South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

2.- In the Nellaiyappar temple at Tinnevelly.^[1]

1 Svasti [śrî] [||*] [Pûvi]n kilatti^[2] …………….. 5 . . . . . . . . . . śrî-kô=Chchaḍaiypan[ma]-
6 r=[â]na Tri[bhuvana]chchakravarttigaḷ śrî-Kulaśêgarad[ê]varkku yâṇḍu padinmu(mû)nrâ[vadi]n edirâm=âṇḍu Mîna-nâyarru nâlân=diyadiyum apara-pakshattu daśa-
7 [miyum] Viyâla-kkilamai[yum] perra Pûr[â]ḍattu nâḷ.

“ In the year opposite to the thirteenth year (of the reign) of the glorious king Jaṭâvarman alias the emperor of the three worlds, the glorious Kulaśêkharadêva,─ on the day of Pûrvâshâḍhâ, which corresponded to a Thursday, and to the tenth tithi of the second fortnight, and to the fourth solar day of the month of Mîna.”

Under No. 1 we found that a date of the 12th opposite to the 13th year, i.e. of the 25th year, of the king’s reign fell in November A.D. 1214. If such was really the case, this date No. 2, of the month of Mîna of the year opposite to the 13th, i.e. of the 14th year, of the same reign, must fall in February-March of either A.D. 1203 or 1024. As a matter of fact, the date is correct for Thursday, the 26th February A.D. 1204. In A.D. 1204 the Mîna-saṁkrânti took place 3 h. 12 m. after mean sunrise of Monday, the 23rd February, which was the first day of the month of Mîna. The fourth day of the month of Mîna therefore was Thursday, the 26th February ; and on this day the 10th tithi of the dark half (of the month Phâlguna) commenced 3 h. 33 m., and the nakshtra was Pûrvâshâḍhâ, by the equal space system for 14 h. 27 m., and according to Garga for 1 h. 58 m., after mean sunrise.

The way in which this date works out proves that the equivalent found for the date No. 1 undoubtedly is the proper equivalent of that date ; and the two dates together shew that the reign of Jaṭâvarman Kulaśêkhara commenced between (approximately) the 27th February and the 29th November A.D. 1190.

B.- MARAVARMAN SUNDARA-PANDYA I.^[3]

3.- In the Nellaiyappar temple at Tinnevelly.^[4]

1 Svasti srî [||*] Śrî-kô Mârapanmar=âna Tribhuvanachchakkaravattigaḷ Śôṇâḍu koṇḍu Muḍikoṇḍaśô-
2 lapurattu vi(vî)râbhishêkam paṇṇiy=aruḷiya śrî-Śundara-Pâ[ṇ]ḍiyadêvarku yâṇḍu padinêlâvadi[n*] br> 3 edirâm=âṇḍi[n*] edi[r]âm=âṇḍu . . . . .
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . yivv-â[ṭ]-
6 ṭai=Ppuraṭṭâdi-mâsattu êlân=diyadiyum deśa[m]iyum T[i]ṅ[ga]ṭ-k[i]lamaiyu[m] perra Uttarâḍattu nâ[ḷ].

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^[1] [It is but right to state that these dates were looked up, transcribed and translated by my First Assistant, Mr. V. Venkayya, and that I have done nothing but checking his transcripts and renderings.─E. H.]
^{[2 ]}See Dr. Hultzsch in Ind. Ant. Vol. XX. p. 288.

“ In the year opposite to the year opposite to the seventeenth year (of the reign) of the glorious king Mâravarman alias the emperor of the three worlds, the glorious Sundara-Pâṇḍyadêva who was pleased to take the Chôḷa country and to perform the anointment of heroes at Muḍikoṇḍaśôlapuram,─ on the day of Uttarâshâḍhâ, which corresponded to a Monday, and to the tenth tithi, and to the seventh solar day of the month of Puraṭṭâdi in this year.”

Between A.D. 1200 and 1300 the only year for which this date would be correct, is 1234. In this year the Kanyâ-saṁkrânti took place 16 h. 3 m. after mean sunrise of Monday, the 28th

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^[1] No. 123 of the Government Epigraphist’s collection for 1894.
^[2] See the larger Tiruppûvaṇam grant.
^[3] I add the numbers ‘ I.’ and ‘ II.’ here and below merely for convenience of reference so far as this list is concerned. There may have been other kings of the same names before those here numbered as I.
^[4] No. 155 of the Government Epigraphist’s collection for 1894.