Epigraphia Indica Vol 08

Author(s): E Hultzsch
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 21

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. VIII.
capital was the city of Addanki in the country of Pangi, which extended from the eastern slopes of Srigiril to the eastern seal on both sides of the river Kundi (vv. 14 and 15). At an eclipse of the moon on Chaitris in the sake year counted by the mountains (7), the seasons (6) and the sons (12),- in figures 1267,- in the presence of Mândûka-Sambhu, king Véma gave as an agrahdra to several Bråbmaņas the village of Åtuk uru, which was situated on the northern bank of the river Krishna, and which was renamed Vêmapuram after the donor (vv. 17 and 18). After this comes a list of the donees, which is followed by a detailed account of the boundaries of Atakara, - boundaries which were entirely of a temporary nature, and which must have disappeared centuries ago. The inscription ends with the usual imprecatory verses and the signature Sri-Pallava-Trinetra (line 87).
This is the earliest inscription of the Reddi dynasty 49 yet discovered. There is another inscription of Véma at Amaravati, also dated in the Saka year 1267,6 bat in the month of Karttika. The Saka year quoted in the subjoined inscription was the expired and not the current year, and the date of the grant corresponds to Friday, the 18th March A.D. 1345, on which date there was, according to Professor Kielhorn, "a total eclipse of the moon from 18 h. 49 m. to 22 h. 27 m. after mean sunrise, and therefore visible in India." In the Amaravati inscription the corresponding cyclio year is given as Parthiya.
I have not met with the name of Pungi elsewhere and cannot say whether it has anything to do with Ongole, which is a contraction of Vangavóla- the town of Vanga. It would perhaps be more fanciful to derive the word from Påka in Påkanadu. The country of Pungi comprised parts of the modern districts of Kurnool, Nellore and Kistna. The village Åtukůru I identify with Gani -Atukuru-west of Bezvada. Addańki is the well-known village of that name in the Ongole taluks of the Nellore district and is the head-quarters of a Deputy Tahsildar. The river Kundi is the Gundlakamma of the map and is called Brahma Kuņļi and Kundi-Prabha in the Amaravati inscription.
All the accounts hitherto published of the genealogy of the Redại chiefs open with Kômaţi-Prôls. This inscription gives us the name of Prola's father Véma, after whom his illustrious grandson was named. This account is corroborated by the Telugu Harivandam, which was dedicated to Véma, the donor of the present grant. In this book Véma is called indiscriminately V&ma, Komaţi-Vême, Prôlaya-Vêma, or Annama-Vêma. The second and third names are combinations of Véma's own name with those of his father, and the last name he derived from his mother. From the Harivamsam we learn that Prola's wife Anname was the daughter of Dodda, who had three sons, viz. Pôta, Chitta and Någa. Chitta had a son named Nake who is said to have been a very dear friend of Vèma. He is perhaps identical with Nallanunka, who married Véma's daughter Vêmasâni. From the same book we learn that Véma's younger brother Malla took Môţupalli? - from whom it is not stated- and that he was of great help to Véma. The latter statement derives corroboration from the Amaravati inscription already referred to, which says that Véma fixed five golden pots on the top of the temple of Amaresvara for the eternal benefit (punya) of his younger brother Malle-Reddi. Before taking leave of the Harivandam, it may be pointed out that that book mentions only two sons of Vēma, vis. Pota (afterwards called Anapota or Anavõta) and Kômaţi. Anavême, Doddâmbikå and Vêmasåni were apparently not yet born when the Harivansam was composed, and Kômați probably died while yet a boy.
1 Srisailam in the Kurnool district.
The Bay of Bengal. 1.e. the full-moon day in the month of Chaitra. • 1.e. at the Siva temple called Mindake vara. . No. 268 of the Government Epigraphist's collection for 1897. • See above, Vol. III. p. 287, and the genealogical tree published in the Report on Epigraphy for 1899-1900. 1 In the Bapatla talaks of the Kistna district.