South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

A.-INSCRIPTION OF VIJAYA-NANDIVIKRAMA.

This Tamil inscription (No. 278 of 1902) is dated in the 17th year of Vijaya-Nandivikrama, i.e. of the Gaṅga-Pallava king Vijaya-Nandivikramavarman.^[1] It records the gift of a lamp by a concubine of Vâṇakôvaraiyar. This was probably the title of the chief of Vâṇakôppâḍi or Vâṇagappâḍi, a district which according to other inscriptions (No. 40 of 1887-88 and No. 126 of 1900) included Tiruvaṇṇâmalai on the northern bank of the Peṇṇai.^[2] A later Vâṇakôvaraiyar is referred to in an inscription of Kulôttuṅga I.^[3] and another Vâṇakôvaraiyan in one of Kulôttuṅga III. (No. 72 of 1890).

TEXT.

1 Svasti śrî [||*] Kô Vijaiya-vikrama-^[4]Nandivi[k*]kiramarkku yâṇḍu 17âvaḍu(du) Malâṭṭu
2 Kurukkai-kkûrrattu Tirukkôvalûr Tiruvi(vi)[ra]ṭṭânattu-Pperumâḷukku oru-no-
3 ndâ-viḷakku Mâṇikka[t*]târ magaḷâr Kônakkanâr Vâṇakôvaraiyar bôgi-
4 yâr vaitta pon palaṅ-gâśinôḍu uraiy=oppadu 15 la^[5] [|*] i-ppon
5 padinañ-^[6]galañjuṅ=goṇḍu kaḍavôm ivv-ûr nagarattôm [|*] i-ppon-
6 nin paliśaiyâlêy niśadam ulakk=eṇṇai â(a)ṭṭuvôm=ânôm nagarattôm [|*] idu pan- Mâhêśvara-rakshai [||]

TRANSLATION.

(Line 1.) Hail ! Prosperity ! In the 17th year of king Vijaya-Nandivikrama,─ Kônakkanâr, the daughter of Mâṇikkattâr (and) the concubine^[7] of Vâṇakôvaraiyar, gave 15 kalañju of gold, which was equal in fineness to the old kâśu,^[8] (for) one perpetual lamp to (the god) Perumâḷ^[9] of the Tiruvîraṭṭânam (temple) at Tirukkôvalûr in Kurukkai-kûrram, (a subdivision) of Malâḍu.

(L. 4.) We, the citizens of this place, have received these fifteen kalañju of gold.

(L. 5.) Out of the interest of this gold, we, the citizens, shall have to pour out daily one ulakku of oil.

(L. 6.) This (gift is placed under) the protected of all Mâhêśvaras.

B.-INSCRIPTION OF VIJAYA-NRIPATUNGAVIKRAMA.

This Tamil inscription (No. 277 of 1902) is dated in the 21st year of Vijaya-Nṛipatuṅgavikrama,─ the son and successor^[10] of Vijaya-Nandivikrama whose name we have found in the preceding inscription (A.). It records the gift of a lamp by a servant of Veṭṭuvadaraiyar,─ apparently a local chief.

TEXT.

1 Svasti srî [||*] Kô Vijaiya-Nirupatoṅgavikramarkku yâṇḍu 21âvadu Milâ-
2 ṭṭu-Kkurukkai-kkûrrattu Tirukkôvalûr Tiruvi(vî)raṭṭânattu Mahâdêvarkku natnâ(ndâ)-viḷa-
3 kkinukku Veṭṭuvadaraiyarkku arâmuṇṇum Nannan Korran kuḍutta pon
4 12 la^[11] [|*] panniru-kalañjin paliśaiyâlêy iravum pa[ga*]lum oru-nondâ-viḷak-

______________________________
^[1] See above, Vol. VI. p. 321.
^[2] I.e. the Southern Peṇṇaiyâru ; see above, Vol. VI. p. 333.
^[3] South-Ind. Inscr. Vol. III. p. 152.
^[4] Cancel –vikrama-.
^[5] This letter slants towards the right ; it is evidently an abbreviation for kalañju. In an inscription of
Kulôttuṅga I. (above, Vol. V. p. 105, text line 5) I have misread this symbol as pu.
^[6] Read padinaiṅ-.
^[7] Bôgi is used in the sense of bôgini (bhôginî in Sanskṛit).
^[8] This must be the designation of some gold coin ; compare above, Vol. V. p. 106 and note 3.
⁹[This is one of the Tamil names of Vishṇu, but is here applied to Śiva.
^[10]See above, Vol. VI. p. 321.
^[11] See note 5 above.