Current Version: draft, 2025-01-30Z
Editor: Dániel Balogh.
DHARMA Identifier: INSVengiCalukya00101
Hand Description:
Final consonants use a conspicuous tail. M (e.g. l2) is reduced and simplified; T (e.g. l7), N (e.g. l10) and rare K (l13, l42) are only slightly reduced.
Original punctuation marks are vertical bars, occasionally doubled, often (in Hand 1) with a serif at the top, which may be barely noticeable.
Anusvāra is normally a dot above the right-hand side of the character to which it belongs, but it may also be a circle, and especially from plate 4 onward it may be at headline height to the right of the character to which it belongs. One variant of the ornamental e marker, attached at the bottom left of the body but rising up to headline height on the right of the character, looks identical to the form of r̥ attached to k. The stroke for superscript repha, when combined with an i marker, is a notch in the bottom right of the circle, which may be a mere squiggle if vertical space is limited. There is an instance of rare jh in the ligature jjhi in line 49.
Elegantly calligraphic and extremely neat, with a slightly slanted ductus and fairly small character bodies, but usually large and often ornate vowel markers and subscript characters. Headmarks cup-shaped. Similarly calligraphic and may have been pre-drawn by the same hand, but engraved by a different artisan or in more haste by the same artisan. The lines are thinner and presumably less deep; the execution is cruder and less neat; the individual strokes forming a character are often disconnected; the headmarks are longer horizontals, straight, but with dots at each end. The punctuation daṇḍas in this hand have no serifs.No metadata were provided in the table for this inscription
svasti[.] śrī 2matāṁ sakala-bhuvana-saṁstūyamāna mānavya-sagotrāṇāM hāritī-putrā(ṇā)ṁ kauśik(ī-vara)-prasāda-la-
3bdha-rājyānāṁ mātr̥-gaṇa-paripālitānāṁ svāmi-mahāsena-pādānuddhyātānāṁ bhagavan-nārāyaṇa-
4-prasāda-samāsā◯dita-vara-varāha-lāṁchanekṣaṇa-kṣaṇa-vaśīkr̥tārāti-maṇḍalānām aśvamedhā-
5vabhr̥tha-snāna-pa◯vitrīkr̥ta-vapuṣāṁ calukyānāṁ kulam alaṁkariṣṇoḥ
sa hi bhuva(n)ai(ka-vīrā)-
18(para-nāmā) (gaṇḍara)(gaṇḍa?)(ḥ rājamahendra I)ti vikhyāta-nāmadheyaḥ|
yasya ca
yaś ca śiva Iva śakti-traya-saṁpanno na virūpākṣaḥ| n(ārā)-
25ya⟨ṇa⟩ Iva lakṣmī-vallabho na malināṁgaḥ| brahmeva sāma-(yo)nir nna bahu-mukhaḥ| sura-karīvānavarata-dānārdrīkr̥ta-karo
na
