Epigraphia Indica Vol 15

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

Page 94

No. 5.]
ANBIL PLATES OF SUNDARA-CHOLA: THE 4TH YEAR.
foot played with the orests of kings; and, while the gironlar earth rejoiced solely in the barrier of his arma, Sosha (the serpent king supporting the earth) bears aloft at ease his "housand heads, being free from the burden ;
(Verse 26) (a son) who quite surpassed Capid in beauty and who received (therefore) the auspicious name Bandara-Chola (i.e., the handsome Cola).
(Verse 27) Also, this king, by his feet (that are the rays) coming in contact with the tops ol multitude of crests of kings (which are the mountains), by making the complete circle of the whole earth deeply attached (raga=(1) attachment, (2) red colour), by dispelling on all sides the ignorance (which is the mass of darkness), by his eminent renown (which is the light) reaching all the quarters, and being the sole cause of delight of Lakshmi (which is the lotus flower), displayed immediately after he was born the splendour of the newly risen sun.
(Verse 28) The elephants of this (king), which have no elophants 38 rivals, play, carossing in sport the female elephants, being relieved from the fatigues of journeying by the breeze that brings a festival of cold, due to the breaking up of long 808-WAV68 coming in contact with it, in the dense forests of the sea-shore, crowded with the palm, the sala, the tamala, the areca-(palm) and the plantain trees and betel (oreeper).
(Verse 29) His elephant never turns back from the battle-field, defeated by the hostile -army and foreaking (its) burthen (i.e., the rider). In his realm has been no man who died of any disease, though he were void of relatives.
(Verse 30) The dust (raised by the army of this king leads the multitude of gods dwelling in the heaven to conjecture thus :-Is it that the circular world has reached the sky through desire to bave a look at the heaven, or else the supportor of the world, wishing to create the world, spreads the clouds of dust (rajas)? or alas! perhaps it is) the expansion of the smoke of the spreading fire of the destruction of the world.
(Verse 31) This (king), whose lotus-like feet are placed upon the crests of kings and whose fame is praiseworthy, has a respected minister named Aniruddha, who is the chief abode of conciliation, and the best of Brāhmaṇas, and who lives at the Brahmana village (agrahara) (called) Prēma.
(Verse 82) He (the minister) is the seat of prosperity, the source of fame, the birthplace of glory, the abode of wisdom, the home of liberality, the natal land of goodness, the pleasure house of devotion towards the lotus-like feet of the husband of Lakshmi (Vishnu), the dwelling of Sruti, the family deity of the multitude of good qualities, a great mansion of right conduct.
(Verse 38) He endowed, for as long as the cosmic age exists, & great feast during the illustrions festival in the month) of Pbálgana, together with a host of requisites, in honour of the illustrious (god) Ranganatha, the appetite of whose majesty, when he was hungry, the fourtees regions, with their mountains, islands, forests and encompassing oceans, did not suffice to satisfy.
(Verse 34) His father was Narayana, the best among the self-controlled, whose fame the OoBans proolaim, just as bis disciples expound his good qualities.
(Verse 35) His mother made an endowment for providing sumptuous meals, supplied with all side-dishes, (served) in a silver vessel, to a learned Brāhmaṇa every day till the world's end, and also a big lamp to Hari (Vishņu) at Srirangam.
(Verse 36) His grandfather was Aniruddha, who maintained the sacred fire and who made a gift of a great midnight offering to the lord of Srirangam.
(Verse 37) His great-grandfather was Ananta (=Vishnu), come to the earth from the Milk Ocean for the purpose of showing hospitality to all Brāhmaṇas, and a shower to the crops which were the optire company of noody supplicants.
1 Apbil, the village where these plates were found, is derived from the base anbu, which is the Tamil equivalent of the Sanskrit word prima.