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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. IV.
subdivisions, chiefs of villages, leading persons, officers and employés, so far as they may be concerned with these presents :
(L. 56.) "Be it known to you that, while my glorious and victorious army is encamped at Mélpâți for the purpose of creating livings out of the provinces in the southern region for my dependents, of taking possession of the whole property of the lords of provinces, and of erecting temples of Kalapriya, Gandamårtanda, Krishņēšvara, etc., eight hundred and eighty years of the era of the Saka king having elapeed, on Wednesday, the thirteenth tithi of the dark fortnight of Phålguna of the cyclic) year Kålayukta, - I have granted the village named Kankem, one of the Kalli group of twelve (villages), situated in the district (vishaya) of Karahata, along with the rows of trees in it, the assessment in grain and gold, the flaws in measurement, the inflictions of fate, and all the produce, to Gaganasin, a great ascetic, versed in all Sivasiddhantas, the pupil of the preceptor Isanasiva, who is the head of the establishment of Valkalêśvara in Karaháța and is an emigrant from the Karabijakhêţa group (of villages), for the purpose of providing seats and clothes to all ascetics, as promised on the Kârttikt (i.e. the full-moon tithi of Kârttika),- (the grant) to be respected (ie, not to be interfered with) as long as the moon and the sun endure."
(L. 63.) To the east of this (village) is the river Kanhavanna; to the south, (the village of) [Pêndujrêm; to the west, the village named Adhem; to the north, that same river Kanhavannå. No one should cause obstruction to Gaganasivs while he cultivates the village named Kankêm, defined by these four boundaries, or causes it to be cultivated, enjoys it or causes it to be enjoyed. And he who causes obstructions), will incur all the five great sins; for it is said:
(V. 36.) "He who grants land, dwells in heaven for sixty thousand years ; (but) he who takes it away and he who abets the act, dwell as long in hell."
(V. 37.) “Ramabhadra again and again entreats all future kings that they should from time to time protect this bridge of virtue, which is common to all kings."
(L. 68.) Engraved by Yo[syagma).
.No. 41.- KOTTAYAM PLATE OF VIRA-RAGHAVA.
BY V. VERKAYTA, M.A. The subjoined inscription is engraved on both sides of a single copper-plate which measures 1' 21' in breadth by 4 in height and which is in the possession of the Syrian Christians at Kottayam, the head-quarters of the northernmost division in the Travancore State. The plate bas no scal; but, instead, a conch is engraved about the middle of the left margin of the second side. This inscription has been previously translated by Dr. Gundert. Mr. Kookel Keloo Nair also attempted a version of the grant. In republishing this record at the suggestion of the Editor, I do not wish to be understood as sitting in judgment over the version of such a distinguished scholar as the late lamented Dr. Gundert. But in the light of recent epigraphical researches a few alterations seem to be necessary in the translation, and the historical bearing of the document has also to be reconsidered. It is from these two points that I undertake to republish this inscription. In the translation I have mainly followed Dr. Gandert.
1 Or perban d escendant of the (spiritual) lineage of the matha at) Karnijakbéta.-E. H.)
Madras Journal of Literature and Sciencs, Vol. XII. Part I. p. 118. Dr. Gundert's translation is reprinted in Mr. Logan'. Malabar, Vol. II. Appendix xii. p. cxvii, f.
. Madras Journal, Vol. XXI. pp. 35 to 38.
