Inscription number 38.
Kanukollu Plates of Skandavarman Regnal Year 1.
These copper plates were found alongwith salankayana copper plate in the village of Kanukollu, in 1940.
The plates were discovered near the an old fort.
Various other rare gold and lead coins were also found in the same location.
This charter records the donation of a village of Kompara in Kudarahara district to the Chaturvaidya community who resided in Rathakara. The charter was issued from Vengipura, which has been identified as the modern village of Pedavegi.
Provenance: Kanukollu, Gudivada taluk,
Krishna district, A.P.
Script: Brahmi of the Southern class, closely resembling the characters of Nandi-varman. Kanukollu plates
and other salankayana charters.
Language: Sanskrit.
References: B.V. Krishna Rao, Ep.Ind, XX, pp.7-10.
Footnote 1.
- From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXXI.
- The serial numbers of all sides of the plates are engraved in the left margin.
- Compare the genealogical list given here with that of the Pedavegi plates of the salankayana king Nandivarman 2, (J A.H.R.S, I, pp.92ff, Successors of the Satavahanas, pp 331ff)
Kanukollu Plates
1, Hastivarman 1
- Nandi varman 1
- Hastivaman 2.
- Skandavarman
Pedavegi Plates - Hastivarman 1.
- Nandivarman 1.
- Achanda-varman
- Nandi varman 2.
& younger Sons.
The last two rulers in both the lists are given the title of Maharaja, indicating that after Nandivarman, the salankayana house was split up into two branches each claiming a sovereign status.
Achanda-varman, whose coins have also been found, must have
been the younger brother of Hastivarman 2, as the
grandfather’s name was customarily given to the eldest grandson. Achandavarman’s title yuva Maharaja in his Dharikatura grant ( Supra IV,L 4) shows that the elder brother, Hastivarman 2, was superceded, leading to his revolt and establishing himself as an independent ruler after his father’s death.
Maharaja Nandi varman’ s Kanukollu plates (supra IV, 34 ) name Maharajaputa Hatthisami ,.
and Balaka Maharajakumara Khanda-potta.They evidently are
identical with Hastivarman and Skandavarman, the son and grandson respectively of Nandivarman in the present charter.
Footnote 2. - Singular number indicates that chaturvaidya is used here,
as in tthe Kanukollu plates of Nandivarman (Supra,IV, 343, L13) to specify a particular person. Presumably, there was only one person
in Rathakara village bearing this surname, rendering it unnecessary to mention his personal name or identification.
I do not agree with D.C. sircar ( EP.Ind, XXXI, pp.7, n.4, pp.10, n.4) that chaturvaidya in the present grant
and chaturejja in Kanukollu grant of Nandivarman (Supra, IV, 34, L.13) refer to the community of the chaturvedin Brahmanas, residing at Rathakara”. The noun itself as also all its adjectives used in either charter are in singular.
The noun and its adjectives should have been in plural form, if the gift was meant for a community. Further, it
appears that the donee of the present charter was identical with that of the Nandivarman’s charter and
that Hastivarman’s intervening reign must have been brief.
English Translation of the inscription.
Hail from the victorious city of Vengi.
At the command of the illlustrious salankayana Maharaja skandavarman,
who meditates on the feet of the holy lord chitraratha, who is devoted to the feet of his royal father, who is a
son of the illlustrious Maharaja Hastivarman, whose glory
was embraced by the waves of (all) the four oceans, who is a grandson of the illustrious Maharaja Nandivarman, who had with his own prowess stripped his enemies of their armours,
(i.e had subjugated them) (and) who is a great-grand son of the illustrious Maharaja Hasti-varman whose deeds of valour at.the head of many a battle are widely acclaimed. The
villagers in the village of Kompara of
Kudrahara should be told:-
We have given this village, for the increase of fame, fortune, victory and wel lfare of our family, to chaturvaidya,
a resident of (the village of Rathakara, having made it a brahmadeya (i.e. an agrahara and exempting it from all
the taxes. Having known that, proper services be rendered to him, according to the previously existing terms.
Besides, officers-in-charge of all the departments and their subordinates
should let that village alone.
(This) (copper)-plate charter has been given on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Karttika in
the first year of our flourishing glorious and victorious reign.
(Here follows one of the customary verses).