Current Version: draft, 2024-05-22Z
Editor: Jens Christian Thomas.
DHARMA Identifier: INSTelugu00095
Hand Description:
Alternative identifier:
Origin: Written in 971.
Classification: donative-religious land grant
Languages: Telugu
Corresponding Artefact: ARTTelugu000087 inscription on Government Museum, Madras
Layout: 8 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.
1svasty anēka-samara-saṁghaṭṭanōpalabdha-vijaya-lakṣmī-samāliṁgita-viśāla-vakṣasthaḷa
bhu-
2vana trinētra śrīmad-vaiduṁba-mahārājulu sa 843-n ēṇṭi Aṣada suddha 7 guruvāraṁbugā
bā-
3kanāṇṭi pottepivīṭa dakṣiṇayanasaṁkrāntinimittamm(u)nan aṟtiṟa(v)ula (santimi?)tra
lōkēśvara
4bha(ṭā)ralakuṁ gaḍapa paṇṟeṇṭilōni kāṭiceṟuvulu yicci(ri) dīnikiN va-
5kkraṁbu vaccinavāru bāraṇaśini śrī pa[r]vvataṁbunn aḻisinavāru dīniṁ jēkoni kāci
6kuḍuceḍuvāru maṁjaramuna kucibhaḍā(r)lu bhīmarājunakuṁ jāḍavvari-
7ki dhammavugān icciri Aṇati sirama peggeḍlu dēsarati bhimana vrālu
8śrī Abhinuta vāku
2 843 ◇ 893
s Aṣada ◇ Aṣa(ḍha)
2 guruvāraṁbugā ◇ guruvāraṁbugā(ṁ)
3 aṟtiṟa(v)ula ◇ aṟtiṟēvula — 3 (santimi?)tra ◇ (sannimi)tra
6 kucibhaḍā(r)lu ◇ kucibhaḍālu — 6–7 jāḍavvari/ki ◇ bācavvari/ki
7 dhammavugān ◇ dharmmavugān
Hail! The illustrious Bhuvana Trinētra Vaydumba mahārāja whose breast was embraced by the Goddess of victory obtained in several conflicts of battles, residing at Pottapi in Pāka nāṁḍu made a gift of the village of Kāṭiceruvulu (situated) in (the tract of) Kaḍapa twelve to the God Sannimitra Lōkēśvara of Aṟitiṟēvulu on account of the dakṣināyana saṁkrānti, on this day, the seventh of the bright fortnight of the month of Āṣāḍha in the year Śaka 893. Kucibhaḍālu (a resident) of Maṁjaramu is to protect and enjoy the charity. The grant is made for the merit of Bhīmarāju and Bācavvaru. Siramana Peggaḍa gave the order. Dēsarati Bhīmana wrote (this). Praiseworthy speech! (Śrī Abhinuta vāku).
Svasti! Bhuvana Trinētra, the glorious Vaidumba Mahārāja, whose broad bosom is embraced by the goddess of fortune of war whom he took hold of in numerous battle encounters, gave, while it was Thursday, the 7th, (with) the waxing moon of (the month) Āṣāḍha in the 843rd year (according to) Śaka (calculation), forest ponds (kāṭiceṟuvulu) which are (situated) in “Kaḍapa twelve” to the Lord Santimitra (Śāntimitra?) Lokeśvara of Aṟtiṟavulu on the instance of the transition into the (sun’s) passage to the south in the town of Pottepi of Pākanāṁḍu. Those who have come to overturn this have quasi destroyed Varāṇasi and Śrī Parvata. Kucibhaḍārlu in Maṁjaramu is the one who will have a benefit having respected and protected it. He (Bhuvana Trinētra) gave it as a meritorious gift to Bhīmarāju and Jāḍavvāru. Sirama, the chief (peggeḍlu), is the executor (āṇati). Writing of Dēsarati Bhimana, formulation of Srī Abhinuta.
The donated item is called kāṭiceṟuvulu which literally means ’forest ponds’, and it could well be that it was actual ponds that were given instead of a village of that name, for no village has been identified with that name until now. The town Pottepi seems to be modern Pothapi at the Ceyyēru river while Aṟtiṟavulu, if the identification with modern Attirāla is correct, is situated on the southern bank of the same river just a few kilometers away. To the south of this place there are a lot of ponds and also a forest area wherefore a literal interpretation of the donated item as ’forest ponds’ would match the actual situation. The identification of Aṟtiṟavulu with modern Attirāla would furthermore point against the reading ‹ṟēvu› since the long/ē/ is to be expected to be preserved. The name Aṟtiṟavulu probably means ’Banana-region’. It seems to be the case that while the donation was given to the God, the administration together with an “expense allowance” was assigned to Kucibhaḍārlu (from °bhaṭāralu) and that the earthly donées are Bhīmarāju and Jāḍavvāru (who might have been officials of the respective temple).
The inscription was noted in A. R. No. 7 of 1935-1936 and published by P. B. Desai (1949-1950: pages 67–70, № 12) with a picture and annotations. It was re-edited by K. M. Sastri together with a translation (1969: pages 321–322, № 48).