Thiruk-koyilur is an ancient Siva-kshetra, sung by the Saiva Nayanmars and also known for its Vishnu temple of Trivikrama, celebrated by the early Vaishnavite Alvars. It was the capital of the Malaiyman chieftains of the Sangam age in the first centuries of the Common Era. An inscription of Rajaraja Chola I found in Tamil language on the base of the Virattana-Siva temple in the village is of great significance¹. It is in the form of a long Tamil poem and records the gift of land, a golden linga and jewels for worship in the Siva temple, at the instance of an Officer of Rajaraja Chola 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.²

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 epigraphs in the year 190? , 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.

The inscription as mentioned earlier is in the form of a long Tamil poem, set in the meter Aciryap-pa. An anthology of ten long poems called the "Ten Idylls" of the Sangam age, of the beginning of the Common Era, are well known to Tamil Scholars. They are (except the first in praise of Lord Muruga) in praise of historic patrons like the Chola, Pandya, and Tondaiman Ilamtirayan 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.

1.Palam-utirc-colai malai kilavone	Thiru-muruku-arrup-padai
2.Onru-ilangu-aruvi-malai kilavone	Perum-Pan-arrup-padai
3.Kaviri-purakku-natu kilavone	Ciru-pan-arrup-padai
4.Kunru-cul-irukkai-natu kilavone	Malai-patu-katam

The term Kilavon stands for the ruler or owner. The first one is in praise of Muruka the presiding deity of the hill named Palam-utirc-colai (now called Alagar koil) near Madurai. The second one is in praise of Tondaiman Ilamtirayan, the ruler of Tondai nadu, which included Kanchipuram and its surroundings. The third is in praise of Chola the ruler of Kaveri region and the last is in praise of the Chieftain of northern region of Tamilnadu surrounded by hillocks. The ending in this manner of the Tamil 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 Tamil poetic formations.

The Thirukkoyilur record under discussion ends as in the Sangam poems using almost the same expression as nalam-taru-ponni-natu kilavone

Evidently the author of the Thirukkoyilur epigraph was inspired by the Sangam 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 Kapilan of the Sangam age, in the body of the text. Among many authors of the Sangam poetry, the two poets Kapilan and Paranan were much respected for their accomplishments. Kapilan has sung on the great patron Pari and his daughters in many poems. This great poet Kapilan is mentioned in the body of this inscription with special reference to his friendship with the Sangam chieftain Pari and his daughters. The inscription also praises the poems of Kapilan as "poems divine". It is unusual among thousands of inscriptions to find a pointed reference to a Sangam poet by name, and this is perhaps unique in this respect. Obviously the inscription of Thirukkoyilur was inspired by the Sangam tradition particularly that of Kapilan. The inscription is also a pointer to the fact that Sangam poems, which are nearly one thousand years old at the time of Rajaraja Chola, were studied with interest

The inscription is divided into eight subdivisions for the purposes of our study. The first part of the inscription refers to Rajaraja, and his exploits; the second speaks about Rajaraja's mother Vanavan madevi who belonged to the family Malaiyamans the chieftains of Thirukkoyilur; the third is about the river Pennai aru that passes through the village Thiruk-koyilur. The small hillock called Kapilak-kal on the river Pennai aru on top of which the poet Kapilan immolated himself by entering fire. The fifth part is the great temple of Siva - Virattanam 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 Siva of Virattanam and also his consort Goddess Parvati. The seventh details the various personals serving in the temple and provisions for their emoluments while the last section ending with the donor Vithi vitankan Kamban, who served as a trusted officer under Rajaraja Chola. Following this long poem are three small poems. The first one refers to a golden flower to be placed on top of the main Linga during worship. The second informs us that the same donor gifted a face-band weighing three kalanju, for adorning the Linga daily. The last one mentions he presented a golden linga, giving details of the weight etc.

Rajaraja 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 Siva with red jatas, who consigned the dark forts of the Tripurasuras to fire. Rajaraja was a great devotee of Siva who had the title Siva-pada-sekhara i.e. one who carries Siva's sacred feet on his head. The opening lines of the record thus not only pay obeisance to Surya the originator of the Rajaraja's family but also to Lord Siva, the king's favourite deity. It also suggests that Rajaraja is ruling the expansive earth under his umbrella like the Sun that rules the expansive sky,.

