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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[Vol. XXIV.
must be observed that as in the case of the Andhra and the early Pallava inscriptions some space is left after every syntactical group in this inscription (see especially lines 1 to 6). This is noticeable to some extent in the Penukonda plates also. The initial vowel ā is written in two forms: one with the length indicated by a curled loop at the bottom of the letter (almanah in line 11) and the other with the length indicated by a small hook at the right bottom of a which carries a round loop (atma in line 14) The medial short i is not a complete loop as in some early grants but is left open on the left side. In this respect our grant resembles the Uruvupalli grant of Simhavarman, the Chendalūru plates of Pallava Kumāravishnu II, the Rägolu plates of Saktivarman, the Bțihatproshtha grant of Umavarman, and the Omgõdu grant of Vijaya-Skandavarman II referred to above. The jihvämúliya is used in dukkham (I. 22) and the upadhmānīya in adohih-pratta[1] (1. 15). The following mistakes due to oversight in writing may be noticed : daran-äri for dārun-ari (1.3), vakkri for vakti (1. 9) and Manu-gată for Manu-gitā (1. 18).
The anusvāra is replaced by the class nasal of the following consonant in svan-dātun (1. 21) and lithit-ěyan=tāmra-pattikā (1. 24). The employment of a conjunct letter with m and the following consonant is commonly observed in this as in other early grants : e.g., Jitam-Bhagavata (L. 1), spadattām=para (1. 18). The final m is indicated by a miniature sign for ma in dasamyām (1. 13), and palanam (1. 22) as in some early Pallava and other records ; but in other places this is indicated in our grant by a small hook at the right-hand lower corner : vasundharām (1. 18); phalom (L. 21). The letter nā is written in two different ways. In one, the length is marked in the middle on the right side of the letter (vide däran-āri in l. 3) and in the other by a small hook added to the upper right arm of the letter (varmmană in l. 11, kranen-adohih in 1. 15 and farmmana in l. 24). The letter ng is written in two forms, i.e. with a small loop or without it. Both the forms are seen in Padmanabhëna in 1.1, while the latter form is distinctly noticeable in sujana-janapadasya (1.3) and janona (I. 11), eto. As in the other grants of this period the consonant following r is doubled.
Since Rice published the Penukonda plates an earlier grant than these came to light in Mysore in the Kudithiyam plates of the Ganga king Kțishnavarma-Dharmamahādhirāja, son of Mădhavavarma-Mahādhirāja and grandson of Kongaộivarma-Dharmamahādhirāja, who belonged to the Kāņvāyana-götra and the Ganga-kula. This king, known to Rice from later epigraphs, was presumed by him to be identical with Aryavarman (Tamil Ayyavarman) and Harivarman of other grants with the supposed variant and synonymous name Kộishnavarman. It would not generally be justified to assume identities on the mere basis of synonymity in names, because names as names must strictly be applied to the particular individuals to whom they are given. In solving the difficulty we must take into consideration the possible causes for the interference of the Pallavas just about the time of this generation. The Penukonda plates say that the Pallava Simhavarman crowned Aryavarman according to propriety (yathārham). But Kțishnavarman does not admit or lay claim to such a distinction, if it were a distinction at all. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that Krishnavarman of the Bendiganahalli plates and the Kudithiyam grant was a younger brother of Aryavarman who must have, for some unknown reasons, ousted Āryavarman and seized the throne. Aryavarman, thus dispossessed, must have called in the Pallava king Simhavarman for help with which Krishnavarman must have been dispossessed and the result was that Simbavarman crowned Āryavarman. A sort of political overlordship having thus been established by the Pallava over the Ganga king, the practice of the former crowning the latter is continued even
1 Ind. Ant., Vol. V, pp. 60 ff. : Above, Vol. VIII, pl. between pages 234 and 235. * Above, Vol. XII, p. 1.
Above, Vol. XII, pl. between pages 2 and 3. . Mys. Arch. Rep., 1932, p. 124 and pl. XXII.
