17. TIRUK-KŌYIL-ŪR INSCRIPTION ________________________________________ Tiruk-kōyil-ūr is an ancient Śiva-kṣetra, sung by the Śaiva Nāyaṉmars and also known for its Viṣṇu temple of Trivikrama, celebrated by the early Vaiṣnavite Ālvārs. It was the capital of the Malaiymāṉ chieftains of the Saṅgam age in the first centuries of the Current Era. An inscription of Rājarāja Cōḻa I found in Tamiḻ language on the base of the Vīraṭṭāṇa-Śiva temple in the village is of great significance. It is in the form of a long Tamiḻ poem and records the gift of land, a golden liṅga and jewels for worship in the Śiva temple, at the instance of an officer of Rājarāja Cōḻa in the 27th year (1012 CE) of the king. The inscription is important from various aspects like literary, political, administrative, religious and artistic fields. An attempt is made here to study the epigraph in detail. Though the inscription is a long continuous record engraved on the base of the temple, it consists of over 230 poetic lines with a loss of few lines here and there, due to damage to the original. At the end of the record are found three more poems recording different endowments. Unfortunately after the inscription was copied by the Government Epigraphsit a thoughtless renovation carried out has erased a major part of the record, which can only be seen very feebly on the base now. The only record now available is the paper impression of the inscription preserved in the office of the Government Epigraphist at Mysore. 17.1. A unique Tamiḻ literature The inscription as mentioned earlier is in the form of a long Tamiḻ poem, set in the meter Āciryap-pā. An anthology of ten long poems called the “Ten Idylls” of the Saṅgam age, of the beginning of the Current Era, are well known to Tamiḻ scholars. They are (except the first in praise of Lord Muruga) in praise of historic patrons like the Cōḻa, Pāṇḍyā, and Toṇḍaimāṉ Iḷamtirayaṉ and others and their liberal gifts to poets and singers. Four of them end praising the patron, as the ruler of certain regions as listed below with the lines given first and the name of the text against each. • Paḻam-utirc-cōlai-mālai kiḻavōne • Tiru-muruku-aāṟṟup-paṭai • Onṟu-iḷaṅgu-aruvi-malai kiḻavōne • Perum-pāṇ-āṟṟup-paṭai • Kaviri-puṟakku-nāṭu kilavone • Ciru-pāṇ-āṟṟup-paṭai • Kunṟu-cūḻ-irukkai-nāṭu kilavone • Malai-patu-kaṭām The term Kiḻavōṉ stands for the ruler or owner. The first one is in praise of Muruka the presiding deity of the hill named paḻam-utirc-cōlai (now called Aḻagarmalai) near Maturai. The second one is in praise of Toṇḍaimān Iḷamtirayaṉ, the ruler of Toṇḍai nadu, which included Kāñchipuram and its surroundings. The third is in praise of Cōḻa the ruler of Kāvēri region and the last is in praise of the chieftain of northern region of Tamiḻnāṭu surrounded by hillocks. The ending in this manner of the Tamiḻ poems praising the patron giving a detailed information about him, his region, his liberality etc., are interesting compositions met with in early age, while later from about the 7th cent, there is a perceptible change in Tamiḻ poetic formations. The Tiruk-kōyil-ūr record under discussion ends as in the Saṅgam poems using almost the same expression as nalam-taru-ponni-nāṭu kiḻavōne Evidently, the author of the Tiruk-kōyil-ūr epigraph was inspired by the Saṅgam poems and gives a new format to the inscription differing from thousands of other records which are in prose form and in a legal documentary format.
This conclusion is further strengthened by the reference to the famous poet Kapilaṉ of the Saṅgam age, in the body of the text. Among many authors of the Saṅgam poetry, the two poets Kapilaṉ and Paraṇan were much respected for their accomplishments. Kapilaṉ has sung on the great patron Pāri and his daughters in many poems. This great poet Kapilaṉ is mentioned in the body of this inscription with special reference to his friendship with the Saṅgam chieftain Pāri and his daughters. The inscription also praises the poems of Kapilaṉ as “poems divine”. It is unusual among thousands of inscriptions to find a pointed reference to a Saṅgam poet by name, and this is perhaps unique in this respect. Obviously, the inscription of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr was inspired by the Saṅgam tradition particularly that of Kapilaṉ. The inscription is also a pointer to the fact that Saṅgam poems, which wer nearly one thousand years old at the time of Rājarāja Cōḻa, were studied with interest. 