Epigraphia Indica Vol 15

Author(s): Sten Konow, F W Thomas
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 71

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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[Vol. xv.
survived him for five years, bereft of a large portion of his kingdom and his promising son ; that, though Kệisbại III defeated Rājāditya in A.D. 947-8, Krishna III may nevertheless bave taken possession of the Topdai-mandalam even in A.D. 945; and, lastly, that Gapdarāditya and Ariñchika succeeded in order Vira-Chola alias Parantaka I. All these statements are based upon the fact that Mr. K. V. Subrahmanya Ayyar has discovered in an inscription that the last regnal year of Parantaka I is the 46th. On reference to the Madras Epigraphist's Annual Report for 1895 and to No. 15, the inscription relied upon by Mr. Subrahmanya Ayyar, we see that the six of forty-six, the number of the regoal year, is enclosed in brackets, clearly showing that the second figure of the regnal year is doubtful. If Krishna had taken possession of the Tondai-mandalam even in A.D. 945, there is no possibility of Rájāditya having traversed the whole of the adversary's country as far as Takkolam. On the other hand, the Solapuram inscription gives the regnal year two coupled with the Saka year 871 as the date of the death of Rājāditya at the hands of Kangara-dēva, and states that the latter entored the Tondai-mandalam only after this melancholy event. The copper-plates generally say such and such a king, having ruled the earth, departed to heaven, which Mr. Ayyar has taken really to be referring to the reign of each of these kings; in many instances, they do not appear to have ruled at all, as I have attempted to show above. I am inclined to believe that Gandarāditya made some efforts to wrest back the Chola kingdom after the death of Kappara-dēva and obtained it once again and ruled for a short time and died; that Arinchika perhaps predeceased his elder brother and never ascended the throne, and that Sundara-Chola alias Parāntaka II succeeded Gandarāditya. We know of no insoription which refers itself to the reign of Ariñchika. If my surmise is correct, the succession took place thus, Parāntaka I, Rājāditya, Gandarādityas and Parantaka II alias Sundara-Chola ; then they become successively Parakosari-, Rājakosari-, Parakösari. and Rajakesari-varman.
Ep. Ind., Vol. XII, p. 124.
Ep. Ind., Vol. VII, pp. 194-195. The record explicitly states: Yandu irandu Saka-varshamennirr. clubatt-onra fakravartti Kamaradona-Vallabha, Rajadittarai erindu Tondaima dalam pugundap-andu," in the year two, the Saks year 871, the year in which the emperor Kappara-dēva-Vallabha, baving fought and killed Räjäditya, entered the Toņdai-inandalam."
Regarding Madhurintakap Gandaridittapar Mr. K. V. Subrahmanys Ayyar states that he "migbt be considered as probable son of Uttama-Choļs," but he doubts this probability in a subsequent sentence thus : " But it may be pointed out that such a view is not tenable, because none of the Chola copper-plates or stone inscriptions whicb give a dynastie account mentions him, and this omission makes it clear that he was not a member of the royal family." The name Madharantakap Gandaráditta år means Gandaradity, a son of Madbarintaks. One of the Tiruvallam inscription states that he was present in the Siva temple at Tikkali-Vallam, and, seeing that the style of the services of the temple had fallen very low, called the authorities to produce the Accounts of the temple before him, clearly evidencing his high social status, as a member of the royal family. Again, he set ap the image of Siva in tho Parasura mēs vara temple at Gudimallam. From there activities of Gandaraditya II we may very well understand that his life was spent in religion. He is certainly identical with the suthor of one of the decades in the Tir visaippa, a collection of verses which were sung in and after the tiine of Rajaraja I, the following passage occurs in his composition:
Kár-ar-sõlai-KKöli-vendap-Raõjaiyarkop kalandav-arkv-in-jol-Kandarādittan
arun-Damil-milai..... which means the rare garland composed of rare Tamil words of everlasting sweetness (prepared) by Gandaraditys, who is the king of Köl (Uraiyur), which is surrounded by gardens on which the clouds rest, Std who is the monarch of Tasjai. The author of this decade of Tirucifaippa was a contemporary of Rajaraja I; and, if he claims to be the king of Uraiyur and Tanjore, it is certain that he claims to belong to the family which held away over those capital cities.