The inscription is incised on a fine granite slab found lying prone in the Tōpa-väva quadrangle (the Dalada Maluwa) in Polonnaruwa. The find was reported by H. C. P. Bell in his Annual Report of the Ceylon Archaeological Survey for 1903 (p. 11). The slab was subsequently framed with cement and placed upright near the Atadage in the Tōpa-väva quadrangle, where it stands today. Consisting of forty-nine lines in total, the inscription is written in Tamil with an introductory Sanskrit verse. It was erected by the members of the Vēḷäikkāṟa (or Velaikkara) community. As part of the expeditionary forces of Rājēndra Coḷa I, the Velaikkaras established themselves as a powerful force in northern Sri Lankan following the capture of Mahinda V in 1017–18 A.D. They were subjugated by king Vijaya-Bāhu I in 1073 A.D. but rebelled against his authority eleven years later, after he asked them to fight in his military campaign against their own kinsmen, the Coḷas. Although the king’s forces quickly quelled the rebellion, the Velaikkara community continued to hold considerable power. Indeed, such was their influence that, during the turbulent period of internal conflict that followed Vijaya-Bāhu I’s death, they were entrusted with the protection of the Sacred Tooth-relic Temple, which had been built (probably some twenty or thirty years earlier) by the minister Deva Senāpati under Vijaya-Bāhu’s orders. This inscription was erected around this time to provide written assurance that the Velaikkara soldiers would protect the sacred relics. The first part of the text serves as an introduction, describing Vijaya-Bāhu I’s charitable acts, including the building of the Tooth-relic temple. The second part details the provisions made by the Velaikkaras for the protection of the temple and relics. No date is given in the text but, drawing on a combination of palaeographic and historical evidence, Wickremasinghe argues that it dates from between 1137 and 1153 A.D., belonging either to the reign of Vikkama-Bāhu (1116–1137 A.D.) or, more probably, to that of his son Gaja-Bāhu (1137–1153 A.D.).
[Lines 1–5] Hail! Prosperity! May the Veḷaikkāṟa forces protect that Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth-relic which the Chief Deva–Senādhipa has built in the city of Pulasti in Laṅkā by order of the King, Çrī Vijayādi–Bāhu, as well as the shrines around it founded by the Veḷaikkāras, throughout (the whole period) unto the dissolution of the world.
[Lines 5–11] Obeisance to the Buddha! In the prosperous Island of Laṅkā, the Emperor Çrī Vijaya–Bāhu Devar alias Çrī Saṅghabodhi–varmar, a scion of the lineage of Ikṣvāku of the Solar race, gaining victory over many an enemy, entered Anurādhapura and, at the request of the Buddhist priesthood, put on the sacred crown in order to look after the Buddhist religion. So, His Majesty had Buddhist priests invited from Aramaṅa [to Ceylon], and [with their aid], effected the purification of the Buddhist Order of the three Nikāyas [fraternities].
[Lines 11–15] He, moreover, bestowed thrice his own weight (of coins) upon the three Nikāyas and having brought the whole of Laṅkā under a single canopy of dominion was graciously pleased to rule the kingdom for fifty-five years by practising the ten regal virtues. He also celebrated seventy-three sacred birthdays.
[Lines 16–21] His Majesty gave directions to Nuvarakal Deva Sena–virattar and through him had the great Temple of the Tooth–relic built at Vijayarājapuram, otherwise called Pulanari; and it became the permanent repository for the Tooth and the Bowl-relics of the Buddha [which are like unto] the crest gems of the Three Worlds (and which were) at Uttoruḷa–mūḷa, the chief fane at the Abhayagiri Mahāvihāra, the original place of deposit [of the relics].
[Lines 21–24] It became also the auspicious house for [holding] the first anointment ceremony and the Hall of Fragrance for the auspicious and colossal stone statue of the Holy Buddha, in which is held annually the ceremony of unloosening the sacred eyes (of the image) and applying collyrium to them.
[Lines 25–30] The royal preceptor and (grammarian) Mugalan Mahāthera of Uturuḷa-mūḷa who is endowed with piety and virtuous conduct and with (a knowledge) of all the Çāstras and Āgamas, associating himself with ministers of the state, was pleased to come to the spot, send for us and say ‘Tooth-relic Temple should be under your custody’. Thereupon, we, the members of the Mātantra met together and convened a meeting of the Vaḷañśeyar who are our elders and of the kinsmen, the Nagarattār, who usually associate with us [in our deliberations].
[Lines 30–38] [In this assembly] we (all of us) invested (the Tooth-relic Temple) with the sacred name of Mūṉṟru–kai–t–tiru–Veḷaikkāṟan Daḷadāy–p–perum–paḷḷi ‘the great temple of the Tooth-relic belonging to the illustrious Veḷaikkāṟa (army) of the three divisions’ and made the declaration that it shall remain as our charitable institution under our own custody, that by assigning for the protection of this charity one servitor from each regiment (of our army) together with one veli of land (for his maintenance), we shall protect the villages, the retainers, and the property belonging to this shrine, as well as those who enter it for refuge, even though (thereby) we may suffer loss or ruin, and that we shall always do everything necessary for this (shrine) as long as our lineage exists even though everything that has already suffered ruin may fall deeper into ruin.
[Lines 39–44] To this effect we, the illustrious Veḷaikkāṟas, among whom are included the communities of Valaṅ-kai (the right-hand), lḍaṅ-kai (the left-hand), Śiṟu-taṉam (the minor class?), Piḷḷaikaḷ-taṉam (Vellāḷar class?), Vaḍukar (the Telugus), Malaiyāḷar (the MalayāIese), Parivāra-k-kontam (the retinue of spearmen?), and Palakalaṉai (the army of Kalaṉai-men?), have set (our) hand-attestations [to this agreement] and have delivered it over, having had it engraved both on copper (plates) and on stone, so that it may last as long as the sun and the moon endure.
[Lines 44–49] Accordingly, whoever that infringes (this contract) or that tells [another] to infringe it or that consents to the infringement of it becomes an enemy of the [Veḷaikkāṟa] army, who has committed an offence against the Mātantra, or [he becomes] one who has committed the five great sins, or [he becomes] the wicked sinner who has appropriated what had been offered to gods or to spirits or to great ascetics, or (he becomes) one who has committed an offence against the [three] gems [namely] the Buddha, his Doctrine, and his Order, or [he becomes] one who will enter the hell into which [such sinners] usually go. Forget not charity! Hail! Prosperity!