Siddham. The Asian Inscription Database | IN03094 Poḷonnaruva Slab Inscription of Vijaya-Bāhu II

This inscription is engraved on both sides of a large slab, which stands near the ancient irrigation canal at Poḷonnaruva. The inscription consists of 65 lines in total but the portion on the second side of the slab is now illegible. The text begins with the auspicious word svasti and a Sanskrit verse. It then states that Vijaya, the eldest son of Siṁha-Bāhu of the Kāliṅga-Cakravarti dynasty came over to Ceylon, defeated the Yakṣas, and became king; that a descendant of his was Parākrama-Bāhu, who brought the Island of Laṅkā under one canopy of dominion; and that this king, desiring the continuation of his dynasty, invited his sister’s son (bǟna) over from Siṁhapura, invested him with royal dignity, and in course of time died. The nephew was thereafter duly anointed king Vijaya-Bāhu, but the day after his accession to the throne some treacherous ministers rose against him. A chieftain named Vijayāyān-tän-nāvan, however, protected the king and, quelling the rebellion, restored peace to the country. In recognition of these distinguished services, king Vijaya-Bāhu granted him heritable lands with certain privileges, the details of which were originally recorded on the second side of the slab. The inscription thus corroborates and expands upon the account of Vijaya-Bāhu’s reign in the Mahāvaṁsa. Vijaya-Bāhu only reigned for a short time, ascending to the throne in 1186 and dying one year later at the hands of Mahinda and Dīpanī.

Diplomatic Edition
Critical Edition

[line 1] (Svasti)

[line 2] Śrī Kālin̆ga-nṛpaḥ Parākrama-bhu(jo)

[line 3] .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

[line 4] .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

[line 5] .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

[line 6] .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

[line 7] .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

[line 8] Śrīmat-vū mahat (eḍi Siṁha-vam̆śäti Kā-)

[line 9] -lin̆ga-)cakravarttin-vahansege va-

[line 10] -m̆śayehi upan Siṁha-Bāhu-rajapā-va-

[line 11] -hanseṭa jeṣṭha putravū Kālin̆gayen

[line 12] Laṁkāvaṭa bäsä yakṣa praḷaya-koṭa manuṣya-

[line 13] vāsa-koṭa ekātapatra-rājya kaḷa Vijaya-rā-

[line 14] -jayan-vahansege vam̆śa-paramparāyen

[line 15] ā Lak-diva ēkarā(jja) kaḷa Parākrama-Bā-

[line 16] -hu-vat-himiyan-vahansē sva-vam̆śaya

[line 17] mattaṭa-da pavatnā kämäti-vä pūrvva-rāja-

[line 18] -yan koṭa ā paridden-mä Siṁha-purayaṭa

[line 19] yavā bǟnaṇuvan-vahansē genvā tama-

[line 20] -n-vahansē (namulā) himiyā paṭbandavā

[line 21] śastra-śāstrayehi nipuṇa-karavā äti-

[line 22] koṭa vadārā rājyaya sanātha-koṭa kalature-

[line 23] -n svarggasthavū kalhi (iṣṭa) kramayen

[line 24] abhiṣiktavū Vijaya-bāhu-vahansēṭa (pa-)

[line 25] (-nadā) duṣṭ⸗āmātyayan rājadrohīvä Laṁkāva(ṭa ka-)

[line 26] (-ḷa vilupta) sādhā Vijayāyāntän-nāva-

[line 27] -n se(me)hi tabā dun rājyayehi himiyā(ṇa)-

[line 28] -n-vahanse abhiṣiktava sahavoṭunu (a-)

[line 29] -baraṇin sädi siṁh⸗āsan⸗ārūḍhava daskam kaḷa-

[line 30] -vunṭa abhivṛddhi-vuva mänävayi sitā vadārā

[line 31] Vijayāyāntän-nāvan Ruvandam̆buyehi

[line 32] paṭan śrī-śarīra-rakṣayehi siṭiheyinut

[line 33] perä paridden-mä Kālin̆ga-paramparāvaṭa-ma rā-

[line 34] -jyaya sādhā dun seyinut mekunge vam̆śa-

[line 35] paramparāva-da Vijaya-rājayan-vahanse-

[line 36] -kere paṭan Kālin̆ga-vam̆śayaṭa-mä das-kam-

[line 37] koṭa ā heyinut me kaḷa das-kamaṭa (ti-)