Epigraphia Indica Vol 18

Author(s): H Krishna Shastri, Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 80

No. 4.]
KANYAKUMARI INSCRIPTION OF VIRA-RAJENDRA-DEVA.
Vv. 28-35. In this race there was a king named Chōla. To this king, by whom the world was governed as though it was but his capital city, the forests appeared like so many pleasure-gardens. Once upon a time this king, who was resplendent as Hara, was spending his time in sport within the forests inhabited by hosts of sages. At another time he strayed into other forests, with a band of his army, for the purpose of hunting deer; then was he allured by a Rakshasa, who had assumed the shape of a deer, and was beguiled into the southern regions. In the pursuit of this (pseudo-) deer the horse of Chola took him gradually into another forest thickly studded with trees. The commanders of his rapidly marching army, who were prepared to accompany their sovereiga to distant lands, kept pace with his swift horse. Having killed the deer-asura, the king began to march along the bank of the river Kāvēri. It seemed from the sweetness of her water that the river Kaveri was carrying the very ambrosia (amrita) which the Devas churned (with great effort) out of the ocean. After bathing in her water, the king (looked for) Brāhmaṇas but found none in that region. Therefore, he brought a large number of Brahmanas of superior virtues from the Aryavarta and settled them down there (on the banks of the Kāvēri). He cleared the jungle and planted betel-vines and areca trees in large numbers. He created several other kinds of gardens, whereby the country was rendered shady (and cool) and also productive of fruits. People bathe in the river Ganga and do penance in order to obtain svarga; but the bath in the Kaveri and penance on her bank would take those who do them to regions higher than svarga.
V. 36. After him (Chola) his son Rajakēsari, who was bright as the sun and who drove his enemies to the brink of the ocean, ruled the earth.
V. 37...
.. Rājakēsari's son was Parakesari3
V. 38. In this family there shone the king Mrityujit, who conquered Mrityu (Death). He felled the hosts of his enemies, pleased the Devas by the yāgas performed by him and made his foes tremble.
V. 39. The king Virasēna, who removed the sufferings of his subjects, who was resplen dent as the sun, who was the abode of all auspicious qualities and who possessed beautiful limbs, was born in this race.
V. 40. There was born in this dynasty a king named Chitra, whose anger would disappear if his enemies prostrated themselves before him. Being terrified in battle by the arrows of this king, Indra forthwith made friends with him and adopted Vyaghraketu's [i.e. Chitra's] banner of tiger.
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V. 41. Pushpakētu, who by the spell of his prowess playfully drew, towards himself the wealth of all other kings, was born in this family to rule the earth as far as the borders of the
seas.
V. 42. Ketumāla, who shone as bright as the lightning, was born in this race. Having seized the rows of standards (ketu-mala) of other kings he came to be known by the name of Ketumala.
V. 43. In this race was born a king named Samudrajit. He made the eastern ocean join the western one and as a prize for it obtained the hand of the daughter of a king in marriage.6
V. 44. Pañchapa, who delighted in treating guests, belonged to this family.7 Having been requested by five Yakshas, who came to him as guests, he cut open five arteries in his body
1 South-Ind. Insors. Vol. III, p. 394, v. 28 and Ep. Ind. Vol XV, p. 60, v. 12.
and Ibid, p. 395, v. 30.
Ibid, p. 395, v. 36.
Ibid, v. 37.
Kalingattupparani, V. 18.
South-Ind. Inscrs., Vol. III, p. 391, v. 24.
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