Vilavatti Grant of Pallava Simha-varman 3, (Regnal) Year 10.
Study of Pallava history may be carried out in two parts:
(1) Early Pallavas: Those who ruled before 600 A D.
(2) Imperial Pallavas: Those who came after 600.
Simhavarman 3, a Siva devotee was among the early Pallava rulers.During his reign, expansion of pallava kingdom started
Subsequently the expansion was achieved by the crown prince, Simhavishnu, and this accomplishment made the later pallava kings very powerful. Simhavishnu, also known as Avanisimha, Chatrumalla, etc., is mentioned in the Velurpalayam plates as the son of Simhavarman. The Mattavilasa Prahasanam in its prologue mentions him. Bharavi, the great Sanskrit poet, adorned his court. He had a brother by name Bhimavarman. Simhavishnu’s biggest accomplishment was the large southern extension of pallay kingdom.
He is famous like Kadungon for having destroyed the Kalabhras. His kingdom, thus extended, reached down to the Kaviri as can be seen from Pallangoil plates. He also defeated the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Malavarayas. He was a Vaishnava. He excavated the Siyyamangalam Cave Temple.
Provenance: A Village Vavveru, Kovur taluk, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh.
Script: Southern class of Brahmi with some letters of box-heads type, some with nail-heads and the rest
with short head-lines or even without them.
Language: Sanskrit.
References: C.R Kishnamacharlu, Annual Reports on south Indian epigraphy for the year 1933-34, No.1 of Appendix. A ibid. Pt.II, pp.30, Ep.Ind, XXIV, pp. 296-303.
Footnote 1.
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind, XXIV, between pp.302 and 303.
2. Paddukkara is represented by the modern village of Padugupadu, about 15 km. south-east of Vavveru, and within a couple of kilometers from Kovuru.
Footnote 2.
1. Note that प्रपौत्रस्य here and पौत्रस्य
in 1.7 qualify
Vishnugopasya in 1.9, and not the next word which goes with simhavarma in 1.13, This is an obvious mistake, as is clear from the genealogical sections of Omgodu and Pikira Plates. of simhavarman 3. ( see IV,23 and 2 7 respectively).
2. Emended as in Uruvupalli and Pikir grants.
Footnote 3.
1. Emended as in other grants.
2. It is evidently identical with the later Munda-nadu or Mundai-nadu of the Nellore inscriptions. For references
see Ep.Ind., XXIV, pp.301, n.5.
3. Vilavatti may either be identified with Vavveru, where the plates were discovered, or with vidavaluru, about
20 km east of it.
4 There was a solar eclipse in the 4th year of simhavarman’ s reign in the month of chaitra (see Ep.Ind., XV, pp.253).
Dr. schram’ s Tables of the Eclipses of the Sun in India, record an eclipse on the 17th May, 440 A D. The month of
Chaitra in certain years overlaps the month of May, particularly when there is an adhi-masa chaitra. Accepting
440 AD. as his 4th regnal year, the initial year of simhavarman’s reign works out to 436 A.D. and the date of the
present plates will come to 446 AD.
Footnote 4.
1. Pravaranchara and certain other professions in this list cannot be clearly defined. See the opinion of
Krishnamacharlu and the editor N.P. Chakravarti in Ep.Ind,. XXIV, pp.298 and n.5 respectively.
2. Emended to बंट – ग्रामेयका: = भाग – ग्रामेयका: Officers of subsidiary villages.
English Translation of the inscription.
L1.1-14. Hail ! The Lord is victorious. At the illustrious and victorious seat of Paddukkara, the illustrious Maharaja
simhavarman of (the family of the Pallavas, the performers of many asvamedha sacrifices, who (simhavarman) is the abode of majesty of other kings subdued with his prowess, who is of Bharadvaja gotra who is a devout worshipper of Bhagavats, who is devoted to the feet of his majestic father, who contemplates on the feet of the Lord, who is desirous of pious victories, who is desirous of winning the entire pile of virtues found in royal sages; whose valour is worth envy who is ever
engaged in rescuing Dharma (piety) sunk in the sins of the evil age, who is the son of the Yuva-Maharaja, the
matchless Sri vishnugopa, who was luminous with fame earned in courageous encounters in may battles, who was highly courteous, who worshipped the gods, the
Brahmanas, the teachers and the elderly people, (simhavarman,) who is the grand son of the great soul
Maharaja Sri Skandavarman, who was the fifth (i.e. additional) Lokapala, who was adept in nursing his subjects, whose collection of pious deeds (dharma) had greatly increased by gifts of many cows, gold, land and other things, who had brought about all the
blessings by his noble thoughts of devotion in the Lord, to whose valour the circle of kings had submitted, who
was endowed with a high level of power and success, (simhavarman,) who was the great grandson of the unique
hero on the surface of the earth, the illustrious, Maharaja viravarman of immeasurable spirit, who stood
(firmly) in all the established bounds of morality as laid down in law, who was the repository of brilliant Kshatriya valour totally earned by his own arms, who was a great devotee of the Brahmanas, commands all the superintendents and their touring
Officers (sancharinah) and also the (entire) area (kshetram) of the village in the Vilavatti village, in the Munda state, as follows;-
L1.14-22: This village, together with it’s hamlet ( sa-grasakah) along with all immunities, with the exception of plough-land, assigned for use to the temple (deva-bhoga-hala Varjam) has been granted, for the increase of our
longevity, strength and victory. In our reign of growing victories, in the tenth year, on the fifth day of the bright half of (the month of sravana, to Vishnusarman, of Gautama gotra and a scholar of the samaveda. In this
village, whatever taxes are payable by the metal and leather workers, weavers of cloth for marketing (apana – Patta-kara), the hawkers of cloaks (pravaranchara,) rope-acrobats (rajju-pratihara) and shopkeepers (apanajivika) The amounts payable by barbarians and outcastes (nahala), mask-acters (mukha-dharaka), water diviners (kupa-darseka), weavers
(tantravaya), taxes on gambling, marriage and barbers. and the
(tithes) payable by the artisans, enjoying the privileges of all
immunities and such other taxes that belong to us, have been
granted to him, making them into a Brama-deya (Brahminical gift).
The Officers of the subsidiary villages should execute our orders and others should (duly) render or and cause to be
rendered (unto the donee the said) immunities. And whosoever
violates this charter of ours that sinner shall deserve corporal punishment. And also there are verses uttered by
sages”
L1.23-31 (Here follow six of the customary verses).
Executed at the oral command of his Majesty (and) the charter was written by Achyuta, the confidential secretary.
Hail !
Footnote.
1. cf. Sancharantakah in uruvupalli grant and sasana-sancharinah in the Pikira grant.
2. Evidently the king addressed his command to the people, living in that kshetra or area.
3. See Krishnamacharlu’s interpretation in Ep.Ind., XXIV, pp-298.