Ipur Plates of Madhavavarman

Inscription number 50.

Ipur Plates of Madhavavarman 3, son of Govindavarman. Regnal year 37.

Madhavavarman was son of

Govinda Varman and Mahadevi. He had two sons – Vikramendra Varma and Deva Varma.

His predecessor was Madhava Varma 1, who was also a popular ruler. The Vishnukundina Empire had reached its greatest territorial extent under him. He defeated Prithvishena 2, a powerful Vakataka king. He occupied Kalinga and invaded the Pallavas of Kanchipuram in his 33rd regnal year.

“He wrote ‘Janasraya’. he had an epithet- ‘Trivara Nagara Bhavnagata Sundari Hridaya Nandana’  The one who brought happiness to the beautiful maidens living in the buildings of the city of Trivara”

After occupying the areas from the Ananda Gotrikas, Madhava Varma made Amarapura, modern Dharanikota, near the Amaravati Stupa, as the headquarters of his kingdom.

Provenance: In the possession of Brindavanam Gopalacharlu of

Ipur Tenali taluk, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh.

Script: Southern type of Brahmi. Language:  Sanskrit, slightly influenced by Prakrit.

References: E. Hultzsch, Ep.Ind, XVII, pp.334-37.

Footnote 1.

1. Besides the two sets of Ipur Plates, assigned above to Madhavarman 2 and 3 respectively, this name figures in the Ramatirtham Plates of Indravarman. (Ep.Ind, XII, pp.132) and the chikkula plates of Vikramendravarman 2,

(ib, IV, pp.193) Combining the details recorded in all these plates, we can reconstruct the Vishnukundin genealogy as under:-

Madhavavarman 1, Devaarman,

Madhavavarman 2, (year forty seven),

Govindavarman, Madhavavarman 3, (year thirty seven), Vikramendra or Vikramendravarman 1,

Indravarman or Indrabhattarakavarman (year twenty seven),

Vikramendravarman 1, (year ten)

Footnote 2.

1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind, XVII, facing pp.334.

2. Hultzsch emends नय to भुज, which is not necessary.

3. Hiranyagarbha is the name of Brahma, the creator as also of vishnu, and of the author of the Rigveda, X.121.

Possibly Visinukundins claimed descent from vishnu.

That may explain the phrase     

English Translation of the inscription.

Hail ! The son of the glorious Maharaja Govindavarman, who

meditated on the feet of the holy lord of sriparvata;  who belonged to the family of the vishnukundins, whose power and valour were immeasurable, who was most religious, to whom all vassals

had submitted and who made many gifts of cows, gold and land.

The glorious Maharaja Madhavavarman, who is richly gifted with memory wisdom, strength, stamina, patience, bravery, (and)

Modesty, Whose edicts are honoured by kings all over the round

earth, who delights the hearts of the young women standing in

the palaces of Trivaranagara, who has subdued all the vassals by his power of statecraft (or diplomacy) endowed with

unequalled power, modesty, statesmanship, self-restraint, and

stamina, whose commands are honoured by the rulers of the earth,

in the whole world who has performed thousands of Agnishtoma

sacrifices born of Hiranyagarbha, who has shaken off the sins of the world by ritual baths following eleven asvamedhas and who is a man of sustained activity from his camp of victory, pitched at Kudavada commands as follows all the villagers of Vilembali, in the district (vishaya) of Guddadi:-

For the sake of prosperity of our family. I have given this village wi th all exemptions, to this Brahmana Agnisarman, of the Vatsa gotra.

Knowing this all royal officers should

exempt and preserve it.

The executor ajna of this charter was the king’s dear Son Manchyanna Bhattaraka.

(Here follow two of the customary verses) 

In the thirty seventh year of the increasingly victorious reign, the 15th day of the 7th fortnight of the hot season.

Seal: Sri Madhavavarman.