South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

Between A.D. 1200 and 1400 the only year for which this date would be correct, is 1321. In this year the Vṛiśchika-saṁkrânti took place 12 h. 48 m. after mean sunrise of Wednesday, the 28th October. The 17th day of the month of Vṛiśchika therefore was Saturday, the 14th November A.D. 1321 ; and on this day the 9th tithi of the dark half (of the month Kârttika) ended 19 h. 50 m., and the nakshatra was Uttara-Phalguni, by the equal space system from 3 h. 17 m., according to Garga from 8 h. 32 m., and by the Brahma-siddhânta from 13 h. 8 m., after mean sunrise.

If this date were one of Mâravarman Kulaśêkhara I., it would fall in either A.D. 1275 or 1276 ; I need hardly say that for both these years it would be incorrect.

29.─In the Bṛihadiśvara temple at Gaṅgaikoṇḍaśôlapuram.^[1]

1 Svasti śriḥ [||*] Kô Mâ ………… vanachchakkaravattigaḷ śrîḥ(śrî)- Kulaśê[gara]dêvarkku yâṇḍu 4vadu Katka(rka)ṭaka-nâyarru pûrvva-pakshattu chatu[r]ddaśiyum Śani-[k]kilamaiyum [p]erra
2 Uttirâḍattu nâḷ.

“ In the 4th year (of the reign) of king Mâ[ravarman alias] the emperor of the three worlds, the glorious Kulaśêkharadêva,─ on the day of Uttarâshâḍhâ, which corresponded to a Saturday and to the fourteenth tithi of the first fortnight of the month of Karkaṭaka.”

If the equivalent obtained under No. 28 for the date of the 8th year is the true equivalent of that date, this date No. 29, of the 4th year of the king’s reign, will in the first instance be expected to fall in A.D. 1317. It actually corresponds to Saturday, the 23rd July A.D. 1317. This day was the 26th of the month of Karkaṭaka ; and on it the 14th tithi of the bright half (of the month Śrâvaṇa) ended 22 h. 22 m., and the nakshatra was Uttarâshâḍhâ, by the equal space system and according to Garga for 15 h. 6 m., and by the Brahma-siddhânta for 8 h. 32 m., after mean sunrise.

I may add that, if this were a date of Mâravarman Kulaśêkhara I., it would fall in either A.D. 1271 or 1272, but that for both these years it would be incorrect.

30.─ In the Bṛihadiśvara temple at Gaṅgaikoṇḍaśôlapuram.^[2]

1 ……. [Kô] Mârapanmar Tribhuvanachchakravattigaḷ śr[î]-Kulaśêgaradêvarku yâ[ṇḍu] 5âvadu S[i]ṁña-nâyarru
2 pûrvva-pakshattu trayôdaśiyum Tiṅga …… yum perra Pûśattu nâḷ.

“ In the 5th year (of the reign) of king Mâravarman (alias) the emperor of the three worlds, the glorious Kulaśêkharadêva,─ on the day of Pushya, which corresponded to a Monday and to the thirteenth tithi of the first fortnight of the month of Siṁha.”

The wording of this date is intrinsically wrong, because during the month of Siṁha the nakshtra on the 13th tithi of the bright half can never be Pushya or any nakshtra near Pushya. The probability is that the month of the date was Mîna ; and actual calculation shews, not only that it was Mîna, but also that the word Pûśattu of the text should be altered to Pûrattu, i.e. that the nakshtra was Pûrva-Phalgunî, not Pushya.

I have no doubt that the proper equivalent of the date is Monday, the 5th March A.D. 1319. This was the 10th day of the month of Mîna ; and on it the 13th tithi of the bright half (of the month Phâlguna) ended 3 h. 54 m. after mean sunrise, and the nakshtra was Pûrva-Phalgunî, by the equal space system during the whole day, according to Garga for 12 h. 29 m., and by the Brahma-siddhânta for 7 h. 53 m., after mean sunrise.

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^[1] No. 75 of the Government Epigraphist’s collection for 1892.
^[2] No. 78 of the Government Epigraphist’s collection for 1892.