Portrait of Rajarajan in bronze

Rajaraja is given a number of titles in this record. The following titles applied to him are of interest.

Mahi-pati            i.e.   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-kavalan          Lord of Oceans (Samudra-adhi-pati) 
Canda-parakraman            Valiant fighter
Kantan                      Punisher of wrong doers
Sembiyar-peruman            The great son of the Sembiyar family
Sri-Rajarjan                Emperor
Indra-samanan               One like Indra
Raja-sarvajnan              All knowing Emperor
Vendan                      The Ruler
Tamil-nadan                 The king of Tamilnadu

These titles, carefully chosen by the composer of the inscription, give a complete picture of a great emperor as specified in ancient Indian Treatises on Rulership. The title for example Raja-sarvajnan shows that the King was deeply learned in all branches of knowledge. A study of Rajaraja's personality shows that he was indeed a great scholar king that Tamilnadu has seen. The title Adhipati shows his administrative ability, while Kantan refers to his judicial function of punishing the wrong doers and remove the thorns in the country (as the political treatises call the function) (Kantaka). As Indra is the Lord of the celestials, Rajaraja is called Indra among the earthly kings's. The title Tamil nadan indicates the whole of Tamil nadu as a unitary concept. There is not a branch of king-ship that is omitted in these titles nor are there any repetitions.

The following conquests of Rajaraja are listed in a highly poetic language. The Pandyas were driven out of their country to hide themselves in hills while their queens were drowned in the ocean of sorrow. Vanci the capital of the Cheras was captured in a trice, where he wore the garland of victory (Kanci). He captured Gangapadi, the Kongam was devastated, the city of Udakai of the Cheras of hilly country pulverized and consigned to flames with all its lofty mansions and fortifications; The Chera king of Udakai took refuge in ocean (escaped through the sea and took refuge in Sri Lanka). The Ila mandala of Srilanka was captured with his army. He 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 Tamilnadu, who brought the northern country under his singular white parasol, flanked by two flywhisks, and the Lord of Goddess of wealth, is Sri Rajaraja.

There are thousands of other records of Rajaraja found all over South of India that list his conquests. Those conquests are found mentioned in this record but a few have not survived. The conquest of Vengai nadu, Tadigaippadi, Nulambapadi, Kollam, and Kalingam 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 Kalingam after which the record is damaged for certain length.

Rajaraja was born of Sundara Chola and Vanavan mahadevi. It is known from other records that Sundara Chola died of broken heart when Rajaraja's elder brother, Aditya Karikala was murdered treacherously by the agents of the Pandyas. The Thirukkoyilur record echoes the tragic event in a tender and at the same time poignant way. The mother of Rajaraja whose name was Vanavan mahadevi 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. Rama is often referred to as the "Tiger among men" Purusha Vyaghrah. Similarly Rajaraja is referred to as the most valiant personality born of tender Vanavan mahadevi. The Tiger is also the royal emblem of the Cholas. So the tiger also stands here for the Chola born of the Queen Vanavan mahadevi. The word tender deer applied to Rajaraja's mother is also significant for it denotes her affection, beauty and tenderness. She is extolled as a perpetual lamp illuminating the Chola family. She was one who ever remained in the embrace of the great and unequalled Emperor Sundara Chola as his queen. When 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 of 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 Rajaraja 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 Tamil history. Not only as the mother of the greatest of Indian rulers but also by her own right by her supreme affection and sacrifice.

As a daughter of Malaiyaman, Vanavan mahadevi had played fondly as a young girl, on the banks of the sacred river Pennai-aru. This river was flowing from the west to the east as a moat circling the great fort and palace of Thirukkoyilur, gathering fragrant sandal, agaru, and fresh flowers on its way as it fell from the lofty hillocks. Enroute there were many canals that branched off carrying its water to cultivable fields. Its waters were constantly rushing along the banks. On its sacred southern bank was situated Virattanam, the sacred temple of Siva

'Kapilan, a master of the three Tamils (Literature, Music and Dance) composed poems of divine merit in chaste and refined language. He helped the daughter of the valiant chieftain Pari, by getting her married to Malaiyaman (of Thiruk-koyilur 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 Sangam age, for over one thousand years, the poet Kapilan 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 Tamil (Cem-col Kapilan).

