________________
MAY, 19281
DEVA RAYA
An epigraph at Sravana Belgoļa thus refers to the death of Deva Raya.46
Kshayd hvayê kuvatearė dvitayayukta Vaisakhaké Mahitanaya Varakèyuta Valaksha pakshe tare !! Pratapa nidhi Dêva Råt pralayu má pahan dsamo
Chaturdasa dinê katham pily pale dhi V drydgatih || Writing in the Indian Antiquary for 1896, Dr. Kielhorn takes it to have occurred in the dark half, and says that the fourteenth tithi ended fourteen hours and fifty-seven minutes after mean sunrise on Tuesday. But it must have been on the fourth week day, and not on the third. Taking the bright half of the month,
(Sramikannupillai's Tabler.) New Moon tilhi Vaikikha
(3) April 26.08 14 tithis
(14) , 13.78
717) April 39.86 First New Moon in Solar year ..
.4016 Vaisakha 14th
13.78
14.1816 Sun's equation for anomaly of ..
14.1816
= +.16 Anomaly of first New Moon in Solar year 10.729 Vaiśú kha 14 ..
13.78 24.51
.16
Moon's Anomaly for equation of
24.67 24.67
..
= +.24 _+.16
+.40
(17) April 39.86
(17) April 40.26 i.e., 3rd weck day (Tuesday) May 10th, 6 hours and fifteen minutes
after mean sunrise. Since Saka 1368 (expired), Kshaya 47, is the date of the grant of Mallikarjuna prohibiting extortion from the poor ryots of the Idangai and Valangai sects at the coronation of each omperor, we must perforce conclude that it is Dêva Raya II who is referred to in the Sravana Belgola inscription, and not his younger brother, whose "setting" is referred to in an inscription of Saka 1370 (Sorab 18).48
Thus ended Deva Raya's reign. It is not characterised by great spectacular effects; but he laid the firm foundation of a policy of toleration and of suppression of overweening feudal vassals--a policy, the violation of which brought disaster. Literature flourished; the seas were conquered ; commerce furthered; the enemy in the north and north-east was thoroughly beaten; toleration was extended to every community irrespective of caste, creed and nationality; oppression and nepotism, torture and extortion were firmly suppressed; social reform was given an impetus ; local autonomy was safe-guarded in such a way as not to encroach on the central power ; centrifugal and centripetal tendencies were balanced to a nicety. In short peace and prosperity were assured. These are the achievements of a prince who deserves a high place among the rulers of India.
46 Śt. Bel. 328 (125), Epi. Car., vol. II. 47 Mad. Epi. Rep., 23 of 1905; Inscriptions of Madras Presidency, vol. I, p. 212. 48 Sorab 18, Epi. Car., XII, pt. II.
