Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c12: Appendix C

Elements of South-Indian Palæography, from the Fourth to the Seventeenth Century A.D. c12

Language
English

Contents

Appendix C

c12.1

As alphabets of the hands and styles of writing current at different periods give but a faint impression of the character of the documents from which they are derived, I shall now give specimens of the most important inscriptions from which I have derived the alphabets already discussed.

c12.2

Without inordinately extending the size of this work it would be impossible to give complete copies of all these inscriptions, as most of them are, at least, five or six times as long as the specimens given. Nor do I give a translation of the passages, as it would be irrelevant to my purpose. I give however a transliteration (as far as possible) of the specimens that are likely to prove not easy to read at first. Where I have found it necessary to add a letter that has been omitted, I have done so in ( ). My object being purely palæographical, I have been obliged to choose these specimens accordingly.

Plate XXIV

c12.s1.1

¹ This document was first described by Sir W. Elliot (*in Madras Journal*, xi., pp., 302-6) who then showed that it belongs to a dynasty that preceded the Eastern or Kaliṅga Cālukyas. According to that account the plates were "found in the *kol* or (read *koleru*) lake near Masulipatam, some years ago (*i. e.* prior to 1840) and had been laid aside as utterly unintelligible." A facsimile and transcript in Nāgarī are promised in this article, but I have not been able to find them in any copy of the *Madras Journal*, accessible to me. I have used an impression made on China paper, which I got from a man formerly in Sir W. Elliot's employ; of the original plates I can learn nothing. It has been lately published by Mr. Fleet in the *Indian Antiquary*, vol. v. p. 177.

c12.s1.2

This grant may be taken as an exact copy of the forms given in the law-books.

c12.s1.3

1*b. line* 1. svasti. vijayaVeṅgīpurād. bhagavacCitrarathasvāmipādānuddhyāto Bappabha-
2. ṭṭāraka²pādabhakta[ḥ] paramabhāgavataç Çālaṅkāyano³ mahārājā Ca-
2. 1. ṇḍavarmmaṇas sūnur jyeṣṭho mahārājaçrīVijayanandivarmmā Kuḍuhāravishaye
2. Viḍenūrpallikā⁴grāme munyaḍasahitān⁵ grāmy(ā)n samājnāpayati: asti
2*b.* — 1. asmābhir asmatkulagotradharmmaya(ça)*h* kānti⁶kīrttipravarddhanāya eteshā(*m*)

c12.s1.4

² ? Some local deity.

c12.s1.5

³ Cfr. gaṇa 'rājanyādi' (P. iv. 2, 53); it is included among the Bhṛigu gotras of Āçvalāyana, and was of course that of the family-priest.

c12.s1.6

⁴ In modern Telugu *pallikā* is *palliya*.

c12.s1.7

⁵ On munyaḍa (?) see Mr. Fleet's remarks; he would correct to amātyādi. May it not be some Telugu title of a head-man or chief?

c12.s1.8

⁶ Read (as Mr. Fleet satisfactorily amends it) yaçaḥkānti. *Indian Antiquary*, vol. v., p. 69.

c12.s1.9

2. kaçrīvarāgrāhārvāstavyānā(*m*) nānāgotracaraṇasvāddhyāyānām
3. — 1. saptapañcāçaduttaraçatānām brāhmaṇānām esha grāmaḥ prattaḥ. tad avetya
2. deçādhipatyāyuktakavallabharājapurushādibhis sarvaparihāraiḥ
3*b*. — 1. pariharttavyo raxitavyaç ca. pravarddhamānavijayarājyasaptamasa(*m*)vatsara-
2. sya Paushyamāsakrishṇapaxasyā 'shṭamyām paṭṭikā¹dattā. || tatrā 'jñāptiḥ
4. — 1. mūlakarabhojakā² || “bahubhir vvasudhā dattā bahubhiç cā 'nupālitā
2. yasya yasya yadā bhūm(*i*)ḥ tasya tasya tadā phalam ||
3. shashṭivarshasahasrāṇi svargge k(*r*)īḍati bhūmida āxeptā cā 'bhimantā ca tāny
eva na(ra)ke vase(t).”

c12.s1.10

¹ Paṭṭikā for patrikā, and the construction asti....prattaḥ point to Prakrit influences.

c12.s1.11

² The grant is therefore of the royal dues (legally one-sixth) from the village. The village itself (or the proprietary right to the ground) could not be given by Hindu Law as it belongs to the occupants; all the king could give is his right to certain shares of the produce etc. (See the discussion which settles this point in Mīmāmsasūtra, vi. 7, 2.) This phrase occurs in the oldest grants (as above) and also in the Cālukya and Cālukya-Coḷa grants.

Plate XXV. West (Kalyāṇa) Cālukya, 690-1 A. D.

c12.s2.2

(This is from an inscription somewhat later than that [*d*. 609] from which the alphabet on pl. iii. is taken, and the first page of which I gave as a specimen in the first edition; but as it is far better preserved and more correct³ and legible, I give first leaf instead from the excellent impression in the *Indian Antiquary*, vi., p. 86.) It illustrates the earlier and better kind of genealogy. Mr. Fleet has translated and commented on it.

c12.s2.3

³ The endless errors in this document render it almost unintelligible. It must have been dictated to a lipikāra who did not understand it. These men seem to have been mere artizans, and not scholars.

c12.s2.4

1. svasti. jayaty āvishkṛitam Vishṇoḥ vārāham xobitārṇṇavam; daxiṇonnatadam-
shṭrāgram viçrānta-
2. bhuvanam vapuḥ⁴. Çrīmatām sakalabhuvanasamstūyamānaMānavyagotrāṇām
3. Harītiputrāṇām saptalokamātṛibhis saptamātṛibhir abhivarddhitānām Kārttikeya-
pari-
4. raxaṇaprāptakalyāṇaparamparāṇām bhagavan Nārāyaṇaprasādasamā-
5. sāditavarāha lāñchanexaṇaxaṇavaçikṛitāçeshamahībhṛitām Calukyā-
6. nām kulam alaṅkarishṇor açvamedhāvabhṛithasnāna pavitrīkṛitagātrasya çrīPu-
7. lakeçivallabhamahārājasya sūnuḥ parākramākrānta Vanasāsyādiparahṛi-
8. patimaṇḍalapraṇibaddhaviçuddhakīrttiḥ Kīrttivarmmapṛithivīvallabhamahārā-[jas
tasyā 'tmajas *etc.*]

c12.s2.5

⁴ This is a çloka.

Plate XXVI

c12.s3.1

I owe the following revised transcription to Mr. J. F. Fleet, Bombay C. S. The document presents many difficulties, but is interesting as a specimen of a grant by a minister (see p. 115). I give only the first page. It is in Canarese mixed with Sanskrit.

c12.s3.2

1. Svasti¹. Çakaṇṛipakālātītasamvatsaramgaḷ eḷnūṟir(ir-)ppattāṟane-
2. yā subhānu embhā(-bā) va(r)shada Vaisākhamāsakṛishṇapa-
3. xapañcama(-ī) bṛihaspativāramāgī(-i) svastī(-i) prabhū-
4. tavarshaçrīpṛithuvīvallabhamahārājādhirājapa(ra)me-
5. çvaraGoyindara bhaṭārarā gāmuṇḍabbegaḷ mahāde-
6. viyā(-a)rāgī(-i) rājyā(-a)pra(va)rdhamānakāladōḷ *etc.*

c12.s3.3

¹ Mr. Fleet reads: ‘Svatti’ as sometimes occurs in early inscriptions. The original is doubtful as the letters of the word are prolonged and thrust aside to make room for the second line.

Plate XXVII

c12.s4.1

This document was found near Vizagapatam in 1867, and is now (?) in the Government Office at Madras²; it is correct in form according to the law-books.

c12.s4.2

² For the lunar eclipse mentioned in pl. iii., that which occurred in 622 A. D. (July 28) appears to satisfy all the necessary conditions. See “L’art de vérifier les dates” (8° ed.) second series: vol. i., p. 309. Mr. Burgess suggests that of July 17th 623 as preferable because fully visible, but as this occurred in the evening, it seems, astrologically, inadmissible. (*Cfr.* Hemādri’s Dānakh. pp. 61-2, 79.) The only possible date is *either* 622 *or* 623.