Kapilakkal on the river Pennaiaru, near Virattanam Thirukkoyilur

The inscription under discussion mentions that Kapilan gave, the daughter of Pari (mentioned in singular) who took refuge in the poet, in marriage to Malaiyaman. According to the Sangam anthology there were two daughters of the Chieftain, Pari. The Sangam poems in Pura-nanuru 113, 117 and 201 sung by Kapilan himself refer to them in plural as daughters of Pari. Another poem in the same collection ascribe the statement "we have lost our father" to the daughters of Pari. When Pari died, Kapilan took his daughters to place them under the protection of brahmins says the colophon of the Puram poem no 113. The colophon of another poem no 111, in the same collection, also says that the poem was an address to the Parambu hill of Pari by Kapilan when he assumed the guardianship of the daughters of that chieftain. Evidently the Sangam poems and the colophons mentions more than one daughter of pari.

"The Anthology of Tamil poets", a mediaeval anthology add more information about the daughters of Pari. There were two daughters of Pari who were named as Angavai, Sangavai. Angavai was given in marriage to the Malaiyaman named Deivikan says one poem. The poem has a variant reading in the last line that says Sangavai was also given in marriage to the same Deivikan. There are a few more poems in the same collection dealing with the marriage of the daughter of Pari. All of them refer to the marriage of only one daughter of Pari. One of the poems asserts that the marriage took place at Thirukkoiylur. The inscription under discussion is in agreement with what is known from the Anthology of Tamil Poets.

Kapilan entered fire and immolated himself on top the hillock on the banks of the river Pennai-aru, near the Virattanam is another episode mentioned in the inscription. Kapilan a great friend of Pari obviously could not bear the separation from his friend pari. He chose to live only to see that Pari'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 Pottiyar and Picirantaiyar died by fasting themselves to death when their friend Ko-Perum-Chola died. These facts are mentioned in the colophons to Puram poems. That Kapilan immolated himself is known only from the inscription under discussion. There is a small Siva temple on top of the hillock called Kapila-k-kal near the temple of Virattana at Thiruk-koyilur. The temple may be two hundred years old and seems to preserve the memory of Kapilan's sacrifice on top of the hillock.

The next section of the inscription speaks about the greatness of the Siva temple of Virattanam of Thiru-k-koyil-ur. 'This temple is the most ancient among the well known Virattanas, 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 Shenbaga 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 Siva temple, the inscription records that the Adisaiva priests wearing the three stranded sacred thread, well versed in the four Vedas and the rituals prescribed in the agamas, and also rooted in the worship of the Sun- Surya 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 Sribali ceremony in the temple was accompanied by reverberating the rythmic beats and resonance of pipes, bells, Gantai, Cendai, Maddalas, 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 Tamil 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 Siva. 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.'

Six and a half velis of cultivable lands, were gifted at the village Thiruntu-tevan-kudi. One veli consisted of 20 ma and each ma one hundred and sixty kuli in measurement. Each kuli consisted of one rod square measuring sixteen spans in length. (The land in Chola time was divided into veli, each veli consisting of 20 mas. Each ma varied in measurement in different places ranging from one hundred to one hundred and sixty kulis. Each kuli 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 ma of land. The total cultivated land covered after excluding the boundaries came to one hundred and twenty ma.

Provisions for offering food to Lord Siva of Virattana was twelve nali of rice per day. This was to be measured by the grain measure named Virattanam (after the temple) made of iron, holding eight nali.(Such meausres were called Kuruni in Chola 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 Parvati who is mentioned as Neduval 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  nali of paddy
Vegetables					4  uris of paddy
Ghee		1 ē ulakku			3  nali of paddy
Curd		3 nali				6  nali of paddy
Betel nuts					3  nali (12 ulakku)			
Attendants 	4 men				24 nali of paddy as emolument 
Fire wood					3  nali
(nali, uri, ulakku 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.
Thirukkoiyil-ur			15  ma of land
High-land grove			3   ma
Alam-ceru			5   ma
Iluppai-k-kal			2   ma
Pullali-puram			5   ma
Tonga-c ceru			2   ma
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   ma
Bagavanta-k-kalani		28   ma
Padi-t-tulan veli 		8    ma
Kalar nilam			10   ma
Kayam pallam			2    ma
Kaniya-k kalani			8    ma