17.2. Details of the record The inscription is divided into eight subdivisions for the purposes of our study. The first part of the inscription refers to Rājarāja, and his exploits; the second speaks about Rājarāja's mother Vānavaṉ-mādēvi who belonged to the family Malaiyamāns, the chieftains of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr; the third is about the river Peṇṇaiāru that passes through the village Tiruk-kōyil-ūr. The small hillock called Kapilak-kal on the river Peṇṇai-āru on top of which the poet Kapilaṉ immolated himself by entering fire. The fifth part is the great temple of Śiva - Viraṭṭāaṇam situated near this hillock comes in praise for its fame and purity. The sixth part of the record relates to the gift of land for daily worship and offerings to Lord Śiva of Viraṭṭāṇam and also his consort Goddess Pārvati. The seventh details the various personals serving in the temple and provisions for their emoluments while the last section ending with the donor vīti-viṭṅkaṉ-kambaṉ, who served as a trusted officer under Rājarāja Cōḻa. Following this long poem are three small poems. The first one refers to a golden flower to be placed on top of the main liṅga during worship. The second informs us that the same donor gifted a face-band weighing three kaḻañju, for adorning the liṅga daily. The last one mentions he presented a golden liṅga, giving details of the weight etc. 17.2.1. Rājarāja Rājarāja who comes for praise in the first part is eulogized as a monarch born in the solar race. The Sun is poetically described as ruling the golden sky, riding on his single wheeled chariot drawn by horses, driving away the darkness with his rays like Lord Śiva with red jatās, who consigned the dark forts of the Tripurāsuras to fire. Rājarāja was a great devotee of Śiva who had the title Śiva-pada-śekhara i.e., one who carries Śiva's sacred feet on his head. The opening lines of the record thus not only pay obeisance to Sūrya the originator of the Rājarāja’s family but also to Lord Śiva, the king’s favourite deity. It also suggests that Rājarāja is ruling the expansive earth under his umbrella like the Sun that rules the expansive sky. Rājarāja is given a number of titles in this record. The following titles applied to him are of interest. • Mahi-pati - lord of the Universe • Adhi-pati - Ruler of Administrators • Nara-pati - Ruler of men • Asva-pati - Lord of Cavalry • Gaja-pati - Lord of Elephant corps • Kadal-itam-kavalaṉ - Lord of Oceans (Samudra-adhi-pati) • Caṇḍa-parākramaṉ - Valiant fighter • Kantanstid - Punisher of wrong doers • Sembiyar-perumāṉ - The great son of the Sembiyar family • Sri-Rajarajan - Emperor • Indra-samanan - One like Indra • Rāja-sarvajnan - All knowing Emperor • Vēndaṉ - The Ruler • Tamiḻ-nādan The king of Tamiḻnadu The following conquests of Rājarāja are listed in a highly poetic language. The Pāṇḍyā were driven out of their country to hide themselves in hills while their queens were drowned in the ocean of sorrow. Vañci the capital of the Cēra was captured in a trice, where he wore the garland of victory (Kāñci). He captured Gaṅgapādi, the Koṅgam was devastated, the city of Utakai of the Cēras, the hilly country with all its lofty mansions and fortifications pulverized and consigned to flames. The Cēra king of Utakai took refuge in ocean (escaped through the sea and took refuge in Srilaṅka). The Īḻa ma naṇḍala of Srilaṅka was captured with its army. Rājarāja marched his army towards north the great direction in order to carve his royal symbol of tiger on the Himalayas as was done earlier by his ancestors. He, the ruler of Tamiḻnāṭu, who brought the northern country under his singular white parasol, flanked by two flywhisks, and the lord of Goddess of wealth, is Sri Rājarāja. There are thousands of other records of Rājarāja found all over South India that list his conquests. Those conquests are found mentioned in this record but a few have not survived. The conquest of Vēṅgainaṭu, Taṭigaippaṭi, Nulambapāṭi, Kollam, and Kaliṅgam mentioned in other records are missing in this record. However, it is seen that all these conquests originally formed part of this record that could be inferred from the mention of Kaliṅgam after which the record is damaged for certain length. 