The inscription is engraved around four sides of the smoothed upper surface of an oblong stone seat (āsana), which stands near the north-east corner of the Piḷimagē (‘image-house’) in the group of ruins on the Tōpa-väva quadrangle (the Dalada Maluwa) in Polonnaruwa. According to H. C. P. Bell, the seat was brought from the shrine of Thūpārāma, where it had been improperly utilised as a flower altar. It is therefore not clear where exactly the seat originally stood. The inscription consists of four lines, beginning with a Sanskrit stanza. It records that king Niśśaṅka-Malla sat on this seat to witness the entertainments of various artists after he had returned from his campaign in India and had completed the restoration of Buddhist monuments in Ceylon. Niśśaṅka Malla reigned from 1187 to 1196 A.D. A slab-inscription at Ruvanväli-dāgaba (IN03077) states that Niśśaṅka Malla undertook the reparation of the dāgabas in Anurādhapura in the fourth year of his reign i.e. 1191-92 A.D. As the present inscription refers to this campaign of restoration, it must date from 1191 A.D. or later.
Hail! The seat of His Majesty Vīra–Niśśaṅka–Malla Śrī–Parākrama–Bāhu who is like unto a moon [that beams] on the milky ocean of the Solar race.
His Majesty Kāliṅga–Śrī–Parākrama–Bāhu Cakravartī descended from the royal line of the Okkāka dynasty, shining on the Island of Laṅkā like a unique and auspicious lamp, caused the afflictions of Laṅkā to cease and united the whole Island of Laṅkā as it were a house with inner apartments. With the object of fighting with the Coḍa, Gauḍa and other nationalities he proceeded to the great [continent of] Dambadiva (India) with a large retinue; and there seeing that kings and other [personages] of various territories were leaving their homes and fleeing into the jungle, he out of compassion granted them security. Then, as he found no [equal] adversary in Dambadiva, he raised columns of victory and returned to the Island of Laṅkā. [Here] he restored the vihāras and great dāgabas which had long been in ruins.
In various places, both in Dambadiva and in Laṅkā, he established alms-houses and expended countless wealth on beggars who came from divers lands. And, not contented with these [acts of generosity], he gave away every year four tulābhāra weight of gold, jewels, clothes, and ornaments, and dispelled the poverty of the people. Thus he promoted the interests of the Church and the State. And this is the seat His Majesty occupies for the purpose of enjoying kalā-krīḍā.