26rajo-bahulaḥ| dhanada Iva dhanī pu¿n?⟨ṇ⟩ya-janeśvaraś ca| jaladhir iva gāṁbhīryya-guṇānvito [’]gādha-satvaś ca| dinakara Iva
sad-vr̥tta-ma-
27(ṇḍala)ḥ| guha Ivāpratihata-(śa)kti(r mme)rur ivālaṁghya-mahimā| śaśīva ku(muda-vana)-dyota(nas
sa sarvva-lokāśraya) -
⎘ plate 3r 28Ity addhā[.] tathā hi
yaś ca
sa sarvva-lo-
33kāśraya-śrī-vi◯ṣṇuvarddhana-mahārājādhirāja-parameśvara-parama-bhaṭṭārakaḥ parama-bra-
34hmaṇyaḥ parama-māheśvaro mātā-pitr̥-pādānudhyātaḥ dakṣiṇa-kaṇḍeṟuvāḍi-viṣaya-ni(vā)-
35sino rāṣṭrakūṭa-pramukhān kuṭuṁbinaḥ mantri-purohita-senāpati-yuvarājādh(yakṣa?)-pra-
36bhr̥tīṁś ca rāja-pu⟨ru⟩(ṣā?)ṁ(s sa?)rvvā(n āhūyet)[th](am āj)[ñ](āpa)yati viditam
astu (va)ḥ
yasya ca
Api ca
yaś ca|
kiñ ca|
yaś ca|
yaś ca bu⟨d⟩dhyā suraguruṁ ca-
52ritena manun tejasā divasakaraṁ sāreṇa meruṁ gāṁbhī⟨r⟩yyeṇāṁbhonidhiṁ kṣamayā kṣamā{ṁ}m
apratihata-śa-
53ktyā śaktidhara⟨ṁ⟩ parākrameṇa cakradharaṁ rūpa-vilāsena makaraketanam ¿atiya?-jñānena śiśirakara-śikhara-
54m adhyayana-pariṇatatayā caturāna⟨na⟩m u¿s?⟨ṣ⟩anasan nītyā{ṁ} sakala-ka⟨⟨(lā?)⟩⟩}va¡t!⟨t⟩(ve?)na pūrṇa-can(d)ram ati(śa) -
⎘ plate 4v 55yya varttate|
tasm(ai) sakala-guṇa-gaṇālaṁkr̥tāya veda-vedāṅga-pāragāya ṣaṭkarmma-niratā(ya s)uca-
56ritābharaṇāpara-nāmadheyāyāmātya-cāmyanaśarmmaṇe samasta-rājya-bhārodvaha(na)-parito(ṣ)(ā?)-
57d uttarāyaṇa-nimittena sarvva-kara-parihāram udaka-pūrvva{ṁ}m agrahārī-kr̥tya sa-grāmaṭikaṁ
penuṁbu-
58lugu nāma grā◯mo [’]smābhir ddatta Iti|
Asya grāmasyāvadhayaḥ pūrvvataḥ|| duggaṟe-
59nipūṇḍi-sī◯maiva s¿i?⟨ī⟩ma|| Āgneyataḥ śaṁkaraṁbu-sīmaiva sīma|| dakṣiṇataḥ (nai)-
60r¿i?⟨r̥⟩tyataś ca ko◯laṁkulūri sīmaiva sīma|| paścimataḥ vāyavyataś ca nammūri
61sīmaiva sīma|| Uttarataḥ ¡Ī!⟨i⟩śānyataś ca koṇḍayūri sīmaiva sīma|| Asyāgrahāra-
62syopari na kenacid bādhā karttavyā[.] yaś ca bādhāṁ karoti sa paṁca-mahā-pātaka-sa(ṁyu)-
63kto bhavati| tathā coktaṁ bhagavatā vyāsena||
yaś ca dharmmaṁ paripālayati sa sva(r)gga-(pha)-
65la-viśeṣa-bhāg bhavati[.] tathā cok+taM||
[rā](ma)bhadreṇāpi dharmmaṁ kr̥tvā tad-(r)a(kṣaṇā)rt(th)aṁ dharmma-pra-
67tipālana-¿ka◯tā? bhāvi(no bhū)pālāḥ prār¡tth!⟨th⟩yante||
Ājñap(t)i⟨ḥ⟩ (ka)ṭa(ka-r)ājaḥ| mādha(va)bhaṭṭasya kāvyaM||
70koṇḍācāryyeṇa likhitaM||
tad-viṣaye r(ā)(jā vākapadra?)-[na]mmūru-nivāsino rāṣṭrakūṭa-pra-
71mukhān kuṭuṁbinas samāhūyettham ājñāpayati| tasmai (svā)mi-kumāraśarmmaṇe sa-harṣam
uttarāya(ṇa)-
72-nimittena| nammūrāgney⟨y⟩ān diśi caturvvi(ṁ)śati-khaṇḍika-kodrava-bīja-vāpa-pramāṇa-kṣetraṁ
(rāja)-(mānena?)
