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222
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ OCTOBER, 1924
Now let us take the other inscription of Parkara Iravi Varmar, which contains the necessary Astronomical data for calculating the date. This is a copper plate (Tirunelli plate No. 2) mentioned by T. A. Gopinatha Rao (Trav. Arch. Series, Vol. II, p. 31) :-" Wednesday, 8th day of the solar month Mina and Nakshatra Uttara Phalguni (12th asterism) when Jupiter stood in the Tula rabi." I have examined this dato also from the end of the first century to the beginning of the fifteenth. The earliest date for consideration is Kali 3671 (expired) 1.341,206th day of Kali, i.e., 22nd February 571 A.D. It was a Wednesday. The whole day and almost the whole night was Uttara Palguni, the 12th asterism. The mean Jupiter was in Tulam, the actual Jupiter passed into the next rdsi. This is inconsiderable as I have already shown. Another date for consideration is Kali 3766, 25th February, 668 A.D. On this day 12th asterism came to an end 2 hours and 24 minutes after sunrise. There are two other dates given by Dewan Bahadur Swamikannu Pillai. They are Kali 4205 and 4216 This is surely due to an oversight on the part of this eminent soholar. In fact he himself admits it in a reply to a letter of mine on this point.
Now we see two dates each of which fulfils the requirements of both the inscriptions of Pårkara Iravi Varmar, A.D. 526 and 1060 for the Perunna inscription and 571 and 666 for the Tirunelli plate No. 2. The Perunna inscription must be either of 526 or 1060. We cannot take the year 1060 because in that case the Pàrkara Iravi Varmar of the Perunna inscription should be placed 400 years later than the other, the latest date which suits the other inscription is 666. That these two Pårkara Iravi Varmars must be almost of the same period is, as already shown, beyond question. We therefore come to the conclusion that 526 is the date of the Perunna inscription, and 571 that of the Tirunelli plato No. 2. These dates were veritied and found correct by Dewan Bahadur L. D. Swainikannu Pillai.
There are eight inscriptions of Parkara Iravi in which Jupiter's positions are clearly given. There is one more inscription in which though the year portion is slightly damaged the your can be guessed. All the inscriptions can be reconciled, if we suppose that two Pârkara Iravi Varmars, one after the other, ruled in Kêraļam, and that the years are sometimes ag, and sometimes regnal years, and sometimes current and sometimes expired. No one has yet reconciled these dates. A reconciliation table is given below.
The Reconciliation Table. PÅRKARA IRAVI VARMAR I.
A.D.
K.Y. Month and date.! Regnal year or age.
Jupiter.
Inscription.
525
p. 39).
526 | 3626 Miam 20 . 14th regnal year cur-, Makaram (10th Perunna inscription
| rent.
råki).
T. 4. 8. II, p. 34. 3626 Vráchikam 10.. 13this regnal year! Do. do. Tirukkakkara inscripexpired.
tiou No. 1 (ibid, 518 3619 33rd age eurrent .. Ițavam (2nd râsi). Perunna inscription
(Ibid, p. 44). 532-3363313 Makaram . .46th age expired . Chiniam (5th rasi). Tirunelli plate No. 1,
Inl. Ant., Vol.
XX, p. 290. 545 3645 ..58th age expired .. Do. do. Tirukkakkara inscrip
tion, T. A.8. II, p.
49. 564 3064/ He died at the age of 78 and his son Parkara Iravi Varmar II succeeded.
13 2nd against 1lth or 21st. On account of the damage, both the above readings are possible.
18 The Cochin plates are datod the 38th year of Parkara Iravi. If it is the age it must be Kali 3624 (523-4 A.D.), if regnal year it must be Kali 3650 (549-550 A.D.)