c12.s4.3

*Pl.* 1. *line* 1. Svastiḥ çrīm(ān)Calukyākulajalanidhisamudito nṛipatiniçākaraḥ sva-
2. bhrūlatāvajña(ā) namitar(i)punṛipatimakuṭamaṇiprabhāvicchuritacaraṇāravin-
da-
3. dvayaḥ Satyāçrayaçrīvallabhamahārājaḥ; tasya priyānujaḥ sthalajala-
4. vanagirivishamadurggeshu labdhasiddhitvād vishamasiddhiḥ dīnānāthadvija-
vasuvṛishti-
5. pravarshaṇatayā Kāmadhenuḥ yuvatishu madanāyamānacāruçarīrat(v)ān Ma-
karadhvaja(*h*)
2. 1. svadānārṇṇaveshu parimagnakaliprabhāvaḥ anekasamaravijayasamudita-
2. vimalayaçoviçeshavibhūshitasakaladiṅmaṇḍalaḥ Manur iva vinayajñaḥ Pṛithu-
3. r iva pṛithukīrttiḥ Gurur iva matimān Paramabrahmaṇyaḥ çrīVishṇuvarddha-
namahārājaḥ
4. Dimilavishaye Kalvakoṇḍa(?)grāmādhivāsina(*h*) kuṭumbinas samavetān imam
arttham ā-
5. jñāpayati yathā: adhītāvagatavedavedāṅgasya Brahmaçarmmaṇaḥ pautrā-
bhyām adhi-

c12.s4.4

1. gatasvaçākhācoditasvakarmmānushṭhānatatparasya Du(r)gaçarmmaṇaḥ putrābhyā(*m*)vedave-
2. dāṅgetihāsapurāṇadharmmaçāstrādyanekāgamatatvadidbhyām Gautam(a)gotrābhyā(*m*)
3. Taittirikacaraṇābhyām¹ VishṇuçarmmaMādhavaçarmmabhyām Pūki(?)vishaye Ceṟupura-
4. grāmam adhivasataḥ Çrāvaṇamāse candragrahaṇanimitte sarvvakaraparihāre-
5. ṇā ’grahārīkṛitya² svapuṇyāyurārogyayaçobhivṛiddhaye, grāmo ’yam dattaḥ; asya

c12.s4.5

¹ Should be Taittirīya; it is here correctly called a Caraṇa. Max Müller’s A. Sanskrit Literature, p. 371.

c12.s4.6

² *i. e.* the inhabitants were constituted into an agrahāra and the village was then given to the two persons named, who had then a right to the dues formerly paid to the king.

c12.s4.7

1. kaiçcid api na bādhā karaṇīyā | atra Vyāsagītau: bahubhir vvasudhā dattā bahu-
2. bhiç cā ’nupālitā; yasya yasya yadā bhūmiḥ tasya tasya tadā phala*m* shashṭivarsha-
3. sahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ āxeptā cā ’numantā ca tāny eva narake
4. vaset. çrīmatīmatsya ? liprasutaḥ svabhujabalapratāpāvanataripu-
5. r ājñaptirada(?)vidurjjayaḥ. *sam* 16; mā 4; di 15³).

c12.s4.8

³ The reading of this date is due to Mr. Fleet; Vishṇuvardhana’s reign must, thus, have begun about 606-7 A. D.

Plate XXVIII

c12.s5.1

This plate gives the first eighteen lines of an Inscription d. 945 A. D. and thus of the most flourishing period of the Eastern or Kaliṅga Cālukyas. See p. 109.

c12.s5.2

I. (1) Svasti. çrīmatām sakalabhuvanasamstūyamānaMānavyasa*go*trāṇām Hāri-(2) tiputrāṇām Kauçikīvaraprasādalabdharājyānām mātṛigaṇaparipālitānām (3) svāmimahāsenapādānudhyātānām bhagavanNārāyaṇaprasādasamāsādi(4)tavaravarāhalā[ńcha]nexaṇaxaṇavaçīkṛitārātimaṇḍalānām açvamedhā-(5)vabhṛitasnānapavitrīkṛitavapushā Cālukyānām kulam alamkarishṇoḥ Sa-(6)tyāçraya vallabhendrasya bhrātā Kubjavishṇuvarddhano ’shṭādaça varshāṇi Veṅgī-(7 de)çam apālayat tadātmajo Jayasimhas trimçatam | tadanujendrarājana-(8)ndano Vishṇuvarddhano nava | tatsūnur Maṅgiyuvarā*jaḥ* pañcavimçatim | tatputro 9) Jayasimhas trayodaça | tadavara*jaḥ* Kaukikilish shaṇ māsān | tasya jyeshṭo bhrā—