⎘ plate 5v 73(sarvva-ka?)[ra]-(pari?)[hā](ram u?)[daka]-(pūrvva?)[m agrahārīkr̥tyāsmābhir] (dda?)[ttam
iti] (viditam astu?) [va]ḥ||
74(tasya) [kṣe](tra?)-[sīmāna](ś ca?) (pūrvvataḥ) (penuṁbulu?)-(sīmaiva sīmā|) [da](kṣi)[ṇa](taḥ)
[?3×](r?)(i-sīmaiva sīmā|)
75(paścimataḥ) [?3×] (veṁggiśa?)[rmma]-(pa)nnasa| u(tta)[rata](ś ca katevu?)(||)
(Ā)jñaptiḥ kaṭaka-rāja(ḥ|?)
1-5Greetings. The lineage of the majestic Cālukyas—who are of the Mānavya gotra which is praised by the entire world, who are sons of Hāritī, who attained kingship by the grace of Kauśikī’s boon, who are protected by the band of Mothers, who were deliberately appointed (to kingship) by Lord Mahāsena, to whom enemy territories instantaneously submit at the [mere] sight of the superior Boar emblem they have acquired by the grace of the divine Nārāyaṇa, and whose bodies have been hallowed through washing in the purificatory ablutions (avabhr̥tha) of the Aśvamedha sacrifice—of the one [who was] eager to adorn [that lineage],
17-18He, also known as the only hero of the world, renowned by the names Gaṇḍaragaṇḍa [and] Rājamahendra—
21Also, his—
24-28He who is endowed with the three powers (śakti-traya) like Śiva,↓3 but not ugly-eyed {does not have an odd number of eyes}; who is the favourite of Royal Majesty like Nārāyaṇa {the beloved of Lakṣmī}, but not dirty-bodied {dark-skinned}; who is a springhead of conciliation (sāman) like Brahmā {the source of sāman hymns} but not a blabbermouth {many-faced}; whose hand is gentle with gifts like a divine elephant {whose trunk is moist with rut fluid}, but not dominated by passion {covered in dust}; who is both wealthy and an auspicious ruler like Kubera {who is affluent and a lord of virtuous people}; who is both possessed of the quality of profundity and unfathomable in magnanimity like the ocean {which is possessed of the quality of deepness and essentially unplumbable}; whose realm, like the sun’s {orb}, is honest in behaviour {perfectly round}; whose power, like Guha’s {spear}, is irresistible; whose majesty, like Meru’s {hugeness} is inviolable {insurmountable}; who manifests favour (avana) to the dejected (ku-mud) like the moon {which illuminates clusters (vana) of night lotuses (kumuda)}—he is truly [deserving of the epithet] “shelter of all the world (sarva-lokāśraya)”. To explain—
31Also, he is—
32-26That shelter of all the world (sarva-lokāśraya), His Majesty Viṣṇuvardhana, Supreme Lord (parameśvara) of Emperors (mahārājādhirāja), the Supreme Sovereign (parama-bhaṭṭāraka), supremely pious and supreme devotee of Maheśvara, who was deliberately appointed (as heir) by his mother and father, convokes all householders (kuṭumbin)—including foremost the territorial overseers (rāṣṭrakūṭa)—as well as royal agents (rājapuruṣa) such as ministers (mantrin), chaplains (purohita), generals (senāpati), princes (yuvarāja), superintendents (adhyakṣa) and so on, who reside in Southern Kaṇḍeṟuvāḍi district (viṣaya) and commands them as follows. Let it be known to you:
44Also,
45Moreover,
46Furthermore, he—
48In addition,
50Also, he—
51-55Also, he continuously surpasses (Br̥haspati) the guru of the gods in intellect, Manu in conduct, the sun in brilliance, Meru in firmness, the ocean in profundity, the earth in tolerance, (Skanda) the Spear-Bearer in invincible power, (Viṣṇu) the Discus-Bearer in heroism, the Crocodile-Bannered (Kāma) in aesthetic pleasure, the Moon-Crested (Śiva) in ¿transcendental?↓6 wisdom, the Four-Faced (Brahmā) in completeness of learning, Uṣanas in diplomacy (nīti), the full moon in the possession of all arts {moon digits}.
