The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c31.96

v1.c31.96

10. Besides all the poets hitherto mentioned as living around the Emperors of Vijayanagara, there was a family of poets who always accompanied them, first from Vijayanagara to Penukonda, and later on from Punukonda to Chandragiri and Vellore. We refer to the composers of the imperial grants; which task seems to have been hereditary in a family. The British Museum plates of Sadasiva were composed by one Sabhapati ⁷, the same who had formerly composed the Unamanjeri grant of Achyuta Raya ⁸. But another grant of the same sovereign, of the year 1558, is written by Sabhapati’s son, Svayambhu ⁹. The Penuguluru grant ¹⁰ and the Tumkur plates of Tirumala ¹¹ were also written by Svayambhu, who is said to be the son of Sabhapati. The same Svayambhu was the composer of the Arivilimangalam plates ¹ and the Naredapalli grant of Ranga I ². This Svayambhu had probably no sons, because almost all the grants of Venkata II were composed by a certain Krishnakavi, who seems to be a nephew of Svayambhu, for he professes to be the son of Kamakoti and grandson of Sabhapati. He is the author of the Dalavay-Agraharam plates ³, of the Vellangudi plates ⁴, of the Padmaneri grant ⁵, and of two grants of 1586 ⁶ and of 1589 ⁷. The Vilapaka grant of the same monarch is written by a brother of Krishnakavi, named Rama ⁸. We know of only two grants of this sovereign composed by a person who seems not to belong to the family of Sabhapati; these are the Mangalampad grant ⁹ and a grant of 1613 ¹⁰. The author of both is called Chidambarakavi, the nephew of Sivasuryakavi.