17.2.2. Rājarāja's mother Rājarāja was born of Sundara Cōḻa and Vānavaṉ-mahādēvi. It is known from other records that Sundara Cōḻa died of broken heart when Rājarāja’s elder brother, Āditya Karikāla was murdered treacherously by the agents of the Pāṇḍyās. The Tiruk-kōyil-ūr record echoes the tragic event in a tender and at the same time poignant way. The mother of Rājarāja whose name was Vānavaṉ-mahādēvi is described here as a “lovely female deer that gave birth to a tiger”. There is a pun on the word tiger here. The term tiger is employed in ancient India to denote an outstanding personality in different fields. Rāma is often referred to as the “Tiger among men” - Puruṣa Vyāghrah. Similarly Rājarāja is referred to as the most valiant personality born of tender Vānavan-mahādēvi. The Tiger is also the royal emblem of the Cōḻas. So, the tiger also stands here for the Cōḻa born of the Queen Vānavan-mahādēvi. The word tender deer applied to Rājarāja’s mother is also significant for it denotes her affection, beauty and tenderness. She is extolled as a perpetual lamp illuminating the Cōḻa family. She was one who ever remained in the embrace of the Sundara Chola died this queen who had a baby in hand entered the funeral pyre of her husband leaving the tender child aside. She committed sati refusing to be separated from her husband even in the midst of fierce fire consuming his body. That is virtually a moving poetry, a tender woman who gave up her life with her husband was the mother of this greatest South Indian Emperor. This inscription gives the information that Rajaraja's mother committed sati with her husband. There is also a special reason why she is specially mentioned in this record. First as the mother of Rājarāja she received great admiration. Secondly she was born here as a lovable daughter in the sacred family of Malaiyaman Chief, the Ruler of Thirukkoyilur. It must be said that this part of the record is truly a heart-rending poem by which Vanavan mahadevi attains a permanent niche in the annals of Tamiḻ history. Not only as the mother of the greatest of Indian rulers but also by her own right by her supreme affection and sacrifice. 17.2.3. The river Peṇṇai-āru As a daughter of Malaiyamāṉ, Vānavaṉ-mahādēvi had played fondly as a young girl, on the banks of the sacred river Peṇṇaiāru. This river was flowing from the west to the east as a moat circling the great fort and palace of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr, gathering fragrant sandal, agaru, and fresh flowers on its way as it fell from the lofty hillocks. Enroute there were bank was situated Vīraṭṭaṇam, the sacred temple of Śiva. Insert image here The hillock at Thirukkoyilur called Kapilakkal on which the poet Kapilan entered fire 17.2.4. Kapilakal ‘Kapilan, a master of the three Tamiḻs -(literature, music and dance) composed poems of divine merit in chaste and refined language. He helped the daughter of the valiant chieftain Pāri, by getting her married to Malaiyamāṉ (of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr and having accomplished his life mission) and entered blazing fire on the hillock, with a view to enter heaven, illuminated by lightning’, says the record. This passage is of historic interest. Right from the Saṅgam age, for over one thousand years, the poet Kapilaṉ was held in great esteem for his remarkable poetic gifts, affirmed by this record. His poems were considered divine in nature. Besides, he is also known for the employment of chaste Tamiḻ (cem-col-kapilaṉ). The inscription under discussion mentions that Kapilaṉ gave, the daughter of Pāri (mentioned in singular) who took refuge in the poet, in marriage to Malaiyamāṉ. According to the Saṅgam anthology, there were two daughters of the chieftain, Pāri. The Saṅgam poems in Puṟaṉāṉūru 113, 117 and 201 sung by Kapilaṉ himself refer to them in plural as daughters of Pāri. Another poem in the same collection ascribe the statement “we have lost our father” to the daughters of Pāri. When Pāri died, Kapilaṉ took his daughters to place them under the protection of Brahmins says the colophon of the Puṟam poem no 113. The colophon of another poem no 111, in the same collection, also says that the poem was an address to the Paṟambu hill of Pāri by Kapilaṉ when he assumed the guardianship of the daughters of that chieftain. Evidently, the Saṅgam poems and the colophons mentions more than one daughter of pāri. “The Anthology of Tamiḻ poets”, a mediaeval anthology add more information about the daughters of Pāri. There were two daughters of Pāri who were named as Aṅgavai, Saṅgavai. Aṅgavai was given in marriage to the Malaiyamāṉ named Deivīkaṉ says one poem. The poem has a variant reading in the last line that says Saṅgavai was also given in marriage to the same Deivīkaṉ. There are a few more poems in the same collection dealing with the marriage of the daughter of Pāri. All of them refer to the marriage of only one daughter of Pāri. One of the poems asserts that the marriage took place at Tiruk-kōyil-ūr. The inscription under discussion is in agreement with what is known from the Anthology of Tamiḻ Poets. Kapilan entered fire and immolated himself on top the hillock on the banks of the river Peṇṇai-āru, near the Vīraṭṭāṇam is another episode mentioned in the inscription. Kapilaṉ, a great friend of Pāri obviously could not bear the separation from his friend. He chose to live only to see that Pāri's daughters were married and once that duty was over chose to die by burning himself in fire. This was a form of voluntary death preferred in ancient times. It is known that two other poets, Pōttiyār and Picirāntaiyar died by fasting themselves to death when their friend Kō-Perum-Cōḻa died. These facts are mentioned in the colophons to Puṟam poems. That Kapilaṉ immolated himself is known only from the inscription under discussion. There is a small Śiva temple on top of the hillock called “Kapila-k-kal” near the temple of Vīraṭṭāṇa at Thirukkōyilūr. The temple may be two hundred years old and seems to preserve the memory of Kapilaṉ’s sacrifice on top of the hillock. 17.2.5. The Śiva Temple of Vīraṭṭāṇam The next section of the inscription speaks about the greatness of the Śiva temple of Vīraṭṭāṇam of Tiruk-koyil-ūr. “This temple is the most ancient among the well known Vīraṭṭāṇas, eight in number. Even if one desires to know, its greatness is beyond comprehension. It has many Yogins residing in it. It is in the midst of ṣeṇbaga flower garden in the midst of sandal woods. It is surrounded by many flower gardens. It is situated near sugarcane fields swarmed by humming black bees and echoing the sounds of mills crushing sugar canes. It is also surrounded by green paddy fields where the peasant women with captivating eyes are busy cultivating the fields”. Some lines of the document are damaged after this portion. Describing the greatness of the Śiva temple, the inscription records that the Ādiśaiva priests wearing the three stranded sacred thread, well versed in the four Vedas and the rituals prescribed in the Āgamas, and also rooted in the worship of the Sun- Sūrya are ever active in the temple premises, which indeed is the great virtue of the temple. Dancing women with enchanting breasts danced regularly and enacted dramas in the temple. The Śribali ceremony in the temple was accompanied by reverberating the rythmic beats and resonance of pipes, bells, ganṭai, cenṭai, mattalas, timilai, curved bugles and other musical instruments echoing the sounds of roaring ocean and the thunders of the clouds. These sounds happily commingle with the songs of ardent devotees. Delightful poems composed by great Tamiḻ poets well versed in literature, music and dance weres constantly in the air of the temple premises. Other members of the temple services constituting the temple assembly, dance in ecstasy with their hands above their heads, singing Harahara, the name of Śiva. While the terrestrial rulers adore the temple, the celestials gods delight in its premises. The following perpetual endowments were made to this temple of great wealth with fluttering flags. 