South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

D.- In the Vêdagirîsvara temple at Tirukkalukkunram.^[1]

1 Svasti srî [||*] Śagalabuvanachchakkaravatt[i]gaḷ Avaniy-âḷa-ppirandâr Kôpperuñ- j[i]ṅgadêvarkku yâṇḍu ^[3]1vadu Kumba-nâyarru pûrvva-pakshattu d[v]it[î]yaiyum Śa-
2 ni-kkilamaiyum perra Uttiraṭṭâdi-nâḷ. “ In the ^[3]1st year of the emperor of the whole world, him who was born to rule the earth, Kôpperuñjiṅgadêva,─ on the day of Uttarabhadrapadâ, which corresponded to a Saturday and to the second tithi of the first fortnight of the month Kumbha.”

According to Professor Kielhorn, who has kindly examined these four dates, “ the first date (A.), of Śaka-Saṁvat 1182 expired and the 18th year current, regularly corresponds to Sunday, the 31st October A.D. 1260, which was the 4th day of the month Vṛiśchika, and on which the tenth tithi of the dark half (of the month Kârttika) ended 6 h. 31 m. after mean sunrise. The second date (B.), of the 7th year, corresponds to Friday, the 30th July A.D. 1249, which was the 3rd day of the month Siṁha, and on which the fourth tithi of the dark half (of the month Śrâvaṇa) ended 9 h. 38 m., and the nakshatra was Râvatî from 3 h. 56 m., after mean sunrise. The third date (C.) is incorrect. The fourth date (D.), of the 31st year, corresponds to Saturday, the 10th February A. D. 1274, which was the 18th day of the month Kumbha, and on which the second tithi of the bright half (of the month Phâlguna) ended 10 h. 46 m., and the nakshatra was Uttar-Bhadrapadâ for 21 h. 1 m., after mean sunrise. The three dates A., B. and D. show that Sakalabhuvanachakravartin Kôpperuñjiṅgadêva must have ascended the throne in A.D. 1243 between, approximately, the 11th February and 30th July.” His reign extended to at least A.D. 1278-79 ; for, as the subjoined list of his inscriptions shows, two of them at Chidambaram are dated in his 36th year. In this list the inscriptions are arranged under different heads according to the manner in which they quote the king’s name and titles.

I. Kôpperuñjiṅgadêva.

1. 20th year : Tiruvottûr, No. 83 of 1900. 2. 22nd year : do. No. 95 of 1900.

II. Sakalabhuvanachakravartigaḷ śrî-Kôpperuñjiṅgadêva.

1. 5th year : Vṛiddhâchalam, No. 134 of 1900.
2. [7]th year : Tiruveṇṇainallûr, No. 320 of 1902.
3. 8th year : Vṛiddhâchalam, No. 135 of 1900.
4. 14th year : Vallam, No. 186 of 1892.^[2]
5. 16th year : Chidambaram, No. 467 of 1902.
6. Do. do. No. 468 of 1902.
7. 18th year : Tiruviḍaimarudûr, No. 135 of 1895.
8. [18th] year : Conjeeveram, No. 38 of 1890.
9. 26th year : Tirukkôvalûr, No. 308 of 1902.
10. 36th year : Chidambaram, No. 455 of 1902.

III. Sakalabhuvanachakravartigaḷ Avaniy-âḷa-ppirandâr Kôpperuñjiṅgadêva.

[3]1st year : Tirukkalukkunram, No. 181 of 1894.

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^[1] No. 181 of 1894.The inscription records the gift of a lamp by the wife of Pañchanedi-Vâṇar alias Nîlagaṅgarayar (l. 3). The same person or a relation of his is mentioned in an inscription of the 28th year of Kulôttuṅga III.; South-Ind. Inscr. Vol. III. p. 84.
^[2] See South-Ind. Inscr. Vol. II. p. 340, note 4.