37. Plates of the lord of Chиkуra: the 6th year.
EI. V. XIII. No. 6. (T. A. Gopinatha Rao)

The set of copper-plates on which the subjoined inscription is engraved was secured for me for examination from a friend of his by Mr. J. M. Nallasаmi Pillai, B.A., H.L., District Munsiff, Rajahmandry. Regarding these plates and of the site where they were discovered he writes as follows :-'The exact circumstances under which the copper-plates were found are not known. It is said that they were ploughed up a few years ago near the village of Щarabhavaram some 20 miles north-west of Rajahmandry and 10 miles from the bank of the Gоdаvarи. Near the place where the plates were found there appear to be the remains of several brick stуpas of fair size, and about 6 or 7 miles from it towards the Gоdavarи are more stуpas on a hill overlooking a lake known as Nallakотa Ava, while on the Rаmdurgam, a lofty hill that dominates the country, are the extensive remains of buildings which seem to have formed part of a monastery."
The set consists of three plates, measuring 6'' by 2" and of 1/16" thickness. It is a circular ring sealed with a lump of copper in a crude manner, and on this is struck with a die the emblem of the dynasty to which the grantor of the deed belonged; The language of the record is Sanskrit prose. The alphabet closely resembles that of the early Kadamba plates. The inscription belongs to the reign of a king whose name and dynasty are not mentioned. He is simply described as the lord of Chиkуra-viшaya.

TEXT.

First Plate.

1 ом svasti щrиvijayacиkуrapurаt-naya-vinaya-sampanno-
2 ёneka-saкgrаm-a[а*]bhimukha-prahаra-labdha-vijaya-pratiштhaх sarvva-vidyа-
3 ddhyaya[na]-vidhi-viщаradaх dilиpa-bhagиratha-vaiнya-yayаti-rа-
4 m-аmbarишаdibhir=аdi-kшatriyair=аsevitа-ddharmma-ma[а*]rggаd=apracyyuta

Second Plate; First tide.

5 аhav-аbhimu[khах]-yаt-аneka-ghoтa-kamаri-va[dа]nyaх щуrо dakшa[х*] kр-
6 ta[jго] vi(saм)dhyо bhagavatas-tridaщagurrоr=mmahещvarasya caraнa-dvay-аrа-
7 dhana-par[о] mahещvarasya prasаd-аvаpta-paralоka-
8 pratiштhaх nirjjit-ащеш[а]rаti-vargga[х*] cikуra-viшay-а-
9 dhipati[х*] parama-brahmaнya[х*] pulakagrаmyаn=ayukta-

Second Plate; Second side.

10 kащ=c-aivam=аjгаpayatyёsti asmаbhi[х*] puнyаyu-
11 r-yyaщоbhivрddhayе vеda-dv(а)yаddhyayana-kuщalа-
12 ya yajгa-vadyаdidе vаjasanayisya-karmm-аnuштhа-
13 na-parаya hаrиtasagоtr[а*]ya hariщarmmaне

Third Plate; First side,

14 sarvvakarох parihрtya pulоkagrаmо datta[х*] |(||) nudavabuddhya ta-
15 к-grаmam=asau brаhmaнaх putra-pautr-аnukramен-ошa(pa)bhuгjаnо
16 na kaiщci kiгcid=vaktavya[х||*] аjг(а)pti[х*] svamukham [||] sa 6 pошu di
17 10 [||*] bhavanti cаtra щlоkа[х ||*] bahubhirvvasudhа dattа bahubhiщcаnupаli[tа]

Third Plate; Second side.

18 yasya yasya yad[а*] bhуmi tasya tasya tadа pala [||*] svadattаm=para-
19 dаttа vа yattаdrakшa yudhiштhira [|*] mahim=mahimantrа щrештha
20 dаnаc-chrеyоёnupаla[naм] [||*] шaштhi varшa-sahasrанi sargge
21 mоdati bhуmidaх[|*] a[а*]kшеpt[а*] c-аnumantа ca tаny-еva narakе
22 [va*]set[||*]