c12.s5.3

II. (1) tā Vishṇuvardha(nas tam) uccāṭya saptatrimçatam tatputro Vijayādityabhaṭṭārako (2) ’shṭādaça | tatsuto Vishṇuvardhanash shaṭtrimçatam | tatsuto Vijayādityanarendra-(3)mṛigarājaç cā ’shṭācatvārimçatam | tatsuta*h* Kalivishṇuvarddhano dvyarddhava(r)

c12.s5.4

sh(ā)ṇi || (4) tatsuto Guṇagāmkavijayādityaç catu(çc)atvārimçatam | ta-(5)danujayuvarāja*h* Vikramādityabhūpat(e)*h* sūnuç Cālukya-(6)bhīmabhūpālas trimçatam || tatputra*h* Kolla-bhigaṇḍavijayā-(7)ditya*h* shaṇ māsā(n) | tatsū(nu)r Ammarāja*h* sapta varshāṇi || tatsutam Vijayā-(8)ditya*m* bālam uccāṭya Tālapo māsam ekam | ta(m) jitvā yudhi Cālukya(9)-bhīmabhūmipates suta*h* Vikramādityabhūpo ’pān māsān ekādaça xiti*m*. ||

Plate XXIX

c12.s6.1

It is unnecessary to give a transcript of this, as, coming after the earlier grants, the character presents no difficulty.

Plate XXX

c12.s7.1

1. (çri)yam Bhukkabhūpatim yatkīrtilaxmā*h* krīḍanty āvahamaṇḍam ratnamaṇṭhapam muktācchatram çaçā(*m*)- kasudīpa*h* çukradivākarau | dharm(e)ṇa raxati x(o)ṇ(ī)*m* vīraçrīBhukkabhūpatau | nirātamkābha-
5. yāt tasmin nityabhogotsavā*h* prajā*h* Gaurīsahacarāt tasmāt prādurāsīn Maheçvarāt | çaktyā pratītaskamçamço (*sic?*) rāja Harihareçvara*h* | sarvavarṇasamācārapratipālanatatpare | tasmin catu*h*samudrāmta bhūmi*h* kāmadughā ’bhavat si*m*-
10. hāsanajushas tasya kī(r)tyā bhāmti diço daça | udayādrigatasye ’ndo(r) jyotsnā yeva¹) kalānidhe*h* | tulāpurushadānādimahādānāni shoḍaça | kṛitavān pratirājanyavajrapātātmavaibhava*h* || çrīmadrājādhirājaparameçvara*h* | pū(r)vada-
15. xiṇapaçcimottarasamudrādhiçvara*h* | sa nishkāritadushṭarājarājanyabhujamgavainateya*h* | dāraṇāgatavajrapamjara*h* | kalikāladharma*h* | Karṇātakalaxmikarṇāvatamsa*h* | catu(r)varṇādara- (ṇa) pālaka*h* | kalagiritaṭalikhitaghoshaṇa*h*
20. raṇaramgabhīshaṇa*h* | pararājarājīvasudhāka-

c12.s7.2

¹ ^1) Yeva, the common Telugu way of writing eva *cfr. pl.* ix. There are several errors in orthography and mistakes in this document. Much is in çlokas.

c12.s7.3

rah | paranārīsaho*darah* | puṇyaçl(o)kapraha(r)sha*h* |
çārdūlamadabha*m*jana*h* | CeraColaPāṇḍyasth(ā)-
panācārya*h* | Vedabhāshyaprakāçaka*h* | vaidikamārga-
24. sthāpanācārya*h* | karmopetācā(?)rya*h* | rājakalyāṇaçekhara-
[sidhasārasvatetyādivirudāvalībhūshita*h* sa khalu DraviratāpaHariharamahārāya*h etc.*]

c12.s7.4

This is sufficient to explain my remarks (on p. 110) respecting the later, bad official style.

Plate XXXI. a

c12.s8.1

The ms. from which this is taken is a Vratavallī which was written for the last of the Telugu Nāyaks of Tanjore—Vijayacokka. He was conquered by the Mahrāṭhas soon after 1670. There is no distinction made between long and short i, otherwise every letter is perfectly distinct and legible.