17.2.6. The land gifts Six and a half vēlis of cultivable lands, were gifted at the village Thiruntu-tēvaṉ-kuṭi. One vēli consisted of 20 mã and each mã one hundred and sixty kuḻi in measurement. Each kuḻi consisted of one rod square measuring sixteen spans in length. (The land in Cōḻa time was divided into vēli, each vēli consisting of 20 mās. Each mã varied in measurement in different places ranging from one hundred to one hundred and sixty kuḻis. Each kuḻi is a square measured by a standard rod, from sixteen to eighteen spans in measure. The standard measurements for each region were specified in the local village records). The lands gifted were to meaure a total of seven hundred and twenty kalams of paddy to the temple, at the rate of six kalams of paddy per mā of land. The total cultivated land covered after excluding the boundaries came to one hundred and twenty mã. Provisions for offering food to Lord Śiva of Vīraṭṭaṇa was twelve nāḻi of rice per day. This was to be measured by the grain measure named Vīraṭṭāṇam (after the temple) made of iron, holding eight nāḻi (such meausres were called Kuṟuṇi in Cōḻa times). The ratio between rice and paddy was fixed at the rate of 2 measures of rice per 5 measures of paddy. The paddy should be heaped with two hands in the measure, while measuring (not in level with the rim of the measure). The rice so measured is to be husked 18 times and should be seasoned. The paddy required for this quantity of rice was 32 measures. Similarly 32 measures of paddy was allotted for offerings to the Goddess Pārvati who is mentioned as neduvāl-nayani ( Goddess with long eyes). Other requirements for daily offerings and the amount of paddy to be allotted for each are listed as follows in the record. • Pepper - 3 hand-full measure 5 nāḻi of paddy • Vegetables - 4 uris of paddy • Ghee - 11⁄2 uḻakku 3 nāḻi of paddy • Curd - 3 nāli 6 nālḻi of paddy • Betel nuts - 3 nāḻi (12 uḻakku) • Attendants- 4 men 24 nāḻi of paddy as emolument • Fire wood - 3 nāḻi (nāḻi, uri, uḻakku are grain measures) A total of one kalam of paddy was to be utilized for the daily offerings as specified out of this 720 kalams realised from the land. In addition, expenses for the special worships on the six ritus (seasons) in a year should also be met from the above proceeds. Some more lands were endowed in other places that are listed and the approved expenditure for the same are also recorded in the next part of the record as follows. • Tiruk-kōyil-ūr 15 mā of land • High-land grove 3 mā • Alam-ceru 5 mā • Iluppai-k-kal 2 mā • Pullaḻip-puram 5 mā • Tonga-c ceru 2 mā These lands measuring a total of 32 ma were endowed for daily emoluments of priests for performing worship (arccana-bhoga). In addition the following lands were also gifted. • Munagal pundi - 36 mā • Bagavanta-k-kaḻani - 28 mā • Paṭi-t-tulaṉ vēli - 18 mā • Kaḻar nilam - 10 mā • Kayam paḷḷam - 2 mā • Kaniya-k kaḻani - 8 mā These lands yielded a total of 588 kalams of paddy annually The village Munagal puṇḍi mentioned earlier yielded 267 kalams of paddy from which following provisions were made per day • For daily food offering - 1 tūni paddy • Ghee 3 pidi 6 nāḻi • Curd 3 nāli 6 nāḻi • Betel nuts 6 uris • A bachaelor performing abhisheka 1 kuruni and 4 nāli • A Vedic reciter 1 kuruni and 4 nāli Further the proceeds were also utilized for burning 80 lamps in the temple. A total of 3 7/8 vēlis of land was also gifted in a village called Aviyūr. While making this gift lands belonging to jaina temples were excluded from this gift at Aviyūr. The following allotments towards emoluments were made from the paddy realized from Aviyūr. • 32 dancing girls of the temple who sang and danced. • The Pañcācāryas - Dance masters and instrumental musicians • The recluses who watered the flower gardens • A Yogi who got an official status (a portions of the record is lost at this point, possibly some more services were also listed which are lost). • A time keeper of the temple who also was entrusted with the service of announcements
