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No. 23.)
CHENDALUR PLATES OF KUMARAVISHNU II.
233
17 rikaram udak-otsargga-purvvam mâtâpitror=&tmanaś=cha punya-yasd-bhivriddbaye
dattavan [1] 18 Vât-khâ(ha)ta-dipa-sikha-chanchala[n] lakshi(kshmi)m=anusmritya sarvrair=ågåmi
nfipatibhidhammaddâyo= 19 numantavyaḥ [ll*] Bahubhir-vvasudha bhukta raja(ja) bhi h*] Sagar-adibhi[b 1]
yasya yasya yada bhů. 20 miss tasya tasya tada phalam (11) Mâkba(gha)-suddha-trayödasy&m likhitam=
idam sandhivigrahaka-fri-Dhana[m]jayêna 21 samvatsara-sata-chatusbțayệš okavinsaty-adhike 400 20 [] [l*] Orio [w'*]
No. 23.-CHENDALUR PLATES OF KUMARAVISHNU II.
BY PROFESSOR E, HULTZSCH, P.D.; HALLE (SAALE). These copper-plates " were found buried in a pot full of paddy husk when a ryot of Chendalûr in the Ongole täluka of the Nellore district was digging his house-site for laying foundation. This was some forty years ago." The plates passed from the ryot to the Karnam of the village, and from the latter to Mr. N. Suryanarayana Rao, District Court Vakil, Nellore, who sent them through Mr. A. Butterworth, I.C.S., to Mr. Venkayya. The subjoined transcript is based on two sets of ink-impressions received from Mr. Venkayya, who also furnished me with the following description of the original :
“ The copper-plates are five in number. The first and last bear writing on the inner side only. The plates have no rims. In the upper and lower borders they are not as broad as in the middle. Their breadth accordingly varies from 8' to 8" The height is throughout 2". At a distance of 1" from the middle of the left margin of each plate is bored a circular hole, s'in diameter; and through these holes passes a circular ring (cut by me for the first time with permission and soldered), 31' in diameter and about thick. Its ends are secured in the base of an almost circular seal, which measures between 17" and 13" in diameter and beara in its middle an indistinct symbol in relief. Around the margin there seems to be a legend which is too much worn to be made out. The total weight of the plates with ring and seal is 95 tolas. The originals have been returned to Mr. Suryanarayana Rao.".
The inscription on the plates is well preserved ; only a few syllables at the end of 11. 2, 3, 4, 12 and 20 are obliterated. The sign of anusvára is so small that its existence on the plate remains doubtful in most cases where the context requires it. A final form of m occurs thrice (11. 28, 29 and 32). The letter t is distinguished from n by a loop; but in a single case (grâméyakunatra, 1. 15) the form with the loop is used for 1. The end of a verse is marked by a double vertical line in three cases (II. 28, 29 and 30), and the end of the inscription by five circles between double lines. Plates i., ii.b, iii.b and iv.b bear on the left margin the numerical symbols 1, 2, 3 and 4, while plate v. is not numbered at all. The language is Sanskpit probe, and four Sanskrit verses sung by Brahman' are quoted in 11. 26-32.
The inscription is an edict issued from Kanchipura (1.1) in the second year of the reign (1. 23) of the Pallava Maharaja Kumaravishņu (II) (1. 14), who was the son of the M.
? Read aripatibhir-ayam-ammad-da yox; compare l. 29 of the Surat plates. ? Read adadhirigrahika.. • Read -chaturtaya ekari intaty.
• The figure 'l' is bardly visible at all, but is secured by the preceding words and by the emp! space between 20' and 6m.
• Expressed by a symbol.
