Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates 鈥榬ule of the early Pallavas鈥� of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha鈥檚 life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
The rule of the early Pallavas
The early Pallavas under Simhavarman I (315-CE-345-CE) rose in prominence in the Gu峁囜弓ur region and his successors held sway over the southern portion of the 碍峁涐梗峁嚹�-river (Nellore, Prakasan, Gu峁囜弓ur District) till the conquest of the region by Chalukyas of Badami. Under the Pallavas (4th Century CE) Br膩hma峁噄sm was favoured[1]. Yet Buddhism continued its religious influence in the lower 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� valley and 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨-顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 retained its significant position[2].
In the record of early Pallava king 艢颈惫补蝉办补苍诲补惫补谤尘补苍, 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 is referred as the vice regal city[3]. 艢颈惫补蝉办补苍诲补惫补谤尘补苍 issued a copper plate grant (Mayidavolu) to his father鈥檚 governor at 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 requesting him to give a village named Viripara as grant to the 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉. Mayidavolu copper plate found in Mayidavolu village in the 碍峁涐梗峁嚹� district contains eight copper plates and fifteen sides of inscriptions.
A part of it may be cited in this regard.
Text:-
First Plate: First Side
Di峁環a(峁�) [II*]
[First Plate: Second Side]
1. (碍腻尘)肠丑颈辫耻谤腻迟辞 yuva maharajo
2. Bharadaya sa gotta 笔补濒补惫腻苍补峁�
[2nd plate: First Side]
3. Sivakha(m) davammo Dha峁僴aka岣峞
4. V膩pata峁� 膩napayati [i][4]
Translation:-
From Kanchipura the 驰耻惫补尘补丑腻谤腻箩补 艢颈惫补蝉办补苍诲补惫补谤尘补苍 (of the family) of the Pallavas who belongs to the gotra of the Bharadvajas, orders (his) official (vyaprita) at Dh膩nnaka岣峚 conferring on ourselves victory (in war) and for increasing (our) merit, length of life and power, we have now given with libations of water, the village of Viripara in 础苍诲丑谤腻辫补迟丑补 to the (two) Brahmanas Puvakotuja of Agnivesa gotra and Gonandija of Agnivesa.
Another Pallava inscription from 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 of a much later date, that is, 1100 C.E mentions 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 as an important Buddhist centre during the time of 厂颈峁僪补惫补谤尘补苍 II[5]. It is engraved on three sides of an octagonal broken pillar and consists of eleven verses and a prose passage. Part of the inscription is lost due to damage.
From this inscription several informations are gathered. It starts with the invocation to Lord Buddha and furnishes a mythical geneology of the Pallava dynasty. It is mentioned that the Pallava king 厂颈峁僪补惫补谤尘补苍 II on his return from an expedition to the north, stayed at 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补, the sacred place of Buddha. The king listened to the discourse on law and made donations to Lord Buddha at 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 and erected the statue of Buddha[6]. This definitely indicates the religious importance of 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 to the Pallavas and the survival of the pious monument in its glory.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[3]:
Ramachandran A, Op.cit, p 40.
[4]:
Hultzch E, 1981 (Reprint), 鈥楳ayidavolu Plates of Sivaskandavarman鈥�, Hultzch E (ed), Epigraphia Indica, Vol VI, 1900-1901, pp 84-89.
[5]: