Siddham. The Asian Inscription Database | IN03107 Oruvaḷa Sannasa

The sannasa (land grant) is engraved on both sides an oblong copper-plate. There are fifteen lines of text on the observe and a further fifteen lines on the reverse. Writing in the late 1920s, Codrington recorded that the plate “has for many years been in the possession of Mr W. P. Ranasinha, Notary Public”. The latter’s son – A.G. Ranasinha Esq., C.M.G., C.B.E. – lent it to an exhibition organised by the Historical Manuscripts Commission in 1952.

The sannasa records a grant of land to two Brahmans – one Potā Ojjhalun and his nephew Avuhaḷa Ojjhalun of the Śān̆ḍiḷya gotra. As the sannasa relates, these Brahmans served as chief purohita “until His Majesty our King Mahā Parākrama Bāhu…had worn the crown fifty-five times” (i.e. had reigned for fifty-five years). Kings of this period wore the state crown every year on the anniversary of their coronation, hence a king who wore the crown fifty-five times must have reigned for fifty-five years. In recognition of their service, the Brahmans received for their maintenance the village of Oruvaḷa in Aturugiri Kōralē. Subsequently another king made this village a perpetual dānakṣetra in favour of the nephew and also granted him another village in the neighbourhood. Avuhaḷa Ojjhalun, not content, applied either to the same king or to one of his successors for a copper-plate charter confirming that the land held by him was permanently declared a dānakṣetra subject to an annual payment of fifteen fanams to the god Vishṇu. In answer to this request, the present sannasa was issued by king Siri San̆gabo Śrī Parākrama Bāhu at Jayavarddhanapura Kōṭṭē in the fourth year of his reign.

Codrington identifies Mahā Parākrama Bāhu – the king served by the two Bhamans – as Parākrama Bāhu VI, who reigned from 1412 (or 1415, according to certain historical sources) until 1467 A.D. However, the identity of Siri San̆gabo Śrī Parākrama Bāhu – the king who issued the sannasa – is less certain. Kings Parākrama Bāhu VII, VIII and IX are all possibilities, although it is most likely to have been one of the first two. On palaeographic grounds, Codrington favours Parākrama Bāhu VIII. Oruvaḷa (Oruwala), the village mentioned in the grant, is situated near Aturugiriya, about three miles south-south-west of Nawagamuwa.

Diplomatic Edition
Critical Edition

Side A

[line 1] Svasti śrī Vaivasvata Manu saṁkhyata Mahā Sammata paramparānuyāta suryya-vaṁśotbhūta Sumitra rājaputra pavitra

[line 2] gotrābhijāta mahārājādhi rāja Tri Siṁhaḷādhīśvara navaratnādhipati Śrīmat Siri San̆gabo Śrī Parākkrama Bāhu cakravartti svā-

[line 3] mīnvahanseṭa tunvannen matu avurudu Äsaḷa pura viseniya sakala nagarān̆ga sampattiyen samurdha-vū Jaya-

[line 4] varddhana-purehi Man̆gul prāsādayehi ämäti gaṇayan pirivarā siṁhā-sanehi väḍa hin̆da lova kaḷamanā vävasthā vicarā vadārana samaya-

[line 5] hi Śān̆ḍīḷya gotrayen ā Bamuṇu Potā Ojjhalun meku byāṇa Avuhaḷa Ojjhalun me kī denna paḷamu a-

[line 6] pagē rājādhirāja-vū Tri Siṁhaḷadhīśvara Bodhisatvāvatāra Mahā Parākrama Bāhu väḍa vun tena oṭuṇu pas-panas dharana turu kra-

[line 7] mayen me kī denna agra purohita teva karana kal-hi mekunṭa sēvādi-valaṭa dun baṇagama Oruvaḷa me kī ayaṭa-

[line 8] ma päväta ena prasthāvaṭa maha väḍa vun tena ikut-va vadāḷa tena sahajāta putra rājakumārayan karanṭa sudusu aparakri-

