Page:Epigraphia Indica Vol 8.djvu/24

 Ho. 3.] MADRAS MUSEUM PLATES OP VEMA. 3 kaia-va[lla]bha II Dakshina-Bhdjaraja I Sa[m] grama dbira H Maharajadhiraia ? param&vara || Jayaaimhadeva-nandana || Bavivarmma-maharaja || [6u] Sri [||] 6L. §ri-KulaMkharaddva || [I]varkku yandu nalavadu Kaliyuga-varsham , 4414 idil ningiya 6a 35 l idan mel sell&ninra Magara* nayarru pftryva-pakshattu fikadasiyum 6agi-kki[Ja]m[aiyum] p[e]rra BdSan[i]-na} Tiruvadi[g]ai ndaiyar Tirn[vira]ftanam-ndaiya nayan&r koyil Vana-Kaiyilaya-Ttirn m alai s t ftpi -paryy antama ga timmanja^amum panni [pn]rachcharaoai tirakkallum s[at]ti- 4 y-anil[i]nar Baviva[r]mm8^ma[h]ara[ja]r=ana pernma) Kula$6garad3var 61- Svasti firl 6L.

(Line 3.) (In) the fourth year of this (king), — the Kaliynga year 4414,— the 6a[ka year 12]35 separated from this, 1 — on the day of Rdhini, which corresponded to a Saturday and to the eleventh tithi of the first fortnight of the month Makara current after this (Saka year), — Ravivarma-Mahar&ja alias the lord KulasGkharadeva was pleased to bathe np to the pinnacle the Vana-EAiyilaya-Tirumaiai 1 (in) the temple of the lord of Tiravlrattanam, the god of Tiruvadigai, and to fix the stones which were bulging out. Hail ! Prosperity !

This inscription is engraved on five copper-plates which are deposited in the Madras Museum, and I edit it from ink-impressions kindly furnished to me by Prof. Hultesch. The plates are engraved on both sides, except the first plate which is engraved on one side only. The ring and seal are missing. The letters are bold and legible. The characters are of the old Telugu type. The language is Sanskrit, except the portion describing the boundaries of the village of Atukuru, which is in Telugu.

The inscription opens with an invocation to the boar-incarnation of Vishnu (verse 1), whose feet gave birth to the fourth caste (v. 2). In that caste was born VSmaya, the founder of a family (vamia-kartd, v. 3). To him was born the great hero K6mafi-Prdla (v. 4), whose wife was Annemamba (v. 5). To K6mati-Pr61a, Annemamba bore five sons : — Macha, Vdma, Doddaya, Annaya and Mallaya (v. 6). Of these Vema ruled the earth (v. 8). He was the torrent of a mighty river to the trees which were rebellious neighbouring kings, the full- moon to the water- lilies which were friendly kings, the wind to the cotton which was the mad marine chiefs,* a very Agastya to the ocean which was the Mldohchhas 6 (v. 9), and bore the biruda Bayachekoluganda (v. 10). King Ve'ma restored all the agrahdras of Brahmauas, which had been taken away by the wicked Mldchehha kings from (the time of) king Vlra-Budra of the Xfikati-vamSa (v. 12). King Vema, surnamed Sri-Pallava-TrinGtra, was a bee on the lotus- flowers which were the feet of the preceptor named Ghdderaya-Ganga 8 (v. 13). Vema's 1 Rettore Sakdbdam 1235. • The meaning of this expression if perhaps : ' separately stated along with this (Kaliynga year).' ' J.e. ' the holy mountain of the heavenly Kailisa.' This seems to hs? s been the n*me of the central shrine in the Tiruvirattanam temple. ^ • The reference seems to be to the hill-chiefs whom Vetna vanquished. 1 I.e. the Mn^smmadans. • This person seem* to have been the family Our* of the Reddis. He is referred to in 8rtnstha's Bhitnakhandam and Kdiikha^dam as Ghd^eraya-Bhtmayn-Guru and Ghdrarlya-Bhimeivara, respectively. C Digitized by