17.2.7. Kambaṉ Vīthi Viṭaṅkaṉ The last part of the record gives details about the officer Vīthi Viṭaṅkaṉ who was instrumental for obtaining the above endowment. A high officer under Rājarāja, he was the chieftain of Ambar nāṭu, Manārkuṭi nāṭu, Ālaṅkuṭi and Tiraimūr nāṭu. He was greatly devoted to Rājarāja also known as Aruḷmoḻi, and Nittavinōda, that he is praised as one who entertained no thoughts other than that of Rājarāja and was the Chief Executive Officer under the Emperor. He was also heading the offices of endowments and the post of Commander in Chief. He was responsible for achieving signal victories in different battles, raising the tiger standard of the Rājarāja to fly high. He was famous like Sun, Moon and fire in the face of Śiva. His fame also equalled the Cintāmani. He was a great rider of horses and elephants. Kambaṉ requested Rājarāja in an appropriate manner to donate to the temple of Vīraṭṭāṇam of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr lands for meeting requirements of the temple. He was indeed the Kambattṭigaḷ, Vīthi Viṭaṅkaṉ, the Chief of Ponni nāṭu. The record clearly suggests that the Vīthi Viṭaṅkaṉ appealed to the King for the gift (viṇṇapattāl veḷippatuttōṉ) and got the sanctions. Such gifts were virtually royal grants and hence the entire gift must be termed a grant by the King. There are three other gifts mentioned in continuation of the long poem. The first mentions Vīthi viṭaṅkaṉ, as an officer under the Cōḻa (Cōḻaṉ Atikāri) who gifted a golden flower to be placed on the head of the liṅga. The liṅga was worshipped with this golden flower daily. Such golden flowers are called svarnapuṣpas and held specially sacred.
The next record refers to the gift of a face-band made of gold embedded with precious gems. Called as maṇip-paṭṭam, it was made of three kaḻañju of gold and set with gems. Offering of paṭṭam during daily worship is prescribed in the Āgamas and has a special significance. Many gifts of such face-bands are recorded in Rajaraja's time in other temples. The last one gives the full name of the officer as Mahīmālaya Mūvenda-vēlaṉ alias Kambaṉ and states that he appealed to the king and obtained permission and made the gift in the 27th year of Rājarāja. The gift consisted of a linṅga made of one hundred kaḻañju of gold. It was also provided with pīṭha (pedesatal) made of 93 kaḻañju of silver and covered with gold plate made of 51⁄2 kaḻañju. The gift was of considerable size as known from its weight. It was evidently used for the daily śrībali rites in the temple of Vīraṭṭāṇam of Tiruk-kōyil-ūr. In the great temple of Tanjore, Rājarāja made a similar gift which shows the religious importance of the gift. The grant to the Tiruk-kōyil-ūr temple was issued in the 27th year of the king, when the Great temple of Tanjore was almost nearing completion. 17.3. Conclusions The Tiruk-kōyil-ūr gift recalls Rājarāja's remembrance of his mother Vānavaṉ-mahādēvi who hailed from this town. As mentioned it is the only record to state that Rājarāja’s mother committed sati leaving a tender child. The details furnished in the record shows meticulous administrative drafting, revenue survey, levies, and details of temple services, offerings, payments to different servants, etc. That the whole grant is in the form of Saṅgam long poems shows that the age of Rājarāja witnessed a lively interest in the thousand year old Saṅgam classics. The record is of singular importance as it gives historic information about Kapilaṉ and that he immolated himself at this village after fulfilling his life’s ambition. The praise lavished on the poetic capabilities of Kapilaṉ is a pointer to the popularity of secular poetry as well in the time of Rājarāja. It is known that Rājarājā gave a great fillip to the study and singing of Tēvaram hymns in Śiva temples extending patronage to religious poems. The priests in Śiva temples were great Vedic Scholars who used Āgamic mode of worship in the temples and were Ādi-śaiva priests. The impact of Āgamic worship is not only specifically mentioned but also by the gifts of the golden liṅga, face band and the gold flower to be placed on its head. The Tiruk-kōyil-ūr record is indeed a unique grant of Rājarājā that deserves to be studied for its contribution.