55-58To that Minister (amātya) Cāmyanaśarman,↓7 whose other name is Sucaritābharaṇa (“He whose ornament is good conduct”), who is decorated with the complete host of virtues, who has fully mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas and is engaged in the six duties (of a Brahmin), we [Amma I], being pleased by his shouldering of the burden of the entire kingdom, have on the occasion of the winter solstice given the village Penuṁbulugu along with its hamlets, converted to a Brahmanical holding (agrahāra) by a remission of all taxes, [the donation being] sanctified by (a libation of) water.
58-63The boundaries of that village [are as follows]. To the east, the border is none other than the border of Duggaṟenipūṇḍi. To the southeast, the border is none other than the border of Śaṁkaraṁbu. To the south and southwest, the border is none other than the border of Kolaṁkulūru. To the west and northwest, the border is none other than the border of Nammūru. To the north and northeast, the border is none other than the border of Koṇḍayūru. Let no-one pose an obstacle (to his enjoyment of his rights) over this holding (agrahāra). Whoever poses an obstacle shall be conjoined with the five great sins. So too has the reverend Vyāsa said:
64-65Whoever preserves this establishment (dharma) shall enjoy the special reward of heaven. So too it is said:
66-67Rāmabhadra too, upon creating an establishment (dharma), implores future kings to protect the establishment, ¿in order to?↓8 preserve it:
69-70The executor is the castellan (kaṭaka-rāja). The poetry is Mādhava Bhaṭṭa’s. Written (likhita) by Koṇḍācārya.
70-73In that [same] district, the king convokes all householders (kuṭumbin)—including foremost the territorial overseers (rāṣṭrakūṭa) residing in ¿Vākapadra and?↓9 Nammūru and commands them as follows. To that Master (svāmin) Kumāraśarman↓10 on the occasion of the winter solstice we have with pleasure given a field of an extent [sufficient for sowing] twenty-four khaṇḍikas of kodrava seed by the royal measure in the southeastern direction of Nammūru, ¿converted to a Brahmanical holding (agrahāra) by a remission of all taxes, [the donation being] sanctified by (a libation of) water.?↓11 Let this be known to you.
74-75¿The borders of that field [are as follows].? To the east, the border is none other than the border of ¿Penuṁbulu?.↓12 To the south, the border is none other than the border of [...]. To the west, the pannasa [...] of ¿Veṁgiśarman?. And to the north, ... .
76The executor (ājñapti) is the castellan (kaṭaka-rāja).
The unusual versified genealogy is largely identical to that in the Varaṇaveṇḍi grant of Bhīma II. Stanzas 2 to 5 are verbatim the same as 1 to 4ab of the Varaṇaveṇḍi grant; stanza 6 here is an elaboration of 4cd there; stanza 7 here is identical (down to textual corruption) to 5 there; the two-line stanza 8 is a compressed alternative to the full stanza 6 there; 9 here is almost identical to 7 there; 10 here is a shorter version of 8-9 there; 11 here is identical to 10 there. The introduction of Vijayāditya IV (12 here and 10 there) are different, and after him we come to the reigning Amma I here, while the king list continues there.
