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No. 10.]
PITHAPURAM PLATES OF VIRA-CHODA.
95
ABRIDGED TRANSLATION.
(Verse 1) The glorious Hari (Vishnu), the first of the gods, produced from the lotus of his navel Virinchi (Brahmâ), in order to create these three worlds. From him was born, it is said, the great sage Atri; (and) from Atri the Moon, who has taken up his abode on the crest of Mahéévara (Siva).
[Lines 2-60, except verse 15 which is translated below, agree with the Chellar plates of Vira-Choda.]
(V. 15.) "O brave (son)! Take up the burden of the Vongi country which is hereditary in (our) family. Powerful men, though young, are verily fit for their duties."
(V. 22.) Protecting a crore of the poor by granting (them) the objects of (their) desires; those in fear by (his) arm which dispelled the fears of refugees; and the subjects by adhering to his duty, he bears the name Samastabhuvanáéraya (s.e. the refuge of the whole world), which is full of significance.
(V. 23.) Rising from the earth, attaining to great heights, spreading over all quarters, transcending all heavens and reaching still higher worlds, his fame, which destroys (all) evils, far excels the Gangå, which drops from heaven, falls upon this earth (and) takes a still more downward course.
(V. 24.) The king of serpents (Sêsha), having abandoned the toils of the burden of the earth, protects the lower world undisturbed; the whole earth, too, avoiding other, bad rulers, is freed from agitation; and the hosts of gods enjoy the numerous sacrifices of the prosperous twice-born. Thus these three worlds are verily in great glee while this (king) is bearing the burden of the earth..
(V. 25.) While ruling the earth unopposed, he was called (back) by (his) father, the emperor, (who was) desirous of gazing on the beauty of (his) body which was blooming with youth.
(V. 26.) Looking at him, the youth, who, like the (wazing) moon, was day by day acquiring new splendour which gave delight to the eyes, the lord of kings could never satisfy his eyes, but sent (his) son back in the fifth year, in order to conquer the north.
(L. 68.) This asylum of the whole world, the glorious Vishnuvardhana maharajadhiraja, rájaparamésvara, paramabhattáraka, the most pious one, the glorious ViraChôḍadeva, having called together all householders, (vis.) the Rashtrakutas etc. inhabiting the district of Prôlunanḍu, thus issues his commands in the presence of the ministers, the family priest, the commander of the army, the heir-apparent and the door-keepers :
[Vv. 27-32 are in praise of the Brahmana caste.]
(L. 80.) These (Brahmanas) are enumerated with their names and gotras. [Ll. 80-180 contain a list of the donees."]
1 This verse follows verse 15 of the Chellar plates. In these plates it is omitted by the engraver, though required by the context.
This verse follows verse 21 of the Chellar plates.
The attributes given to the fame and to the Gangs admit of a second explanation, suggesting that the former went to heaven and the latter to hell.
The names of 8 donees have been erased, vis, of [Ma]timanbhatta and Mediyabhatta in 1. 99; of Adahiyanbhatta in 1. 111; of Sri-Vasudevabhatta and ért [Rama]nda[ya Jbhatta in 1. 128; of Alavandâubhatta in 1. 164; of Sri-Ra[iga]nathabhatta in 1. 166; and of Prabodhaivapapdita in 1. 177. On the other hand the following 6 donees received 8 extra shares:-Abhiramamurti who was the officiating priest (purohita) of the king (1.80),-1 extra share; Niravadyabhatta who performed the Vajapaya sacrifice (ll. 148-149),-1 extra share; Damodarabbatta (1. 172),-1 extra share; Rajarajabrahmamaharaja who was the commander of the forces (eindpati) (11. 175-176), 8 extra shares; Kumaranarayanabrahmamaharaja (1. 176),-1 extra share; and. Prabodhafiva pandita (L. 177),-1 extra share. The totals of the donees and of the shares, as stated in 11. 181-182 of the text (686 and 646), may be arrived at by adding the 8 erased names to 528 which is the number of donees actually named in the plates, and by adding 8 extra shares to the single shares of the 536 donees.
