History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c16.52

c16.52

Sanskrit in characters of the southern class. The inscription is a poem by a certain Ravikīrti who during the reign of Pulakēsin II founded the temple of Jinēndra on which it is engraved. It bears the date Śaka Samvat 556 corresponding to A.D. 634–35. It gives an eulogistic account of the history of Chāḷukya family especially of the exploits of Pulakēsin II who is described to have besieged Banavāsi, subdued the Gangas, the Āḷupas, and the Mauryas in the Konkaṇas, besieged Puri, subdued the Lāṭas, Māḷavas, and the Gūrjaras, defeated Harsha of Kanauj, fought with the Kalingas and the Kosalas, captured Pishṭapura, fought at the Kaunāḷa, defeated the Pallavas of Kāñchīpuram (‘ causing the splendour of the lord of the Pallavas who had opposed the rise of his power to be obscured by the dust of his army, and to vanish behind the walls of Kāñchīpuram ’), crossed the River Kāvērī and caused prosperity to the Chōḷas, Kēraḷas and the Pāṇḍyas. The fame of the composer of this poem is said to have exceeded that of Kālidāsa and Bhāravi, thus showing that already in the seventh century the fame of Kālidāsa had spread so as to be quoted in contemporary inscriptions.