Stanza 14 gives the date of Amma I’s coronation. According to the ARIE report, the date of Śaka expired 843 (agni-veda-dviradapati), Vr̥ṣa, Vaiśākha śu 13 (kali-dina), Sunday, Citrā (Tvāṣṭra)-nakṣatra and Siṁha-lagna regularly correspond to 921 AD, April 22nd. As Sampath observes, ‘The tithi and month though not readable has been taken to be śukla-paksha trayodaśī and Vaiśākha respectively. The word kali-dina is not traceable.’ In the bhūtasaṁkhyā date, the first word might instead be abdhi, in which case the year is 844. However, the vestiges now visible in my photos are more in favour if the ARIE’s reading of gni; compare bdha in line 3 and gne in lines 59 and 72. The body of this character looks rather like dh but may well be a g with the legs closed at the bottom; the subscript component is all but destroyed, but is probably too small to be dh. The ARIE reporter presumably worked from the original, which may have been in a better condition at the time. Yet he was not infallible, since his reading dviradapati is almost certainly mistaken. I do not see the thirteenth tithi mentioned by number, and even if kali-dina is based on a correct reading, then I am not aware of this term meaning the thirteenth tithi. A reference to the kali-ahargaṇa system also seems unlikely. The readable parts of the stanza lack a finite verb (or absolutive) of which paṭṭa-bandham is the object. See also the apparatus to lines 18-19.
34This stanza is so far unique in the Veṅgī corpus, but a close variant is recorded by Sircar (number 87 of the land-grant stanzas and attested from an Eastern Gaṅga grant), which as follows: mad-dattaṁ sad-dvijātibhyo pāti ya iha daivikam mac-chiro-mukuṭa-nyastaṁ tasya rājñaḥ pada-dvayam.
Reported in ARIE 1960-1961: page 38, appendix A/1960–61, № 3 with description at ARIE 1960-1961: 14. Edited from inked impressions by M. D. Sampath (1984) without facsimiles, with a summary of the contents but no translation. The present edition by Dániel Balogh is based on photographs taken by myself in 2023 at the Telangana State Archaeology Museum, Hyderabad and photographs of the estampages kept at ASI Mysore, collated with Sampath’s edition. Typographic and other minor errors in Sampath’s edition are not indicated in the apparatus here.
↑1. The text is incorrect here and the intended meaning not quite certain; see the apparatus
to line 10.
↑2. See the apparatus to line 15 about this epithet.
↑3. The reference is to Śiva’s icchā-śakti, jñāna-śakti and kriyā-śakti and to the king’s prabhu-śakti, mantra-śakti and utsāha-śakti.
↑4. The stanza involves some difficult-to-read spots and my interpretation of it requires
emendation, for which see the apparatus to lines 45-46. Nonetheless, I am quite certain
that the message intended by the composer was what I translate, or something very
close to it. Compare stanza 30 of the Kākamrāṇu grant of Bhīma I, yasya śrī-bhavanājiraṁ dvija-pada-prakṣālanāṁbu sphuṭaṁ nityaṁ karddamatāṇ nayaty and stanza 7 of the Ākulamannaṇḍu grant of Bhīma II, yad-gr̥hātithi-pūjāyāṁ pāda-prakṣālanāṁbhasā| Ajiraṁ karddamībhūtaṁ punāty ā saptamaṁ
kulaṁ.
↑5. The most prominent texts on gemmology are the Ratnaparīkṣā of Buddhabhaṭa (or Buddhabhaṭṭa) and the Agastimata. The terms vajra, indranīla, marakata and padmarāga seem, in this order, to be four of the first five among the 16 kinds of gems described
by Buddhabhaṭa, with pearls being the fifth kind of mahā-ratna (Finot 1896: VII), so the composer of this stanza may have been familiar with the work.
↑6. See the apparatus to line 53.
↑7. The name involves a dental n here, but a retroflex ṇ above.
↑8. See the apparatus to line 53.
↑9. This reading is very uncertain; see the apparatus to line 70.
↑10. The wording implies that this Kumāraśarman should have been introduced before, but
he is not mentioned in the primary grant and his relationship, if any, to Cāmyaṇa
remains unclear.
↑11. This part of the text is a largely conjectural restoration. See the apparatus to line
73.
↑12. There may be a different name or word here; see the apparatus to line 74.