Epigraphia Indica Vol 03

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 28

No. 3.]
ALAMANDA PLATES OF ANANTAVARMAN.
(V. 26.) Having arranged two dining-weeks (abhyavahấra-vára), (which he called) after his own name, (and) the abundance of which was inexhaustible, Sundare-Pandya, who entertained the desire for pre-eminence, filled the capacious belly of Sârigin, who is the lord of Ranga which even the fourteen worlds had been unable to fill.
(V. 27.) Repeatedly performing the ascending of the scales on every day at the shrine of the lord of Ranga, the Sun among kings would have doubtlessly broken up (Mount) Meru for the sake of its) gold, if (that mountain) had not borne the fish which was the device on his the king's) banner.
(V. 28.) The Sun among kings gave to Sarngin, who reclines on the sandy bank of the daughter of the Kavêra mountain, huge vessels, wrought of gold, which appeared to be so many suns of majesty, taken from the crowd of rival kings by the power of his) arm.
29) Placed along with Lakshmi on the throne (sinh hdsana), which the Sun among kings made out of the conquered thrones, from which he bad thrown by force all kings who would not bow (to him), and gave to the lord of Ranga, (and) which is as lofty as bis own mind,- that (god) resembles a cloud, accompanied by lightning (and) resting on the slope of (Mount) Mêru.
(V.30.) For Hari, who had received the famous name of Hémachohhadanaraja [i.e. of the king who has covered the temple) with gold], for the golden destroyer of snakes (i.e. Garuda), and for the splendid hall (which contained) the couch of the god), - the Sun among kings built three golden domes (vimana), by which the temple of) Sriranga glitters as he (the king) by the three) crowns 6 worn at (his) coronation.
No. 3.- ALAMANDA PLATES OF ANANTAVARMAN.
By E. HULTZSCH, PH.D. This inscription is engraved on three copper-plates of about 7 by 3 inches, which were "found underground while excavating a site near Alamanda in the Spingavarapukota taluka of the Vizagapatam district," and kindly transmitted to me by the Collector, Mr. W. A. Willock, I.C.S. The plates are strung on a plain ring, which had been cut before I received them, and which measures about inch in thickness, and 4 inches in diameter. The weight of the plates is about 1 1 7 oz., and that of the ring about 9 oz., total about 2 mb. The rims of each side of the plates are slightly raised in order to protect the writing, which is in nearly perfect preservation. The alphabet closely resembles that of a copper-plate grant of Dêvêndravarman, the son of the Maharaja Anantavarman, which was published with a facsimile by Dr. Fleet. The language is very incorrect Sanskpit, and is prose throughout, with the exception of two imprecatory verses (lines 24-27).
I have translated dra by 'week,' & meaning which it has in Tamil and Kanarene, as two toeeks (i.e. fourteen days) would better correspond to the fourteen worlds which are referred to in the second half of the verse, than two days. In Sanskrit edra means only a week-day.'
See p. 14 above, note 9.
• In the panegyrical introductions of the Tamil inscriptions of the Pandya kings, it is stated that their banner, the two fishes, fluttered (i... had been planted as a memento of conquest) on Mount Meru. See, e.g., line 4 f. of the Tirupparankunram cave-inscription of Maravarman, alias Sundara-Pandyadeva (Ind. An. Vol. XXI. p. 346) :Por-kiri mél vari-kkayalgal vilaiyáda," while the spotted carps were sporting on the Golden Mountain."
Visbņu, whose body is of dark colour, corresponds to the cloud, Laksbmi to the lightning, and the throne to the golden mountain Meru. Compare verses 9 and 19.
This refers to the crowns of the Pandya, Chola and Chêrs kingdoms. Compare Mammudi.Chóļadēva, the Chola king (who wears) three growns, which was a surname of the great Rajaraja; South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. II. p. 139, note 1, and p. 222, nota 4.
. Ind. Ant. Vol. XVIII. Pp. 143 ff.