These lands yielded a total of 588 kalams of paddy annually
The village Munagal pundi mentioned earlier yielded 267 kalams of paddy from which 
following provisions were made per day
For daily food offering 		1 tuni paddy
Ghee 3 pidi				6 nali 
Curd  3 nali				6 nali
Betel nuts				6 uris
A bachaelor performing abhisheka	1 kuruni and 4 nali
A Vedic reciter 			1 kuruni and 4 nali

Further the proceeds were also utilized for burning 80 lamps in the temple. A total of 3 7/8 velis of land was also gifted in a village called Aviyur. While making this gift lands belonging to jaina temples were excluded from this gift at Aviyur. The following allotments towards emoluments were made from the paddy realized from Aviyur.

32 dancing girls of the temple who sang and danced.
The Pancacaryas - 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 the service of announcements.

Kamban Vithi Vitankan The last part of the record gives details about the Officer Vithi Vitankan who was instrumental for obtaining the above endowment. A high officer under Rajaraja, he was the Chieftain of Ambar nadu, Manarkudi nadu, Alangudi, and Tiraimur nadu. He was greatly devoted to Rajaraja also known as Arulmozi, and Nittavinoda, that he is praised as one who entertained no thoughts other than that of Rajaraja 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 Rajaraja to fly high. He was famous like Sun, Moon and fire in the face of Siva . His fame also equaled the Cintamani. He was a great rider of horses and elephants. Kamban requested Rajaraja in an appropriate manner to donate to the temple of Virattanam of Thiru-k-koyil-ur lands for meeting requirements of the temple. He was indeed the Kambattdigal, Vithi Vitankan, the Chief of Ponni nadu.

The record clearly suggests that the Vithi Vitankan appealed to the King for the gift (vinnapattal velippatutton) and got the sanction. 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 in mentions Vithi vitankan, as an officer under the Chola ( Cholan Adhikari) qho gifted a golden flower to be placed on the head of the Linga. The Linga was worshipped with this golden flower daily. Such golden flowers are called svarna pushpas and held specially sacred.

The next record refers to the gift of a face-band made of gold embedded with precious gems. Called as Manip-pattam, it was made of three kalanju of gold and set with gems. Offering of pattam during daily worship is prescribed in the agamas 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 Mahimalaya Muvenda-velan alias Kamban and states that he appealed to the king and obtained permission and made the gift in the 27th year of Rajaraja. The gift consisted of a Linga made of one hundred kalanju of gold. It was also provided with pitha (pedeatal) made of 93 kalanju of silver and covered with gold plate made of 5ē kalanju. The gift was of considerable size as known from its weight. It was evidently used for the daily sribali rites in the temple of Virattanam of Thiruk-koyilur. In the great temple of Tanjore, Rajaraja made a similar gift which shows the religious importance of the gift. The grant to the Thiru-k-koyil-ur temple was issued in the 27th year of the king, when the Great temple of Tanjore was almost nearing completion.

Conclusions The Thiru-k-koyil-ur gift recalls Rajaraja's remembrance of his mother Vanavan- mahadevi who hailed from this town. As mentioned it is the only record to state that Rajaraja'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 Sangam long poems shows that the age of Rajaraja witnessed a lively interest in the thousand year old Sangam classics. The record is of singular importance as it gives historic information about Kapilan and that he immolated himself at this village after fulfilling his life ambition. The praise lavished on the poetic capabilities of Kapilan is a pointer to the popularity of secular poetry as well in the time of Rajaraja. It is known that Rajaraja gave a great fillip to the study and singing of Tevaram hymns in Siva temples extending patronage to religious poems. The priests in Siva temples were great Vedic scholars who used agamic mode of worship in the temples and were Adi-saiva priests. The impact of Agamic worship is not only specifically mentioned but also by the gifts of the golden Linga, face band and the gold flower to be placed on its head. The Thirukkoyilur record is indeed a unique grant of Rajaraja that deserves to be studied for its contribution.