CHAPTER- III SELECTED INSCRIPTIONS OF THE DECCAN AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD 69 • *> CHAPTER 3 Selected Inscriptions Third Chapter is formulated on the materials from the original texts of the Inscriptions. a) Selected Sanskrit Inscriptions of the Deccan and its Neighbourhood b) Selected Sanskrit Inscriptions of the Far South > THE DECCAN AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD Selected Sanskrit Inscriptions of the Deccan and its Neighbourhood • The Chalukyas of BMami The Chalukyas were a great power in the southern India between the 6* and 8* century A.D. and again from the 10^ to the 12^ century A.D. Pulakesin-I the first great ruler of this dynasty, ascended the throne in .540 A.D. and having made many splendid victories, established a mighty empire. His son, Kirtivarman who succeeded him in 607 A.D. also made extensive conquests. However, Pulakesin-II (608-642 A.D.), son and successor of Kirtivarman, is regarded as the greatest ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. Apart from his many conquests over the Kadambas of Vanavasi, the Gangas of Mysore, the Mauryas of Konkan, his most outstanding achievement was to defeat king Harshavardhana and thus preventing the extension of his empire beyond Narmada. 70 Nevertheless, Pulakesin-II was defeated and killed in the battle with the Pallava king Narsimhvarman-I who had attacked the Chalukya territory. Genealogy Mentioned in the Aihole Stone Inscription of Pulakesin-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period ...In the Chalukya family was bom Jayasimhavallabha. To him was bom Ra^araga. His son Pulakesin-I established himself at Vatapipurl and performed the horse-sacrifice. His son Kirtivarman, the night of death to the Nalas, Mauryas and Kadambas, broke up the confederacy of the Kadambas. His younger brother Mangalesa who had succeeded him, vanquished the Matangas and the Kalachchhuris'^"* and captured the island of Revati-d vipa'". When Mangalesa was attempting to secure the sovereignty for his own son, his elder brother's son Pulakesin-II alias Satyasraya killed his uncle. Vikramaditya-I, son of Pulakesin-II, renewed his stmggle against the Pallavas and inflicted crushing defeats on three Pallava kings in succession, Narsimliavarman, Mahendravarman-II, and Panneshwaravarman. He also defeated the kings of Pandyas, Keralas, and Cholas and thus restored the Old Glory of the Chalukya dynasty. He died in 681 A.D. His son Vinayaditya continued his stmggle against Pallavas and the other contemporary powers and became a mighty mler who established diplomatic relations with Persia and Ceylon. Vijayaditya, son and successor of Vinayaditya, was a peace-loving king who did not embark upon many aggressions except for his expedition against Pallavas towards the close of his reign. ^^^ Idem , pp. 443 (No. 1). See also Fleet, Ind Am, V, pp. 67 ff. VIII, pp 237 ff.; Arch. Surv., W. Ind, II, pp. 129 ff, Kielhorn, Ep. Individual, VI, pp 4 fT Kalachuris. Reddi promontory Genealogy Mentioned in the Vakkaleri Copperplate Inscription of KIrtivarman-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period 130 ...The king's genealogy is traced from Pulakesin-I, perfonner of the horse- sacrifice; his son Klrttivarman-I was succeeded by Pulakesin-ll who obtained the designation Paramesvara after vanquishing Harshavardhana. the lord of the entire UttarSpatha^^^; his son Vikramaditya-I subdued the Pa^Clya, Chola and Kerala kings as well as the [Pallava] lord of KanchI; his son Vinayaditya defeated the forces of the lord of KaiichT allied with the three kingdoms, and levied tribute from the Kavera, Parasika, Simhala''^ and other dvTpas; his son Vijayaditya defeated the enemies when his grand­ father was fighting in the South, obtained for his father banners, drums, wealth, elephants, etc., after overpowering the enemies in the presence of his father when the latter was trying to conquer Uttarapatha'^^, and was captured by the retreating enemies, but succeeded in returning to his paternal country and in eradicating anarchy prevailing there;... Vijayaditya's son, Vikramaditya-II who ruled from 733 A.D. to 747 A.D. continued the struggle against Pallavas and captured their capital Kanchi. He, however, did not go in for any plunder; rather he gave handsome donations to temples and religious places. He defeated the contemporary powers of Cholas, Pandyas, and Cheras and threw back the Arabs who had invaded the northern parts of the Chalukya Empire. His son and successor, Kirtivarman-II, was, however, a weak king who was overtlirown by his own feudatory chief Dantidurga, who founded a new dynasty called the Rashfrakufas. The find-spot of the Aihole Stone Inscription of Pulakesin-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period being Aihole, Hungund Taluk, Bijapur Disrict, Kamataka. The scribe made copies of writings in Early Telugu-Kannada '^^ Idem., pp 451 (No. 2). See also L. Rice, Ind Ant., VIII, pp 23 ff Cf E Hultzsch. SII, I,pp. 146 fF. Aryavarta Sri Lanka Aryavarta 72 Script, and Sanskrit Language. Date; Kali Year 3735, Saka Year 556 (c. 634 A.D.)'