________________
No. 33.]
RANGANATHA INSCRIPTION OF GOPPANA.
323
by way of Jotishkodi, Tirumaliruñjolai, Kolikkůdu (Calicut) and Punganûr (in the North Arcot district). The image was kept for many days" at Mêlukôte and then removed to Tirumalai (Tirapati in the North Arcot district), where it was worshipped for "a long time." In the meanwhile the Muhammadans had conquered the Pandya country and, through the influence of Vidyaranya, the kingdom of Anaikkondi (Vijayanagara) had been established. Its king, Harihararåyar (II.), reconquered the Toņdai-mandalam. One of his officers, Gópaņa-Udaiyar, who resided at Señji, took the above-mentioned image from Tirumalai to Singapuram (near Señji), where it was duly worshipped. He advanced with a strong force and defeated the Muhammadans completely. In Saka-Samvat 1203, the Paridhavi-samvatsara, on the 17th solar day of the month Vaigasi, he brought back the image of Perumal to Srirangam and reconsecrated the god and his two consorts. He engraved on the outer portion of the east side of the temple wall (built by) Dharmavarman the same verse which has been quoted from the Guruparampard, and which reads here as follows:
पानीयानीलशृङ्गद्युतिरचितजगञ्जनादचनाद्रेस्थेचामाराध्य कंचित्समयमथ निहत्योचनुष्कांस्तुलुष्कान् । लक्ष्मीमाभ्यामुभाभ्यां सह निजनिलये स्थापयबङ्गनाथं
सम्यग्वाँ सपर्यो' कुरुत निजयशोदर्पणो गोपणार्य: ॥
The Köyilolugu farther states that Gopaņa-Udaiyår granted fifty-two villages to the Ranganåtha temple, and that both his sovereign, Harihararayar (II.), and Viruppaņa-Udaiyår, the son of the latter, performed the tulapurusha ceremony at the same temple.
The verge quoted above and another, similar verse make up the subjoined Grantha insoription (No. 55 of 1892), which is engraved on the east wall of the second prakara of the Ranganatha temple at Srirangam. The two verses are preceded by a chronogram representing Śaka-Samvat 12936 (=A.D. 1871-72). This date implies that the Guruparampara prabhapa either must be wrong in making Gôpaņarayar a contemporary of Vedantadesika, or- what is more probable-- that the alleged birthday of Védântadêsika in Kaliyuga 4370, the Sukla-samvatsarg (=A.D. 1269-70), is a pure invention. Gópaqarayar is referred to in the inscription as Goppanarys (verse 1) and Gôpana (v. 2). His residence (rdjadhani, v. 2) was Cheñchi (v. 1). which is the Sanskrit form of the Tamil Señji, vulgo Gingee, in the South Aroot district.7 Añjanadrid (v. 1) and Vfishabhagiri (v. 2) are two names of Tirumalai, the hill of Tirupati in the North Aroot district.
Goppana or Goppanna is known as an officer of Kampaņa-Udaiyar or Kampaņņa-Udaiyar, the son of Vira-Bokkaņa-Udaiyar, from an inscription at Achcharapakkam (No. 250 of 1901)
1 Bee above, Vol. III. p. 226.
* This mythical king is reported to have built large portions of the Ranganatha temple round the central shrine, which existed from times immemorial.
* Read atana.
• It is interesting to note that this Tamil work refers to the donations of Sundara Pandya, which are described in one of the Ranganatha inscriptions (above, Vol. III. p. 7 ff.). The king is said to have defeated the Chêra, the Chals and Valla[la]days ie the Hoyrala king) and to have assumed the title Emmandalas-gonda. Perumal. i.e. et the king who conquered every country." Having covered a large portion of the temple with gold,' he assumed the farther title Pop-mdynda-Perumdt, i.e. "the king who covered the temple) with gold," and set up an image of Vishou called after this sorbame. His gifts of gold and jewels are also enumerated. He is said to have spent altogether 18 takohas of gold coins (pon) in covering the temple with gold, and the same amount in gifts.
. The same year is quoted in the Koyilolugu; see above. & Op. cit. p. 94.
Above, Vol. III. p. 226. • Dr. Kittol's Kannada-English Dictionary, a ..
2 T 2
