The inscription is written on the surface and sides of a stone slab. Wickremasinghe recorded in Epigraphia Zeylanica 2 (1912-27) that the slab was at the premises of the Archaeological Commissioner at Poḷonnaruva, to which it had be brought from “the spot where the present rest-house is”. The original site of the inscription is not known and the surviving text is incomplete. What remains of the inscription is a summary of the achievements of king Niśśaṅka Malla, similar to accounts found in other inscriptions of the same king and containing nothing new. Indeed, the text agrees almost word for word with the inner inscription on the Kiri-Vehera slab (IN03090) and with lines 10-12 of the Dambulla rock inscription (IN03032). It may be assumed that, following the established pattern of such inscriptions, the concluding lines of the present text revealed the specific purpose for which it was written. However, these crucial lines are missing. Wickremasinghe speculated that they might possibly be engraved on the reverse of the slab, which he had not seen.
[Lines 1-8] His Majesty Śrī Vīra–rāja Niśśaṅka–Malla Apprati–Malla Kāliṅga Laṅkeśvara Śrī Parākrama–Bāhu consistently with his title Niśśaṅka–Malla (dauntless warrior) being without any misgiving [as to his might] at any place, having twice proceeded to the Pāṇḍyan country escorted by his fourfold army, prepared to [go to] war against the rulers of Coḍa, Pāṇḍya, and various other kingdoms with the valour of his matchless and uncommon might. Then the general Lak–Vijaya–siṅgu Senevi Tāvuru–nāvan declaring ‘I alone suffice to secure the conquest of Dambadiva’ set out for the war.
[Lines 9-17] On hearing this, the Pāṇḍyan king and his (royal) mother, being filled with fear, sent [as peace-offerings] royal maidens, elephants, and horses, and made entreaties, saying, ‘May Your Majesty be pleased to take possession of this kingdom, granting us only a village that will suffice for our maintenance.’ [The king] seeing [these presents], as well as diverse gifts sent from the Cōḷa country, quenched the fire of his wrath. He formed friendly alliances with such of the princes of Karṇāṭa, Nellūru, Gurjara, Aramaṇa, [Cōḍa, Gauḍa], Kaliṅga, (Kāmboja), and various other countries, as were desirous of his goodwill; but into those who did not wish such friendship he struck terror by the very superiority of his own valour. He, moreover, exacted from such kingdoms royal maidens and tributes.
[Lines 17-21] As he had now no other kings who were hostile to him, he mounted the scale-pans at Rāmeśvara, [had himself weighed against coin], and by [the bestowal of] hoards of various kinds of wealth satisfied the desires of inhabitants of divers lands. He also had pillars of victory set up there, as lasting monuments, and a temple (devālaya) built bearing the name Niśśaṅkeśvara. [Thereafter] he returned to Laṅkā accompanied by his fourfold army.
[Lines 21-28] Considering that grants in favour of those who rendered services in various capacities conformable to his wishes should last as long as Sun and Moon endure, he did not [as heretofore] have them written on tal–pat (palm-leaves) which were liable to be destroyed by white ants, rats, and the like, but had such grants engraved on copper (plates), and so established the practice which had not been in vogue aforetimes in Laṅkā. Moreover, being endowed with the virtuous qualities of an extraordinary sympathetic nature, he granted security to all living creatures in various tanks, including the large tanks as well. [He also abolished] the Visam̆buruvata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .