâṭhaka king, (and) which, clinging
__________________________________________________________________________________________

......⁷ The day-lotus (padma) is supposed to close its flowers at night and to be the residence of Lakshmî.
......⁸ Literally, ‘obtained a rise which was steaming with brilliancy.’
......⁹ Here, and in verse 27, tulâdhirôha is used for tulâpurusha or tulâbhâra, “the gift of as much gold as equals the weight of the one’s body.” An account of this ceremony, as performed by the Maharaja of Travanoore on the 29th April 1892, is given in the “Madras Mail” of the 3rd May 1892.
......¹⁰ A reference to verse 10 suggests that the “raised arms” are those of Vishṇu in his Narasiṁha incarnation who is treating the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. Both verses 2 and 10 appear to refer to the building of one and the same shrine.
......¹¹ viz. out of the covering of the shrine with gold. Compare verse 30.
......¹² This gift appears to have induced the king to adopt the curious surname ‘emerald-king,’ which ocean is verse 13.