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Vol. III.
Madhura) (vv. 49 to 54); and IV. the information that the previously mentioned village was granted by Venkata II. at the request of Tirumala to a number of Brahmaņas, and a list of their names, etc. (vv. 55-118). The inscription ends with some additional clauses regarding the grant, three verses (124-126) referring to Venkata II., the composer and the engraver, five of the usual imprecatory verses, and the name of the god Sri Venkatesa.
The first part of the inscription opens with invocations of the god Venkatesa (line l), the feet of Rama (verse 1), and the god Vishvaksena (verse 2). The genealogy begins with the Moon (verse 3) and some of his mythical descendants (verse 4). The next verse contains a number of royal names which the composer appears to have introduced in order to connect his patron with certain well-known ancient dynasties. Thus Nanda is the representative of the dynasty which was subverted by the Mauryas; Chaļikka and RÂjanarendra, of the Chalukyas; and Bijjaļêndra, of the Kalachuris. Vira-Hemmalirêya, the lord of Måyåpuri, is probably identical with the Kalachuri king Permadi (Šaka-Samvat 1050). The fourth after Hemmkļi is reported to have been Tâta-Pinnama (verse 6), with whom the regular genealogy begins. The only difficult point in this long list of kings is the relation of Ranga, the father of Venkata II., to his predecessors. Dr. Hultzsch has conclusively shown that the word pårvam, formerly,' in verse 24 of the subjoined inscription refers to Råma II., and that Dr. Oppert's arrangement of the third Vijayanagara dynasty is opposed to facts. One alteration has to be made in Dr. Hultzsch's table ;6 as recognised by Dr. Oppert, Ranga VI. was not the son of Gopala, but the son of China- or Pina-Venkata, and the adopted son of Gopala.? In the annexed genealogical table, the Arabic figures prefixed to names show the order in which the latter are mentioned in the copper-plate grants.
The second of the kings of the accompanying table, Sômidêva, is said to have taken seven forts in a single day from an unnamed enemy (verse 6). Pinnama II. is styled the "lord of the city of Araviti" (verse 7). His son, Bukka, is said to have "firmly established even the kingdom of Saļuva-Nrisimha." From this statement we may conclude that he was the minister of the third king of the second Vijayanagara dynasty, Nộisimha or Narasimha, whose inscriptions are dated in Saka-Samyat 1404 and 1418,and who bore the surname Såļuva. Regarding Bukka's son, Rama I., we learn from two other grants that he took the fort of Avanigiri from Sapada or Sapâta, whose army consisted of seventy thousand horse, drove away Kasappodaya or Kasapudaya, and captured the fort of Kandanavôli. Both Muhammadan historians and European travellers inform us that Rama II. was the powerful minister of the puppet king Sadasiva, the last representative of the second Vijayanagara dynasty, whose sister he took in marriage as we learn from an inscription of Sadasiva.!! Råma II. and his youngest brother Venkatádri lost their lives in the famous battle of Talikota on the 23rd January, A.D. 1565. The second brother, Tirumala I., continues to acknowledge the nominal authority of Sadasiva in four inscriptions near Vêlûr in the North Arcot district, which are dated on the 5th February, A.D. 1567.13 He is said to have transferred the seat of government to Pennakonda in that very
This is the name of the image of Vishnu on the hill of Tirumalai near Tirupati in the Chandragiri taluka of the North Arcot district.
See Dr. Fleet's Kanarere Dynasties, p. 58 f. . Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 153, and Vol. XV. p. 147 f.
Madras Journal of Literature and Science for the year 1881, p. 277, and Ne Sutor Ultra Crepidan, Pp. 28 and 81. $ Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 155.
See the two first quotations in note 4. The words tha t in Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 158, plate ill. b, line 10 f. must be written as on. 8 Ep. Ind. Vol. I. p. 862, note 5. . South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. I. Nos. 116 and 119. 20 Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 129, verses 10 and 11, and foot-notes. "Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 154 f. 12 South-Indian Inori plions, Vol. I. p. 69 f. and Ind. Ant. Vol. XXII p. 136.
