South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

by way of Jôtishkuḍi, Tirumâliruñjôlai, Kôlikkûḍu (Calicut) and Puṅganûr (in the North Arcot district). The image was kept for “ many days ” at Mêlukôṭe and then removed to Tirumalai (Tirupati in the North Arcot district), where it was worshipped for “ a long time.” In the meanwhile the Muḥammadans had conquered the Pâṇḍya country and, through the influence of Vidyâraṇya, the kingdom of Ânaikkondi (Vijayanagara) had been established. Its king, Harihararâyar (II.), reconquered the Toṇḍai-maṇḍalam. One of his officers, Gôpaṇa-Uḍaiyâr, who resided at Śeñji, took the above mentioned image from Tirumalai to Śiṅgapuram (near Śeñji),^[1] where it was duly worshipped. He advanced with a strong force and defeated the Muḥammadans completely. In Śaka-Saṁvat 1293, the Paridhâvi-saṁvatsara, on the 17th solar day of the month Vaigâśi, he brought back the image of Perumâḷ to Śrîraṅgam and reconsecrated the god and his two consorts. He engraved on the outer portion of the east side of the temple wall (built by) Dharmavarman ^[2] the same verse which has been quoted from the Guruparamparâ, and which reads here as follows :-

The Kôyilolugu further states that Gôpaṇa-Uḍaiyâr granted fifty-two villages to the Raṅganâtha temple, and that both his sovereign, Harihararâyar (II.), and Viruppaṇa-Uḍaiyâr, the son of the latter, performed the tulâpurusha ceremony at the same temple.^[4]

The verse quoted above and another, similar verse make up the subjoined Grantha inscription (No. 55 of 1892), which is engraved on the east wall of the second prâkâra of the Raṅganâtha temple at Śrîraṅgam. The two verses are preceded by a chronogram representing Śaka-Saṁvat 1293^[3] (=A.D. 1371-72). This date implies that the Guruparamparâprabhâva either must be wrong in making Gôpaṇarâyar a contemporary of Vêdântadêśika, or─ what is more probable─ that the alleged birthday of Vêdântadêśika in Kaliyuga 4370, the Śukla-saṁvatsara^[4] (= A.D. 1269-70), is a pure invention. Gôpaṇarâyar is referred to in the inscription as Goppaṇârya (verse 1) and Gôpaṇa (v. 2). His residence (râjadhânî, v. 2) was Cheñchi (v. 1), which is the Sanskṛit form of the Tamil Śeñji, vulgo Gingee, in the South Arcot district.^[7] Añjanâdri^[8] (v. 1) and Vṛishabhagiri (v. 2) are two names of Tirumalai, the hill of Tirupati in the North Arcot district.

Goppaṇa or Goppaṇṇa is known as an officer of Kampaṇa-Uḍaiyar or Kampaṇṇa-Uḍaiyar, the son of Vîra-Bokkaṇa-Uḍaiyar, from an inscription at Achcharapâkkam (No. 250 of 1901)

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^[1] See above, Vol. III. p. 226.
^[2] This mythical king is reported to have built large portions of the Raṅganâtha temple round the central shrine, which existed from times immemorial.
^[3] Read º.
^[4] It is interesting to note that this Tamil work refers to the donations of Sundara-Pâṇḍya, which are described in one of the Raṅganâtha inscriptions (above, Vol. III. p. 7 ff.). The king is said to have defeated the Chêra, the Chôḷa and Vallâ[ḷa]dêva (i.e. the Hoysaḷa king) and to have assumed the title Emmaṇḍalaṅ-goṇḍa-Perumâl, i.e. “ the king who conquered every country.” Having covered a large portion of the temple with gold, he assumed the further title Pon-mêyada-Perumâḷ. i.e. “ the king who covered (the temple) with gold, ” and set up an image of Vishṇu called after this surname. His gifts of gold and jewels are also enumerated. He is said to have spent altogether 18 lakshas of gold coins (pon) in covering the temple with gold, and the same amount in gifts.
^[5] The same year is quoted in the Kôyîlolugu ; see above.
^[6] Op. cit. p. 94.
^[7] Above, Vol. III. p. 226.
^[8] Dr. Kittol’s Kannaḍa-English Dictionary, s. v.