The inscription covers both sides of a stone slab, which was found completely buried at the North Gate of the ruined citadel at Poḷonnaruva. The slab was subsequently placed in an upright position near the gate. There are 37 lines inscribed on the obverse and 36 lines on the reverse. Another copy of this inscription was found on a slab of similar size and shape at the East Gate of the citadel.
The inscription begins and ends with Sanskrit verses in śārdūla-vikrīḍita metre. The rest of the text is written in Sinhalese and displays the same bombastic style as other inscriptions of king Niśśaṅka-Malla, who reigned from 1187 to 1196 A.D. The inscription gives a panegyrical account of Niśśaṅka-Malla’s virtuous qualities and charitable acts, followed by an exhortation in which he advises his subjects to choose for their sovereign a prince or princess of his own Kāliṅga dynasty. He denounces vehemently the aspiration of the Govi caste and of the non-buddhistic princes from Coḷa or from Kēraḷa to the throne of Ceylon, emphasising these sentiments with the threat that all those who join them would be treated as traitors and would accordingly by extirpated together with their families and their worldly possessions. Wickremasinghe notes that the king’s appeal to his subjects to choose a sovereign from his own dynasty is similar to that given in the Galpota inscription (IN03081).
Side A
[Lines 1-6] If [it be] your desire to increase your prosperity, to allay your fears, to preserve the position of your own lineage, to respect the customs of your family and to protect your adherents, raise ye to kingship [a member of] your Kṣatriya families; not the other castes: embrace these precepts spoken by Niśśaṅka-Malla.
[Lines 6-17] His Majesty Niśśaṅka–Malla Kāliṅga Parākrama–Bāhu Cakravartī, who is like unto a tilaka [mark of adornment] of the Solar dynasty of the line of kings of the Okkāka family, receiving the kingdom by [right of] royal succession, wore the crown and assumed supreme sovereignty. [His Majesty] shining like Śakra in boundless regal splendour, and distinguished by the assemblage of virtuous qualities [he is endowed with], such as generosity, truthfulness, heroism, and the like, dispersed his enemies, even as the sun rising over the Orient Mount dispels darkness, and thus he kept the whole Island of Laṅkā in peace. Then flourishing like a ‘wish-conferring’ tree that has sprung up by reason of the merits of the world, he promoted the interests of the Church and the State; and ruling in accordance with the ten principles of regal duty he made his residence in the Kāliṅga royal city of Pulastipura.
[Lines 17-25] He quenched the fire of poverty with showers of gifts of gold, silver, kahavuṇu pearls, precious stones, clothes, jewellery, &c. And being pleased when he beheld the prosperity of the people [so benefited], in great compassion and wisdom, he reflected, ‘We have rendered help to the world, for such is the native disposition of our Kāliṅga dynasty; how can we maintain to the end of the present cycle (kalpa) the stability of this prosperity which we have secured as [it were] in the golden age (kṛta–yuga)?’
[Lines 25-37] Then perceiving that utter destruction forthwith befalls the wealth, nay the very tribe, of the wicked ones who work evil against kings in ignorance of the greatness of their virtues—kings who stand as gods in human form and as parents to the world, His Majesty determined that such destruction should not befall any one. So he constantly gave much advice and instruction as if bestowing eyes on the world blind through ignorance. [Further] declaring that treason, like the five unpardonable sins, is a thing which should not be committed, he was pleased to expound [as follows] the law and policy:—
Those who have committed evil acts such as destruction of life and the like and those who have taken poison destroy themselves alone, while on the other hand treason destroys those who have committed it, together with their families and their associates.
Side B
[Lines 1-19] Therefore even the thought of treason must not arise in the mind. Moreover, it is not right to live without a king. So whenever there is no one holding the position of king paramount, then either the heir-apparent, or, if there be no such personage, one of the princes, failing them, one of the princesses should be chosen for the kingdom. Over the Island of Ceylon, which belongs to the religion of the Buddha, non-buddhistic princes from Coḷa, Keraḷa, or other countries should not be chosen. Those who join them and cause disturbances shall be called traitors.
