Adi Varaha Temple,
Mamallapuram – Inscriptions
The Temple has inscriptions in Tamil, Sanskrit and
Telugu. All these inscriptions belong to Pallava and Chola Kings. There are the
portraits sculptures of the Pallava kings and also bear inscriptions however
the identity of these kings has not yet reached consensus among the scholar
community. A King seated in sukhasana posture on a seat with two of his queens standing
beside him can be seen in one of the panels. The inscription above this panel
reads, “the glorious Athiraja
Simhavinna-Potrra (Simhavishnu-Pota)”. This Pallava king has been
identified with the Pallava king Simhavishnu.
There is another panel displaying another Pallava king opposite
to the above panel. The inscription above the panel reads “the glorious Athiraja
Mahendra-Pottra”. This king has been identified with the Pallava king
Mahendravarman I. These label inscriptions were engraved above the two
portraits panels more than century after the creation of the temple. There are
two other important sculptures found in this cave shrine. As per the
inscriptions, the kings are identified as Simhavishnu and Mahendravarman.
There is an inscription on a slab built into the floor
in front of the temple, near Balipeedam. This Inscription belongs to the
Pallava king Nandivarman II and dated to sixty-fifth regnal year,
corresponding 796 CE. It mentions about the purchase of land by
Idaivalanchan Kandan, son of Ilam-Paduvumar, the headman of Kunrathur in Amur Nadu,
a merchant of Mamallapuram, in lieu of gold. Boundaries of the land are
specified. Among the boundary are two tanks, Koneri and Mandai Thalaivan Eri.
There is an inscription on a niche in the temple. It
belongs to Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola I. It is dated to ninth regnal
year, corresponding to 1061 CE. The Chola king is referred as Parakesarivarman
alias Udaiyar Sri Rajendra Deva. It records a tax-free gift of land by the
nagarams and perilamai of Mamallapuram alias Jananathapuram to Lord
Sri Parameshwara Maha Varaha Vishnugriha. Mamallapuram was a Nagaram in Amur-Nadu
in Amurkkottam, a sub division of Jayangondachola Mandalam.
There is another inscription on a niche in the temple.
It belongs to Chola Emperor Rajendra Chola I. It is dated approximately
to 1052 CE. It mentions about a tax-free land donation to the temple of Parameshwara
Maha Varaha Vishnugrihattalvar at Mamallapuram by the village of
Tiruvelichchil.
There is an inscription on the lintel above the Hariharan
panel. It lists ten incarnations of Vishnu, as Matsya, Kurma, Varaha,
Narasimha, Vamana, Rama, Rama, Rama, Buddha and Kalkin. The three Ramas of the
inscriptions should be taken as Parashurama, Lord Rama, the son of Dasharatha
and Balarama. There is strange verse engraved on the floor of the cave hall.
This verse speaks about a curse to those who do not follow Rudra or Shiva. It
is very strange to find such a verse in a temple dedicated to Vishnu.
