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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA Dôrasamudra.[1] Finally, a mutilated inscription in the Raṅganâtha temple at Śrîraṅgam (No. 54 of 1892), dated in A.D. 1233,[2] records a grant by a female relation of Bhujabala-Bhîmakêśava-Daṇḍanâyaka, the great minister (mahâpradhâna) of Pratâpachakravartin Pôśaḷa śrî-Vîra-Nârasiṁhadêva. Among the opponents of Narasiṁha II., the Harihar inscription of A.D. 1224 and the Basarâḷu inscription of A.D. 1234 mention the Kâḍava king and the Pâṇḍya king,[3] and three inscriptions state that “ his valour caused the reduction of the Pâṇḍya sovereignty.”[4] As will appear below (p. 164 and note 3), Kôpperuñjiṅga claimed to belong to the Kâḍava or Pallava family. If he is meant by the expression ‘ Kâḍava king ’ in the Harihar inscription, it would follow that he had come into hostile contact with Narasiṁha II. before the time of the Tiruvêndipuram inscription, perhaps on the occasion of Narasiṁha’s first attack on Śrîraṅgam between A.D. 1222 and 1224. The Pâṇḍya contemporary of Narasiṁha II. was Mâravarman alias Sundara-Pâṇḍya I., who, as shown by Professor Kielhorn,[5] ascended the throne in A.D. 1216. This king boasts on his part to have conquered the Chôḷa country and to have restored it to the Chôḷa king ; and an inscription of his 9th year, i.e. A.D. 1225, is actually found in the Raṅganâtha temple at Śriraṅgam,[6] while we have seen that Narasiṁha II. was marching against Śrîraṅgam in A.D. 1222.
Among the partisans of Kôpperuñjiṅga, the inscription mentions two chiefs named Śôlakôn[7] (l. 5) and Koḷḷi-Śôlakôn (l. 6). Vîragaṅganâḍâlvân and Chînattarayan are stated to have been killed and are called ‘officers of the king.’ Apparently, they were originally in the service of Râjarâja III. and had gone over to Kôpperuñjiṅga. Of special interest is the statement that “ four officers including Parâkramabâhu, the king of Îlam,” were killed. What the author wants to say is perhaps “ Parâkramabâhu and three of his officers.” Îlam is the Tamil name of Ceylon. According to Wijesinha’s Translation of the Mahâvaṁsa (page xxiv. ff.), Parâkramabâhu I. died in A.D. 1197 and Parâkramabâhu II. in A.D. 1275, and neither of them fell in battle. Hence the Parâkramabâhu of this inscription must be different from both ; perhaps he was not a king, but a price of Ceylon. Kôpperuñjiṅga, the person who was responsible for Narasiṁha’s interference in the affairs of the Chôḷa kingdom, is first mentioned in an inscription of the Vṛiddhagirîśvara temple at Vṛiddhâchalam (No. 136 of 1900), the head-quarters of a tâluka in the South Arcot district. This record opens as follows :─
1 (Symbol) Svasti śrîḥ [||*] Tribhuvanachchakravatti- ___________________________ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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