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No. 30-NOTE ON PALLAVARAYANPETTAI INSCRIPTION OF RAJADHIRAJA II1
K. A. NILAKANTA SASTRI AND T. N. SUBRAMANIAM, MADRAS
While editing the Pallavarayanpettai inscription of Rajadhiraja II, Mr. V. Venkatasubba Ayyar has translated lines 10 to 13 of the record as follows: "Even in earlier years, when the senior king was alive, it having been seen that there were no sons fit for anointment, the (exact) state of affairs, as it (then) stood, (was intimated to the king)........ and (having brought) the princes, residing at Gangaikonḍaśõlapuram, and at the time of Periyadevar's demise, he (Pallavarayar) had Edirilipperumal, the son of Neriyudaipperumal and grandson of Udaiyár Vikramaiöjadeva, who had already been invested with a crown and was therefore bound to be installed on the throne, anointed (king) under the title of Räjädhirajadeva in the fourth year (of his installation) and made the udankuṭṭam (assembly) and the nadu (chamber) follow him without any dissensions." This indicates:
(1) that the prince selected by Rajaraja II for being crowned under the name of Rajadhiraja was Edirilipperumal, the son of Neriyuḍaipperumal and grandson of Udaiyar Vikramasōladáver,
(2) that the selection was followed by the investiture of the crown during the life-time of Rajaraja II, and
(3) that in the fourth year of his installation, after the demise of Rajaraja II, he was again crowned under the title of Rajadhiraja (II).
Thus are postulated (a) two coronations of Rajadhiraja II, one on his selection and the other in the fourth year of his reign on the demise of his predecessor, and (b) the death of Rajaraja II before the fourth year of the installation of the Yuvaraja.
But the text of the inscription published does not warrant any of the above hypotheses. The text runs as follows:
10 Periyadevar elundaru[li].....n[A]lile tirn-abhi[shegattuk]ku uriya pillaigal inriye ....[rukki]
11 rapadiyai parttu [mu]n-nāļils kâriyam irundapadi vi. [elydu Gangaiko{*}da45]apura ....daruli iru[k*]kira pillaigalai....yanam pannu....daiyar Vikk[i]ramasōladēvar perspår
12 Neriyudaipperumä[]*]-tirumaganar Edirilipperumalai-pperi (ji)-arulipanțile mandai kavi[p]pittu....dar-aṇavārē ivarai-ttiru-abhi [shegam pannu]vikka-kkaḍavara[ga]........ tu nālan-tiru-nakshatrattile Rājādhirajadevar e
1 The note is the outcome of a discussion initiated in 1947 by Mr. T. N. Subramaniam and continued inter. mittently for many months, in which Dr. N. Venkataramanayya, Mr. S. Vaiyapuri Pillai and Mr. A. V. Venkatarama Ayyar also participated.
Above, Vol. XXI, pp. 184-193.
Ibid., p. 192.
(223)