People of the Govi caste should never aspire to the dignity of kingship, [for this would be] like the crow aping the swan, [or] the donkey the Saindhava steed, [or] the worm the cobra-king, [or] the firefly the sunshine, [or] the snipe the elephant, [or] the jackal the lion. However powerful the people of the Govi caste may be, they should not be elected [to rule] the kingdom.
[Lines 20-30] Those who pay obeisance to persons of the same class as themselves and render them the honours due to kings, and those, too, who accept from them offices and titles shall indeed be called traitors. Such people with their families and their worldly possessions will be rooted out as soon as a royal prince appears [on the throne]. Therefore, if it so happen that a prince has been found, who has a right to the Island of Laṅkā, being descended from the lineage of King Vijaya who made Laṅkā an abode for mankind, be loyal to such a lord and join [with him] in protecting the inhabitants of the country, even as you care for your own eyes. In this way protect your own families and fortunes.
[Lines 31-36] As the crow may ape the mien of the swan, and the donkey the noble steed; as the worm may ape the cobra, and the firefly the sun; as the jackal may ape the lion, and the snipe the elephant; even so another caste may [try to] emulate the conduct of kings; yet [such an attempt] will assuredly meet not with respect, but only with derision. So says king Niśśaṅka–Malla who is skilled in the rules of statecraft.
Other versions
[Sam̃skrit.] If it is your wish to increase your prosperity, and allay your fear, to preserve the proper positions of your families, to respect the customs of your tribes, and to protect subjects, choose you families of knights to sovereignty, and not the other castes: embrace these maxims, (they are) spoken by Niṣṣanka Malla.
[Elu.] He who comes of the royal race of Ikshvâku, like a star on the forehead of the family of the Sun, who receiving the kingdom by royal succession, and putting on the crown, obtained the office of chief king, His Imperial Majesty Niṣṣaṅka Malla Kâlinga Parâkrama Bâhu (the fearless wrestler, the strong-armed one of Kâlinga), illustrious as Ṣakrayâ the King of Gods, with endless royal splendour, and distinguished by the number of his virtues, generosity, truth, heroism, and others like them—(He) dissipated the darkness of his enemies like the Sun when be rises o’er the mountain of the dawn, and made peace throughout Ceylon, living in the Kâlinga-râja-pura called Pulastipura, reigning with the ten kingly virtues, and increasing religion and the prosperity of the world like a wishing tree produced by the merit of the inhabitants of the earth.
His Majesty relieved the exhaustion of the poor by the rainfall of his gifts, ornaments and dress, and jewels and pearls, and coins and silver and gold; and being pleased when he beheld the prosperity of the people, deeply considered in his great mercy and wisdom, thinking, “How after benefiting the world by the qualities inherent in our family of Kâlinga, can this prosperity like that of the good old Golden Age be maintained to the end of this dispensation,” and perceiving that the prosperity and the very race of the wicked were rooted out, who, not knowing the greatness and virtue of kings, the gods of men, and parents of the world, offended against them, he thought, “O! that such destruction would happen to no one!” and always giving much advice and instruction, which were like two eyes to the world blind in its ignorance, he published just laws as follows: “Treason is a thing which must be avoided like the five great unpardonable sins: those who commit the five sins, murder and the rest, and those who take poison, destroy only themselves, but the very race of those who commit treason, and all who are with them, is destroyed. Treason therefore must not even be imagined in the heart; neither is it right to live without a king.
Therefore when there is no one who has the office of chief king, either he who is heir apparent, or if there be none such, then one of the princes, or if there are none of them, one of the queens, must be chosen to the kingdom.
Over our Island of Ceylon, which belongs to the teaching of Buddha, non-buddhistical princes from Chola or Kerali or other countries must not be chosen: those who join them and make disturbances shall be called traitors.
As the crow should not be compared to the ham̃sa, nor the donkey to the Arab, nor the worm to the cobra, nor the firefly to the sunshine, nor the snipe to the elephant, nor the jackal to the lion, so should no men of the Wellâla caste be appointed to the sovereignty. However powerful they may be, the men of the Wellâla caste ought not to force (their way) to the kingdom.
