The inscription was discovered in 1896 by the Archaeological Commissioner, H. C. P. Bell, at Bilibǟva in Ihala Kälǟgam Tulāna, about fifteen miles to the south-west of Anurādhapura. Engraved on three sides of a stone pillar, it consists of 80 lines in the Sinhalese alphabet of the latter half of the 10th century A.D. The text is dated to the seventh year of king Abhā Salamevan’s reign and records a grant of immunities to Mahagǟpiyova, a village in the district of Pirivatu in the Southern Quarter, dedicated to the Kasub-Senevirad-pirivena which Sak-Senevi San̆galnāvan had built in the Mahāvihāra. Wickremasinghe suggests that the biruda Abhā Salamevan refers in this instance to Kassapa V.
On the fifth day of the waning moon of [the month of] Durutu (Dec.–Jan.) in the seventh year of (the reign of) His Majesty Abhā Salamevan, born of the ‘twice-anointed queen’, and son of the great king who won the fame of victory by conquering the Pāṇḍya country in the ninth year after the raising of the canopy of dominion by the great king Siri San̆g-bo, descended from the Okkāka dynasty, the pinnacle of the illustrious Kṣatriya race, and lord, by lineal succession of kings, of the Island of Laṅkā.
Whereas it was graciously [so] decreed by the Supreme Council, we, all of us, namely, Mekāppar De . . . . . of the family of Piritti–rad Kasbā . . . . . . Karāgam Senim, Ätä (Ya)säyim, Bämä Budim, a member of the Council, of the family of Sand Piritti–rad, and Nimulim of the same family, have come.
And whereas concerning the area included within the four boundaries of Mahagǟpiyova situated in the district of Pirivatu in the Southern Quarter—(which land was) dedicated to the Kasub–Senevirad–pirivena, built by Sak–Senevi San̆galnāvan in the Mahāvihāra, the following immunities were graciously granted by the Supreme Council:—Holders [of the management] of two places of business shall not enter; tramps, vagrants, melāṭsi and servants of the royal family shall not enter; the five agricultural (?) officials shall not enter; district headmen and keepers of [district] records and pereläkkan shall not enter; carts, buffaloes, and labourers shall not be appropriated; (sändive) de-utu milk shall not be appropriated; those who have come here after committing murder shall not be arrested [by Officers] entering (the village).
We the (aforesaid) State Officials have come, and by this pillar of Council Warranty granted these immunities and right of asylum in respect of the area included within the four boundaries of Mahagǟpiyova.
Whoever (does injustice) to this [enactment shall be born] a crow or a dog [in his future birth].