^^" The date given is 30-3000-700-5, i.e. Kaliyuga year 3735=634-35 AD. ... 3735 years having elapsed since the Bharata war in the Kah age,... Date Mentioned in the Aihole Stone Inscription of Pulakesin-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period '^^ Lines 15-16, Stanza 32, SardulaMkridita. ^TTFTW - qg - T?^ - ^m - frflH ^ffH-HHfdl f^ ^^HKN - ^ - ^ - Wm 5FF^Tra^ 5TR7B II The date given is Saka 50-6+500, i.e. 556=634-35 AD. ...556 years of the Saka kings having also elapsed (i.e. in 634-35 A.D.),... Date Mentioned in the Aihole Stone Inscription of Pulakesin-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period ""' Line 16, Stanzas 33-34, Anustubh (Sloka). f^RTr^ ^ - fr^ ^KdKI^«^lRd: I •HklK - 5M - 5% ^Id'^^^ q^ II M^liilr^ ^^ ^ ^^ ^^ - 5B1^=^ W^ flHdldl^ iil^HIHIM ^^^m^ II ''^" Idem , pp. 443 (No 1) See also Fleet. Ind Ant, V. pp 67 ff . \'I1I. pp 237 ff.. Arch. Sun.. W. Ind., II. pp 129 ff. Kielhorn. Ep. Individual, VI. pp 4 tY ""' //'/J.pp, 448 Read . orvim imam Idem , pp 448 73 The Inscription begins with Auspicious Verses or Words (Manga/a Sloka or Mangalavachana) by Namaskriya which invoke (Ahhimantranani) and salute {Abhivandanam) to the Deity e.g. Jayati bhagavah=Jmendro... Auspicious Verses or Words Mentioned in the Aihole Stone Jn.scription of Pulakesin-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period '^''' Line 1, Stanza I, Arya. 3f!# ^FI^TFJI^ #T - ITU - 17^ - ^3P^ ^TFT I The find-spot of the Vakkaleri Copperplate Inscription of Kirtivarman-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period being Vakkaleri, Kolar Dist., Kamataka The scribe made copies of writings in Early Telugu-Kannada Script, and Sanskrit Language. Date: Saka Year 679 (c. 757 A.D.)"^' ...In the expired Saka year 679 (757 A.D.) in the eleventh year of his reign, on the full moon tithi of the month of Bhadrapada, king Klrttivarman-II issued the charter from the victorious camp at BhaqCl araga vitfage. The Inscription begins with Auspicious Verses or Words (Kiahgala Sloka or Mangalavachana) with Blessing or Benediction {Aslh) e.g. Svasti I Moreover, followed by Namaskriya this invokes {Abhimantranam) and salute {Abhivandanam) to the Deity i.e. Jayatyavi:§k^tam vi§novrvaraham k^obhitarnavam I ... Auspicious Verses or Words Mentioned in the Vakkaleri Copperplate Inscription of Kirtivarman-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period Ibid, pp. 444. '^^ Ibid., pp. 451 (No. 2) See also L. Rice, Ind Ant, VIU, pp 23 ff. Cf E Hultzsch, SIl, I,pp 146 ff. '^^ Ibid., pp. 452 74 Line 1, Stanzas -, Prose, First Plate. Then there are praises recorded of the person who is responsible for his deeds as an incenti\e for future good deeds accomplished by verses as :- ...bahuhhirvasudha bhukta rajabhissagaradihhih I ... In addition. Imprecatory verses are used at die end of the Inscriptions i.e. ,..sva-daltam para-dattam va yo hareta vasundharani I ... (A person who takes away the land either gifted by him or by some one else to another person as a gift, donation, etc. ...) Imprecatory and Benedictory Stanzas Mentioned in the Vakkaleri Copperplate Inscription of Kirtivarman-II, of the Chalukyas of Badami Period''' Lines 72-76, Stanzas 2-4, Anustubh (Sloka), Fifth Plate. <7FT ^?FT ^ HIHfdf^ HFT ^ '^I^ II ^ ^ qi^ ^ r^HI^^S^MWHH. II f=i<Tii q?: - ^ ^ ^ ^ «i^«-y<iH. i • The Eastern Chalukyas of VengT Genealogy Mentioned in the Yelivarru Copperplate Inscription of Amma-II Vijayaditya, of the Eastern Chalukyas of Veiigi Period ""'^/A/cy. pp. 455 75 ...Kubja Vishnuvardhana, brother of Satyasraya Vallabhendra'^'^ of the Chalukya family, ruled over VengI for 18 years. His son Jayasimha-I ruled for 33 years; his son Mangi-yuvaraja for 25 years; his son Jayasimha-II for 13 years; his younger brother Kokkili for 6 months. Kokkili was expelled by his elder brother Vishnuvardhana who ruled for 37 years His son Vijayaditya-bhattaraka ruled for 18 years; his son Vijayaditya-narendrann-igaraja for 48 years; his son Kali- vish^uvardhana for 1/4 years; his son Gupaga-vijayaditya for 44 years. His successor Bhima, the son of his younger brother Vikramaditya, for 30 years; his son Kollabhigapda-vijayaditya, for 6 months; his son Amma-I for 7 years; having expelled his son, the child Vijayaditya, Talapa ruled for one month; having subdued him, Vikramaditya, son of BhIma, ruled for 11 months; then Yuddhamalla, son of Talapa, ruled for 7 years; then BhIma, the son of KoUabhigaQda-vijayaditya, reigned for 12 years. His son, by his wife LokamahadevI, was Amma-II Vijayaditya. The find-spot of the Yehvarru Copperplate Inscription of Amma-Il Vijayaditya, of the Eastern Chalukyas of Veiigl Period being Yelivarru, Repalle Taluk, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. The scribe made copies of writings in Telugu-Kannada Script, and Sanskrit Language. Date: c.