Epigraphia Indica Vol 15

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

Page 93

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XV.
(Verse 13) In that family, when the kings beginning with Senni, Killi and (kings) likewise beginning with Karikala had reached the city of the gods (heaven), after ruling the whole earth exclusively, (there) was born the king called Kō-chchengannan, who built temples for the lord of Gauri (Siva) in all the countries. Then Nallaṭikön, the crest-jewel of kings, was born from him (Ko-chchengannan).
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(Verse 14) Then was born Valabha, the splendour of whose lotus-like feet was distinctly (visible) on the crests of kings and whose fire of anger was quenched by the water (tears) flowing from the eyes of the wives of the enemies who were conquered by his arms.
(Verse 15) In his family was born the chief of kings called Srikantha, on whose chest were imprinted marks of saffron from Lakshmi (Sri)'s embracing his neck.
(Vorse 16) There was then the crest-jewel of kings, named Vijayalaya, who had powerful arms and who was the abode of victory in battle.1
(Verse 17) From this king, who bore on his hands the marks of conch (sankha) and wheel (chakra), like the enemy of (the demon) Naraka (his weapons sankha and chakra), aud who possessed unimpeded valour and splendour, was born the king named Rajakēsari, who had great glory and fortune,
(Verse 18) (and) by whom the row of large temples of Siva, as it were banners of his own victories, lofty and unacquainted with defeat (collapse), was built of stone on the two banks of the (river) Kaveri from the Sahya mountain, inhabited by the lordly elephants whose cheeks dripped with (their) temple juice incessantly flowing, even to the ocean (which has) the moon playing on the folds of its big restless waves.
(Verse 19) From (this) Indra among kings was also born king Vira-Chōla for the prosperity of the world, like the moon from the great ocean and like the sun from the Udaya mountain.
(Verse 20) In bim valour had its goal, skill was incarnate, courage had a (steady) hold, goodness found a protector, the earth had good king, poetic art a proper seat, skill in the (fine) arts found a common shelter, and his fame caused astonishment in all quarters.
(Verse 21) This king sportively extirpated the kings who were firmly established and replaced them. He reduced Madura also to a wretched condition and took away the arrogance of the conceited.2
(Verse 22) This same king married the daughter, resembling regal glory incarnate, of the Kerala king, who was also called Paluvēṭṭa-rayar.
(Verse 23) Like unto victory born of prowess and policy, and like the unequalled heaveu, the outcome of sacrifice and sacrificial gifts, a son named Ariñchika, of unequalled fame, was born to these two.
(Verse 24) Like Vishnu, (who married) Lakshmi, the daughter of the ocean, with her beautiful thighs, and like Siva, who bore on his crest Bhagirathi, the daughter of the king of mountains (Parvati), the lord of kings married the blessed woman (Kalyani), a pre-eminent abode of virtue, born of the family of the Vaidumba king, who was a part (incarnate) of Siva.
(Verse 25) To him was born of this (woman) a son, who possessed a multitude of good qualities which belonged to his grandfather and his name as well, and whose two lotus-like
1 There is a pun on the word Vijayalaya.
2 The conquest of the Pandya dominions and the destruction of Madura acquired for him the special title "Madiraikonda" (" who took Madura "), which Vira-Chola, commonly known as Parantaka, generally bore.
It is also possible that this wife of Ariujaya was called Kalyāņi.
The name of his grandfather, as mentioned above, is Vira-Chola, whose other name Parantak appears later on in this record. It is, therefore, a matter for consideration whether Sundara-Chola had the surname Vira-Chōla also in addition to the name Parantaka.