[line 9] yā tēva me kiyana Bamuṇu Avuhaḷa Ojjhalu purohitayan kaḷa nisā boho prasaṁsā koṭa santoṣa-va vadā-

[line 10] rā mekunṭa pävata ena gama tibädi dānakṣetra koṭa amutuva venin gam sälasmak niyama kara vadāḷa tena

[line 11] e kiyana purohitavarunṭa kīpa avuruddak tibū baṇagameyi yana Oruvaḷa tam̆ba pata devā vadāranṭayayi kiyā sä-

[line 12] la kaḷa tena me kī Avuhaḷa Ojjhalunṭa dānakṣetra koṭa sitā vadāḷa Aturugiri Koraḷe bada baṇagamaṭa him

[line 13] nägenahirin Van̆durāmullē Karan̆dagasa-äḷa hā dakuṇu digin Oru-vaḷa-piṭiye-äḷa hā basnāhirin Ba-

[line 14] llävila Aggona Porē ima Paragasa atmaga hā uturu digin Korato ima diyavuṇu matoraṇa mīgasa

[line 15] sīlpän doḷa Am̆buḷuvāye Kuḍuvaḷa gati yāyen me kī satara māhi-maṭa ätuḷat-vū sariya hā me

Side B

[line 1] kiyana Oruvaḷa gamaṭa paḷamu paṭan venin päväta gena ā Uḍavelin kum̆buru ekamuṇu de-pǟḷak bijuvaṭa sari-

[line 2] yat Sirivinna eka pǟḷa pa(llā)sak Aturugirigama män̆da Kapurā kumā-rayāgē vatta hā mehi bada kum̆buru ekamuṇu

[line 3] de-pǟḷak ätuḷu-vū val vil kum̆buru ōviṭi gam-mudala ge-vatu gasa koḷa ādī siyallama Utpalavarṇṇa divya-

[line 4] rājottamayāṇanvahanseṭa avurudu ekakaṭa paṇam pasaḷosak bägin päsida me kiyana Avuhaḷa Ojjha-

[line 5] lu purohitayangē daru munuburu paramparāvaṭa ā candrārkka sthāyīva pavatinā paṇataṭat salasvā svastira-va

[line 6] pat liyā denneyayi me kiyana gamaṭa raja yuvaraja mahā amātyādī kena-kungen-vat bāhira-vū koraḷa-karannan-vat

[line 7] betma at-āvuda-bālayan visin-vat ättalayin balu-väddan daḍa-vaddan me kī noyek denāgen-vat batak bula-

[line 8] tak mevarak patak daḍak muḍak paḷiyak marālayak avulak uddaraṇayak kaḷa kī kenek ätnamut kiyalā kä-

[line 9] ra-vū ayek ätnam San̆jīva Kāḷasūtrādī aṭa mahā narakayehi päsī goḍa no däka ananta jātiśmaśā-

[line 10] na preta-va upadināhu nam veti me lesa no vī apagē maha paramparānu-yāta maharaja kenek idiri pämu-

[line 11] ṇunuhot me gamaṭa sahāya-va nila lā balē lā dun maharaja-ruvanek ät-nam apē maha Bodhisatva Parākrama Bāhu

[line 12] maha rājottamayāṇaṇvahanse pas-panas oṭunu Laṁkāve päḷan̆da pin koṭa me man̆gul sakvaḷa cakravaḷa cakravartti-

[line 13] raja-va keḷavara maha bo vaḍā lovuturā Budu bava siddhavuṇāhu nam veti kiyā me lesa vadāḷa mehevarin me sa-

[line 14] nhas tām̆bra patraya liyā dun bavaṭa Pālāttarumha—Dānna pālanayor-mmadhye da-

[line 15] nārccreyānupālanam Dānāt svarggam-avāpnoti pālanād accutam padam