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142
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1897.
14 kaņmikalukku kurunkudi Tira-maru-mårpanum Snúkara-vidanganum Ivv-iruvô[m]
Ivai kurunkuļi Tira-mara-marpan eļuttu Sankara vidangan Vijai-yûran=avaikku
Bi-rama15 Tirakkai-eluttu Ippadi arivên vidangan
$&16 nkaran eluttu Ippa[di].
Translation, "Hail! Prosperity! In the year opposite to the year 335 after the appearance of Kollam, I, Tirumarumarpan of Kurunkuļi (living) in Kottar alias Mummudi-Cholanallar, make a gift of the following land, to support, as long as the moon and the stars last, the daily oblations to the god Vinnagar Alvar of Puravari, viz., my land named # # * , measuring innkkani, situated in this village, and within these four boundaries, viz., to the south of the Uttamaraman channel, to the west of Kalarai, to the north of Vadakku Erikkal, and to the east of Vitaiyarival; and also my land called Tavarai, measuriug keini, situated in this village and within these four boundaries, vit., to the north of the Uttamaraman channel, to the west of Aruvidai, to the east of Chattumukkam, and to the south of Nedunturuval: the total making one má of land ; and I, Sao kara-Vidangan of the same place, make a gift of the following lands to furnish rice to this Aļvâr, as long as the moon and the stars last, viz., the land (measuring) áraimávaraikkáni among the one crop lands of this village situated within these 4 boundaries, riz., to the north and east of the Sêrnta Vayarkal (= Field-Stone), to the south of Pumurai, to the west of NAfichinattu Kundunilam and Pirävarai belonging to the temple of Náñchiévaramudaiyar, and also the land (measuring) kaniyaraikkani among the double-crop lands situated within the following four boundaries, viz., to the west of the river, to the south of Anavaratan Vayarkal, to the east of Kundarai, and to the north of Vepparai, making a total of one má; both of us solemnize the gift by pouring water at the holy steps and wish this gift to be entered in copper-plate. Thus do we, Tirumarumärpan of Kurankudi and SajikaraVidangan, make this gift to the servants of this Alvar. -- Witness whereof our hands : Tirumarumärpan of Kurunkuļi (signature), Sankara-Vidangan (signature), Sri-Raman on hehalf of Vijaiyûran Sabha (holy signature). Thus do I know, Vidangan Sankaran."
Unbounded must have been the self-complaisance of the two good men of those days, Tirumarumârpan and Sankara-Vidangan, as they wended their way back from the temple after having thus satisfied themselves of the security and permanence of their charitable endowment for all time to come. For, little could they have then dreamt that the very stones bearing the inscription would come to be pulled asunder and displaced so completely in a subsequent structure as to tax onr ingenuity and patience in the attempt to piece together and find ont the meaning of their lithio document. The stones as they are now found forming the basement of the mandapam give but a chaos of words that do not at all run into one another; and it is by suitable transpositions of their sections that we have been able to extract any sense out of them. As for the endowment itself, let us hope that the publication of this document will produce no needless qualms of conscience in those who now enjoy the property, no doubt on good authority and long possession. As regards the donors, both appear to have been men of Kurunkuļi or Tirukkurunkudi in the Tinnevelly District, but long settled in Kôtçâr. Neither of their names, Tirumarumârpan (meaning one with the goddess of fortune in his breast) and Vidangan (meaning the onwronght), is now in current use. That one of the witnesses to the deed bears the name of the second donor inverted, Vidangan Sankaran, would prove that the second donor at least was not without issue, and that in all probability the two donors were brothers, so that the siguature of the son of the second was taken as sufficient evidence of the consent of the family to their free gift. Nothing else can we now know about these generous Vaishnavas of that day. Nor do we know anything of that Sri Raman whose holy signature on behalf of the village association was held sufficient to indicate big
