The Vasishthas

THE VASISHTHAS.

Consequent to decline of Gupta rule, during fifth century CE, following three dynasities emerged in Andhra Pradesh.

1. Matharas

2. Pitr-bhaktas

3. Vasistha

Following were the three important kings of Vasishtha dynasty:-

1  Anantavarman son of Prabhanjanavarman, 

2. Prabhanjanavarman son of Maharaja Gunavarman, the lord of devapura.

Anantavarman ruled his empire from his headquarters Devarashtra, ( Yelamanchili city) inherited from his ancestors. 

Anantavarman was a devotee of Lord Shiva.

Inscription number 51.

Siripuram Plates of Anantavarman, Lord of Kalinga.

Provenance: Siriparam, near Chicacole, Vizagapatam district, Andhra Pradesh.

Now in Government Maseum, Chennai.

Script:  Brahmi of the southern class of 6th century A.D.

L: Sanskrit.

References: Narasimham, Bharati Telugu Monthly) Sept.1931,

J.Andhra History Research Society. VIII, pp.153, G.V. Srinivasa Rao, Ep.Ind.. XXIV, pp.47-52.

Footnote 1.

1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind, XXV, facing pp.51.

2. Expressed by the usual spiral symbol.

3. Devapura may be identified either with Devada in Srungavarapukota taluk or with Devadi in chicacole taluk.

4. is en graved below the line, under go.

The omission in the line is indicated by a small cross above the line.

Footnote-2.

1. Tontapara is presumably represented by the modern village Tatada in the chicacole taluk.

2. cf, the expression,

of the Brihatproshtha grant ( Ep.Ind, XII, pp.44ff) 

3. The word yajana is repeated by mistake.

English Translation of the inscription

Om. Hail!

From the victorious city of Devapura,

Anantavarman, the glorious lord of Kalinga, who is endowed with prudence, refinement truthfulness, purity of life, good conduct, liberality, generosity, dexterity, enthusiasm and

strength, who has acquired the earth by the valour of his own arms who is ever devoted, to the welfare of his subjects9 who subject; who is a devout worshipper of Mahesvara and who meditates on the feet of his parents; who is the son of the glorious Maharaja

Prabhanjanavarman, who was richly adorned with a multitude of good

qualities, and was the son of the glorious Maharaja Gunavarman, who was a full moon among the vast and spotless family of Vasishthas, who was ever engaged in granting many pious gifts of land, gold, cows in thousands and the like; to whom the royal fortune accrued by means of the three fold legal power, and who possessed great fame as pure as the light of the exceedingly clear autumnal moon, commands all the assembly of the house holders in Tontapuras:- This village is already an agrahara enjoying privileges in common with the others in the sub-divi sion of Kharapuri, and is paying taxes. The same has now been granted by us with due rites preceded by libation of water making it an agrahara to last as long as the moon and the sun do, separating it from the sub-division of Kharapuri and the division bhoga of Pattana, and exempting it from all

taxes for the increase of our religious merit, longevity and fame, to the same Brahmanas, numbering eight share-

holders, of Atreya gotra and charana, who are engaged in performing and helping others to perform sacrifices, in

study and teaching, in making and receiving gifts, on the day of full moon in the month of Magha in the year, Mahasvayuja. Having understood this, you should present yourself before them with all due respect on word being sent, after offering the proceeds of the village and this order should be respected by the kings to come in future  times also in the matter of protecting this pious gift.

Footnote 

1. The mark of punctuation inscribed is

2. The text beyond this was in scribed on the third plate,  which is lost.

3. Many kings of the period whose in inscriptions are included in this section claimed to be the lords of

Kalingas Visakhavarman, who issued Korosahanda grant.

(Ep.Ind., XXI, pp. 23 ff. Also IV,16 above) from Sripura, identified with siripuram the find-spot of the present 

plate, may also belong to the kalingadhdhipati group of

rulers though he does not specifically claim this title.

From the provenance of their plates and the places mentioned in them, we gather that their territory extended in the north to the southen portion of the

Ganjam district and in the south to the northern portion of the Godavari district. Varahavartani division, which

was under Anantasaktivarman, according to his plates, passed

in the Ganga year 79 – about 575 A.D. into the possession of the

Eastern Ganga king. Hastivarman (Narasingapalli Plates,

Ep.Ind. XXIII. pp.63 Supra, IV, 43). Sometime later Pishtapura passed into the hands of Prithivi Maharaja.

(Tandivada grant, Ep.Ind, XII, pp.88 ff,

probably a subordinate of the vishnukundins, who lost it

to the chalukyas under Pulikesin II, (Ep.Ind., VI, pp.11.)

Thus these Kalingadhi patis seem to have disappeared before

the close of the 6th century A.D. They had not yet come to power early in 4th century AD, when Samudragupta invaded the

south and captured Mahendra of Pishtapura and Kubera of

Devarashtra.

Footnote.

Dating in the twelve year cycle of Jupiter, according to which the year commences on the day when Jupiter, after  it’s conjunction with the sun, rises heliacally at mean Sunrise in a particular nakshatra after which it is named (see Ep.Ind., VIII, pp. 289), was in vogue only, in the 5th and 6th centuries of the christian era.

In the Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy for 1931-32, C.R. Krishnamacharlu, assuming the Ganga

era to start in 493 A.D., assigns the Achutapuram Plates of Indravarman ( Ep.Ind., III, pp.128 f.)

dated in the 87th year of the era to 580 A.D.,  and assuming the present record to be about half a century earlier,

assigns it to 528-29 AD.. the year in which Mahasyayuja occurred. Mahasvayuja occurred in 516 A.D. and

504 A D. also.

These years are equally possible for the present record.