Those who honour as a king servants like themselves with salutations and presents, or receive offices and titles from them, shall be called traitors: whenever a prince of wealth and family joins with such people, he destroys himself.
Therefore, if you look for and find a prince who has a right to Ceylon, and is descended from the race of King Wijaya, who first peopled Ceylon, take sides with such a ruler, who will take care of religion and the prosperity of the world as if they were his two eyes; and so protect your own families and fortunes.
[Sam̃skrit.] As the crow may imitate the gait of the ham̃sa, and the donkey the Arab steed, (as) the worm may imitate the cobra, and the firefly the sunshine, (as) the jackal may emulate the lion, and the snipe the elephant: so some other caste the conduct of kings; yet it certainly will not (thus) meet with respect, but only with ridicule: thus speaks the wise and good Niṣṣanka Malla, the King.
Note: The translation below is based on a low resolution scan of Müller’s text and may contain some errors.
If it is your wish to increase your prosperity and allay jour fears to preserve the position of your family to respect the customs of your tribe and to protect subjects chose you families of kshatriyas to sovereignty and not the other castes embrace these maxims spoken by Niççamka Malla.
He who comes of the royal race of Ikshwaku like a star on the forehead of the family of the sun who receiving the kingdom by royal succession and putting on the crown obtained the office of chief king, His Majesty Niççamka Malla Kalinga Parakramabahu, illustrious as Çakra the king of gods with endless royal splendour incomparable by the number of his virtues generosity, truth heroism and others like them he dissipated the darkness of his enemies like the sun when he rises over the mountain of the dawn and made peace throughout Ceylon living in the city of the Kalinga kings called Pulastipura reigning with the ten kingly virtue and increasing religion and the prosperity of the world like a wishing tree produced by the merit of the inhabitants of the earth.
His Majesty relieved the exhaustion of the poor by the rainfall of his gifts ornaments and dress, jewels, pearls, coins, silver and gold and being pleased when he beheld the prosperity of the people deeply considered in his great mercy and wisdom, thinking We have done the benefiting of the world which is the law inherent in our family of Kalinga how having made firm to the end of this kalpa this prosperity which we said we have made may they take it as a kritayuga and perceiving that the prosperity and the very race of the wicked were rooted out who not knowing the greatness and virtue of kings, the gods of men and parents of the world offended against them he thought “It is right that such destruction should happen to no one!” and always giving much advice and instruction as if to give eyes to the world blind in its ignorance having been pleased to show the rule of the law. Treason is a thing which must be avoided like the five great unpardonable sins, those who commit the five sins murder and the rest and those who take poison destroy only themselves but the very race of those who commit treason and all who are with them is destroyed. Treason therefore must not even be imagined in the heart neither is it right to live without a king Therefore when there is no one who has the office of chief king either he who is the heir apparent or if there be nonesuch then one of the princes or if there are none of them one of the queens must be chosen to the kingdom.
Over our island of Ceylon which belongs to the religion of Buddha non buddhistical princes from Cola or Kerali or other countries must not be chosen; those who join them and make disturbances shall be called traitors.
As the crow should not be compared to the swan nor the donkey to the Arab, nor the worm to the cobra, nor the firefly to the sunshine, nor the snipe to the elephant, nor the jackal to the lion, so should no man of the Gowī tribe be greedy after the sovereignty; however powerful they may be the men of the Gowī tribe should not obtain the kingdom.
Those who honour as a king servants like themselves with salutations and presents, or receive offices and titles from them, shall be called traitors; whenever a prince of wealth and family joins with such people he destroys himself. Therefore, if you look for and find a prince who has a right to Ceylon and is descended from the race of King Wijaya who first peopled Ceylon, take sides with such a ruler who will take care of religion and the prosperity of the world as if they were his two eyes; and so protect your own families and fortunes.
As the crow may imitate the gait of the swan and the donkey the Arab steed, as the worm may imitate the cobra and the firefly the sunshine, as the jackal may imitate the lion and the snipe the elephant, so some other caste may emulate the conduct of kings; yet it certainly will not meet with respect but only with ridicule; thus speaks the wise and good king Niççaṃka Malla.