Epigraphia Indica Vol 27

SR No.: 032581
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1947
Total Pages: 490
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 27 MB

Page 139

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[Vol. XXVII
The Tiruvannāmalai record, i.e., Inscription No. I, which must be ascribed to a date later than A. D. 1243, describes briefly the victories gained by Perunjinga and his son Vēnävutlaiyan. It is clear from this epigraph that most of the victories were won by the son during the lifetime of his father. Vēnāvudaiyan held sway, on behalf of his father, over the highly celebrated Mallai (Mahabalipuram), Mayilai (Mylapore), Kanchi (Conjeeveram), Dandaka-nādu, the well watered Pāli, the region of the river Pennai, Kõval (Tirukkovalūr), and Perugai. He is described as the hero among heroes who worsted the Karnātas (i.e., Hoysalas) of the west and belittled their acquisitions or kingdom in the south, and who had made the Telungas of the north perish in their own quarter'. The worsting of the Hoysaļas, wbich resulted in the curtailment of their possessions in the south, must be taken rather to refer to an independent achievement separate from the conquest of the Chõļas which led to the imprisonment of Rājarāja III at Sēndamangalam. This event must have been accomplished some years later than A. D. 1243, from which date Perunjinga became a crowned king with the title Sakalabhuvanachakravartin. An inscription belonging to the reign of Sakalabhuvanacharavartin Kõpperunjinga found at Vriddhachalam' records the interesting fact that he made a gift of a gold forehead-plate set with jewels, to the god Tiruviudugunramuduiya Nayanār of the place, in order to absolve himself of the sins of killing Kēšava-landanāyaka, Harihara-Dandanayaka, and other Daydunāyakas of the Hoysala king in the battlefield at Perambalur (in the Trichinopoly District) and seizing by force their ladies and treasure. This record thus.brings to light another significant event in the history of Peruņjinga, viz., the battle of Perambalur. It seems to me that this battle might be the same as the one mentioned in the Tiruvannamalai record noted above. The Hoysala contemporary of Peruninga in about A. D. 1253, the date of the Vriddhachalam record, was Vira-Somēśvara, the son and successor of Narasijitha II, whose reign extended from A. D. 1234 to A. D. 1263. Rājarāja III was weak and Vira-Somośvara easily established himself at Kannanūr, called Vikramasingapura, north of Srirangam, near Trichinopoly on the border of the Pandya and Chola countries and built fortifications right along the north bank of the river Kävēri.? Vira-Somośvara, staying in his capital kanpanūr, was keeping watch and ward over his brother-in-law, the Chola Rajaraja lll, and was sending frequently his Mahüprudhūnas, perhaps almost annually to the Chola kingdom after the 16th year (A. D. 1249).
1 There are, however, two recrods dated in his 12th and 10th year's which give him the title Tribhuvana chakravartin instead of Sakalabhuvanachakravartin (Nos. 440 and 439 of 1921.) The former refors also to the 21st year of Rājarāja III.
* No. 73 of 1918.
* Vriddhachalam is called in its inscriptions by other names like Tirumudukurum, Norkuppai, ato. Tiru. ruudukuyram was situated in the Paruvūr-kūrram, & subdivision of Irungo!appali which was a division of Rajendrasimha-valanādu (Nos. 39, 40 and 54 of 1918). A Kalavarāya of Nerkuppai is also known (No. 88 of 1919).
* This ornament was called Avani-Alappirandān and was placed on the image with the chanting of the Sans. krit vorge :
Charuratnamayam pattam Avanyavanasambhavah
didūsa tridatebaya Sri-Vriddhagirivāsine u A similar gift of a forehead-plate, but without jewels, was made for the same god by one of Perujinga's older sons, Solakon, in the 11th year of his reign (No. 80 of 1918).
This suggestion is strengthened by the fact that it was in the lattor part of the reign of Vira-Somēsvara that the southern hold of the Hoysalas got weakened.
.8.1. I., Vol. IV, No. 435. No. 514 of 1918.
Above, Vol. XXIV, p. 162. Soo also Nos. 39 of 1920 and 366 of 1919 dated in the 20th and 22nd years, aud Pudukotta Inscriptions, No. 168. Before the 16th year of Rajaraja III, Narasimha II's ministers figure (Nou. 404, 408 of 1919), and this fact shows that disturbances had already begun and must have culminated in the defeat and imprisonment of Rajaraja III and his subsequent release in A. 1), 1231-2. The presence of the Hoysal kings, with the members of their household, their generals and ministers in the Chola country, is an evidence of the utter reliance placed by the latter on the power and help of the former. See Padukolla Inscriptions, Nos. 183; 73 of 1918, 366, 404 and 408 of 1919, and 39 of 1920.