Plate XXXII. a

c12.s9.1

This contains the first leaf of the grant in possession of the Israelites at Cochin. The date may be safely put at about 750 A. D. I have already given a revised translation of the whole elsewhere. (*Indian Antiquary*, iii. pp. 333-4.) It was translated for the first time by Mr. F. W. Ellis.

c12.s9.2

1. Svasti çrī—kōyōn amai koṇḍān. kō çrī Pārkaraṇ
2. Iravivaṇmar tiruvaḍi pala nūṟāyira-
3. ttāṇḍum šeñrōl naḍatti yāḷā niṉṟa yān-
4. ḍu iraṇḍām āṇḍaikk' ĕdir muppattāṟām āṇḍu Mu-
5. yirikoṭṭu irunda 'ruḷiya nāḷ pirasāḋišša 'ru-
6. ḷiya pirasādamāvadu: Īssuppu Iṟappāṉukku
7. añjuvaṇṇamum věḍiyālum pāyaṇattālu-
8. m pāɣuḍamum añjuvaṇṇappēṟum payalvi-
9. ḷakkum pāvāḍaiyum¹ anḋōḷayamum kuḍaiyum [kŏḍuttōm].

c12.s9.3

¹ pāvāḍai=variegated cloth (chintz) used as a kind of petticoat. The Portuguesė writers show that in the 16th century men of rank in Malabar wore this kind of dress which must have resembled the Malay 'sarong', but the practice is now quite unknown, and only white clothes are used. us: [Figure] lam. The bindu is above the line, [Figure] l; s is sometimes written ` tma; tsu; ndra; pru; bdha; rddha; lpa; lla; shto; snā, n d

c12.s9.4

Though this grant is of the 8th century, yet it fulfils the prescriptions of the Sanskrit law-books, except as regards the imprecations. I give the Tamiḻ pronunciation.

Plate XXXII. b

c12.s10.1

I give this document in full as transcribed by a Nāyar accustomed to read the character.

c12.s10.2

പുളിയപ്പറമ്പിൽ വായിക്കര-നമ്പൂതിപ്പാട്ടിലെ എളമീന്ന-എഴുന്നെള്ളി തമ്പുരാനെ കണ്ടപ്രകാരവും, കൊടുത്തയച്ചപ്രകാരവും എഴുതിയ കണക്കു.

c12.s10.3

കൊല്ലം ൻർ൦-ാമത-എടവഞായറ ൨൫ ൯- വ്യാഴാഴ്ചനാള-പൊന്നാനി വായ്ക്കൽ-പയിറനെല്ലൂർ കോവിലകത്ത ഇരുന്നരുളെ.

c12.s10.4

മുൻമ്പ ൨ ൯- ബൊധനാഴ്ചനാള അസ്തമിച്ച, എളയനമ്പൂടി, തിരുമുൽപ്പാട്ടിന്ന എഴുന്നെള്ളി, തമ്പുരാനെ കാൺകയും ചെയ്തു. രണ്ടെടത്തും ഇരുന്നരുളി കണ്ടതും ഇല്ലാ ൨൫ ൯- യാത്ര ഉണർത്തിച്ച, പുറപ്പെടുകയിൽ, അന്ന യാത്ര ഉണർത്തിക്കുമ്പൊള മരിയാദ ആകം വലിമ തന്നെ വേണമെന്ന ഉണർത്തിച്ചതിന്റെ ശേഷം, അന്ന വലിമ തന്നെ എന്ന അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു. നമ്പൂതിരി തിരുമുൽപ്പാട്ടിന്ന തിരുമുമ്പിൽ എഴുന്നെള്ളിയാറെ, ഇരിപ്പാൻ ഒരു കരിമ്പടം കൊടുത്തതിൽ, ഇരുന്ന യാത്ര ഒണർത്തിച്ച പൊറപ്പെടുകയിൽ കൊടുത്ത.

