Inscription number 186.
Nagarjunikonda Stone Inscription ion of the time of Ehavalasari – Regnal Year 11,
Provenance: Nagarjunikonda, on the right bank of the Krishna
river, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Script: Brahmi of of the 3rd and 4th century. A.D.
Language: Sanskrit
Metres: V1: अनुष्टूभ्. V2: स्रग्धरा
References B. Ch. Chhabra, EP. Ind,. XXXII, pp -147-49
1
King Ehavala Chantamula is known from some other Inscriptions (see
above) He was the son of the
Ikshvaku king Virapurushadatta and Mahadevi Bhatideva
(i.e. Bhartrideva) Ehavalas sister, Kodabalisri, was the queen of a vanavasaka Maharaja. All the forthcoming Ikshvakus records are dated in regnal years. It is
not possible to relate them to any other era. However on Palaeographic grounds, these records are placed in the
3rd or 4th century AD.
English Translation of the inscription
On the auspicious eleventh day of the bright fortnight of (the month of Magha, during the eleventh year of the king, the Lord Ehavalasari.
Elisri, of righteous thoughts, the senior Talavara, who harbours intense devotion to the God, Kartikeya the son
of Fire God, the wielder of terrible power (or javelin)
-Elisri, the grand son of the General Anikki,, the victor of battles and of wife spread fame, the son of Gandi, built this grand temple, an abode of Siva (Sarvadeva) with the grace of Kartikeya.
Footnote
From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXXIII,
the present Inscription is found in six or seven versions, all on broken fragments. Many of which are still missing.
Dr. Chhabra was able to restore almost one complete version by putting together several pieces of stones. Still
Several syllables in the beginning of line 3 to 6, as also सिद्धं in 1.1 are lost. and have been restored above by comparing with the surviving pieces
of stones bearing the other versions.
2. The other versions have the correct text 1 -शुकल-पक्षस्य
Inscription number 187
Nagarjunikanda inscription of Ehuvula Chantamula – Regnal Year 16.
Provenance: Nagarjunikanda, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Script: Brahmi of the 3rd or 4th century A.D.
Language: Sanskrit.
It is understood that several shrines, such as those of Nodagishvara-svamin, Pushpa-bhadra-svamin, and Sarva-deva, were built during
the reign of Ehuvala Chamtamula.
An inscription written in metrical Sanskrit were inscribed on its pillars. Prince Haritiputra Virapurushadatta commissioned the Pushpabhadra-savmin temple during the 14th regnal year of Ehuvala. The shrine of Nodagishvara-svamin was also built during Ehuvala’s reign, and received a permanent endowment for its maintenance.
Buddhism also flourished during Ikshvaku kingdom, and several princes and queens, had contributed to the construction of the Buddhist shrines. Chamtashri, the sister of Vasishthiputra Chamtamula, generously donated towards the construction of a mahachaitya, which was built during the 6th regnal year of her son-in-law. Virapurushadatta, commissioned a monastery for the leaders of the Mahishasakase. There’s also a picture of Buddha with a Sanskrit inscription during the same period.
References: D.C. Sircar and KG. Krishnan pp.17-20.
The genealogical table of Prince 1
Virapurushadatta, who
issued this Inscription is as under:-
A Ikshvakus (Paternal) family
1. Vasishthipatra Chantamula
2. Mathariputra Virapurushadatta
3. Vasishthiputra Ehavala Chantamula, Kupanasri, Haritiputra Virapurushadatta,
B. Pushyakundiya (maternal) family,
1. Mahatalavara skandagopa
2. Mahatalavara Khandahal a
3 Mahadevi Kupanadevi Ehavala Chantamala,
Grand-daughter of Sesebamaguraka)
4. Haritipatra Virapurushadatta.
Footnote 1
1. From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXXIV.
2. After the double dandas, there’s a curved line slanting downwards.
3. Note the dot of anusvara is incised to the right of the letter ca. It is either put above or to the right of the previous letter, in this Inscription.
Footnote 2
1. There is a long gap after this. The following passage is engraved in slightly later characters. दत्त : goes with ग्राम :
2. Sircar and Krishnan: कंकफ्ल
English Translation of the inscription
Success Obeisance to the Lord, the great god Pushpabhadrasvamin. on the 5th day of the second fortnight of
the summer season in the year 16 of Maharaja, the illustrious,
Ehavala Chantamula, the son of Vasishthi. The Maharajakumara
(i.e. Prince , the great general, Haritipatra., Sri viraparusha
datta of the Ikshvaku lineage, the great grandson of the king.vasishthi putra & Sri Chantanmula of the Ikshvakus family, who had earned Victory and fame by his own prowess, who was the giver of a hundred thousand cows and a hundred thousand ploughs, who
was (also the donor of many crores of gold pieces; who had
performed Agnishtoma, Vajpeya, asvamedha (and bahusvarnaka
Sacrifices, and the grandson of the maharaja Mathariputra,
Sri Virapurushadatta, is son of the Haharaja Srl Ehavala
Chantarmula of the Iksvaku family who won auspicious( or just)
victories like sagara, Dilipa Ambarisna (and) Yudhishthira,
(and) who was pleasing to all people like Rama; (and also) the
son of the Chief queen een Mahadevi Kapanasri & the king Sri Ehavala Chantamula, the sister’s, daughter of
Uttara Mahatalavara, the daughter’s daughter (i.e. maternal
grand-daughtes of Sesebamaguruka tha daughter of Mahatalavara
Khandshala (Skandasala) and the grand-daughter of
Mahatalavara Skandagopa, caused the temple of the Lord
Pushpabhadrasvamin, who constructed a flagpost to be established,
and granted the village of Pudukeda: as a perpetual endowment
for successive victories and longevity to Maharaja (Ehavala
Chantamula) and the family of the Chief queen and for
obtaining the reward of religious merit to both the mother
and the son (myself)
Kankapala and Kankachandra are appointed as the Priests (Lit sharers of the temple income)
Inscription number 188
Nagarjunikanda inscription of Ehuvula Chantamula – The Year Vijaya (333-34 A.D.).
Provenance: Nagarjunikanda, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.
Script: Middle Brahmi of southern class
Language: Prakrít.
References: D.C. Sircar Ep.Ind XXXV, pp-4-7.
Footnote
1. From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXXV facing page p.5, Pl.1 B.
2. Engraved in left margin to the Left of 1-2.
3. Sircar
4. Full stop is indicated by double horizontal strokes.
5. Sircar
6. Dinari is derived from the word denarios, the name of a
Roman coin. It may be identical with the dinari mshaka,
known from some other Nagarjunikonda inscriptions.or
the coin of which, the dinari mashaka, was the 1/16 th Part in weight or value.