c12.s10.5

| ശകലാസ്സ കുപ്പായം | —൧ | മെ-അപ്പറ്റ നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ |
| മെ-കൊടുത്ത കസവത്തൊപ്പി | —൧ | മെ-പുളക്കുടിക്കൊക്കത്ത നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ |
| മെ-ഒക്കത്തക്ക വന്നതിൽ പുപ്പകന്മന്മേൽ നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക കൊടുത്ത വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു. | —൧ | തന്നിമങ്ങലത്ത കണക്കപിള്ളക്കു വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ |
| | | ആകെ പേർ വു-ന്ന കൊടുത്ത വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —വു |
| മെ-എടേടത്ത കൊള്ളേരി നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക കൊടുത്ത വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ | മെ-കൂടിവന്ന-നമ്പ്യാരന്മാർ-പേര ൨-ന്നും—പൊതുവാന്മാർ-പേര ൩-ന്നും—കണക്കപിള്ളമ്മാർ-പേര ൩-ന്നും | |
| മെ-തൈവർ-തല-മല്ലിശ്ശേരി നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ | ആകെ പേർ ധ൧-ന്ന കൊടുത്ത കനിയൊലമുറിപ്പട്ട | —ധ൧ |
| മെ-കൊട്ടൊൽ നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക കൊടുത്ത വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ | മെ-നായന്മാർ പേർ ൨ധര-ന്ന കൊടുത്ത കവണി ഉറുമാല | —൨ധരയര |
| മെ-മുണ്ടൊട്ട പുലിയപറമ്പിൽ നമ്പൂതിരിക്ക കൊടുത്ത വീരവാളി മുണ്ടു | —൧ | മെ-വാലിയക്കാര പേർ ധ൨-ന്ന കൊടുത്ത റുമാല | —ധ൨നൂ |

c12.s10.6

എഴുന്നെള്ളി പാർത്ത നാള ൻ ദിവസവും ഇരുന്ന കഴികയും ചെയ്തു.

c12.s10.7

മെ-നമ്പൂതിപ്പാട്ടിലേക്ക ഒര ആന വേണമെന്ന പറഞ്ഞതിനെ ചീവളയനാട്ടു അമ്മങ്ക ഇരുത്തിയ ചെറിയ കൊമ്പാനാനക്കിടാവിനെ കൊടുക്കയിൽ വിലവെച്ച ൵ ൫൹ഫ- — ൵ ൨൬-൧൫൹൩യൈ-ന്ന കൊറവടിക്കഴ — വാങ്ങിയ വില്ലിട്ട-൫൩ കറവിയും കൂടി ആമാട ഫ൩ധ൫.

c12.s10.8

മെ-വരവ പൂണ്ണപ്പണം ര൯൨൬ ശേഷ്വം പണം ൨൬ഫ-രത്തിന്ന ഉറുപ്പിക കൊടുത്ത വിടുകയും ചെയ്തു.

c12.s10.9

This is taken from a Grantha‌vari (or book of counterparts of leases, etc.) belonging to the Zamorin. I have not been able to get an earlier specimen of this character.

Plate XXXIII. a

c12.s11.1

This is a page of a Vṛitti (on the Pūrvamīmāmsā sūtras of Jaimini) called Phalavatī.

Plate XXXIII. b

c12.s12.1

This is easily legible; it is a page from a Tamiḻ Māhātmya.

Plate XXXIV

c12.s13.1

This illustrates the way of describing boundaries. The village of Kumāḍimaṅgalam must be somewhere not far south of Madras, but I cannot identify it.

c12.s13.2

1. ōlai šēydu nāṭṭār viḍutta aṟaiyōlaippaḍi nilattukk ’ěl-
2. lai: kīḻpāṟk ’ěllai, kuṇamoḻivāykkālukku mē(ṟ)kkum; těṉpāṟkk ’ěllai,
3. iraṇḍu māvukkē kiḻakku nōkki ppāyndu uṭširuvāykkālukku vaḍakkum; mē-
4. lpāṟk ’ěllai, maḍaittalaivāykkālukku kiḻakkum; vaḍapāṟk ’ěllai maḍaitta-
5. laivāykkālu těṟkumāya—ivvišē(ḍi)ttaperunāṉy ’ěllaiyalilum a-
6. ɣappaṭṭa nilattuḷ šuḍuɣāḍu ŏru māvaraiyum nīkki, uṇṇilaṉŏliviṉṟi, uḍu-
7. m b’ōḍi āmai tavaḻndu ’ěllām Kumāḍimaṅyalam ěṇṇum pērāl pira-
8. madēyamāya (brahmadeya) ppěṟṟadaṟku ppěṟṟa parihāram nāḍāṭšiyum ūrāṭšiyum vaṭṭinā-
9. ḻiyum pūdananāḻiyum taṭṭakkāyamum īḻampūṭšiyum iḍaippūṭšiyumm aṉṟu [ . . šěṉṟadu || ]

c12.s13.3

It will be observed that this inscription (like all old Tamiḻ inscriptions found as yet) is in language much like what is now spoken; this is a very strong reason for regarding the Šěṇdamiḻ as an artificial style, for at the time this document was written but little of the poetical literature was in existence.

Linked texts (2)