The inscription is engraved on a stone slab, which was discovered near Batalagoḍa-väva, an ancient irrigation reservoir situated about eight miles from Kuruṇǟgala on the road to Dam̆bulla. The slab has been broken into several fragments, some of which are missing. The remaining pieces have been joined and the gaps filled with cement by an overzealous restorer, who – not content with merely putting together what was left of the record – also guessed at what the missing portions of the text may have said and inscribed his suggestions on the cement. Most of this guesswork is unacceptable and has been omitted from the edition of the text published here.
The Batalogoda reservoir was restored by the Ceylon Government around the turn of the twentieth century. Henry Parker was in charge of the restoration work and gave a detailed description of the tank, including an account of the present inscription, in his Ancient Ceylon (1909: 254, 397–400). He was presumably the one responsible for the repair of the slab.
The inscription is dated in the fifth year of Queen Kalyāṇavatī, who ascended the throne in 1202 A.D. It records the repairs effected to the Batalagoḍa-väva and the benefactions made to a neighbouring shrine by an officer (adhikāri) named Cūḍāmaṇi. The part of the inscription containing the titles of this officer has been lost. The general Lakvijaya Ābo Senevinā is also mentioned, though the nature of his involvement is not clear as the section of inscription where his name occurs is very fragmentary. It may, however, be surmised that it was at his command that Cūḍāmaṇi carried out the works at Batalgoḍa. This general is obviously the same as Lakvijaya Siṅgu Senevi Ābonā, who placed Sāhasmalla on the throne. The same individual is called by the name ‘Āyuṣmat’ in the Sanskrit inscription of Sāhasmalla at Poḷonnaruva (IN03099) and therefore can also be identified with the general called Āyasmanta in the Mahāvaṁsa, who placed Kalyāṇavatī – the monarch of the present inscription – on the throne. Clearly he was a very powerful figure and a veritable king-maker in early thirteenth century Sri Lanka.
[Lines 1–6] . . . . . . In the fifth year of Abhā Salamevan Kalyāṇavatī, . . . . . . who has attained the supreme regal splendour in the three Siṁhaḷas . . . . . . royal decree . . . . . . decree . . . . . . (? by the order) of the generalissimo Lakvijaya Ābo Siṅgu‚ the adhikāri Man . . . Cūḍāmaṇi, lord of Maṅgalapura alias Badalagoḍa . . . Madhyadeśa in the kingdom of Māyā, at the time this . . . reservoir was lying unused, [its embankment] being breached in three places [and its] canals and sluice being destroyed . . . . . . repaired the canals and the sluice and made them to be of use.
[Lines 6–13] Having seen that not many fields and gardens were flourishing, as there was no second sluice even in former times, he, by his own judgement, examined sites [fit] for sluices, and having found a suitable site [for a sluice], he constructed there a sluice called, after his own name, the Adhikāra-sluice and brought under cultivation . . . . from the lower embankment. Having seen that the monastery called Senevirat–pirivena, established in this town by the generalissimo Lakvijaya Saṁ Siṅgu, remained dilapidated and uninhabited, he repaired the image-house, rebuilt the dāgaba making it a mantle-dāgaba, repaired also the dilapidated residences of the monks in the same place, including the latrine and the water-closet, invited the members of the great community of monks, made them reside therein and attended on them with the four requisites.
[Lines 13–15] Performing, in this wise, service to the world and to the religion, and being desirous of making the pains that he had taken on account of this reservoir exceedingly fruitful, and also being desirous of making a religious endowment, to the vihāra, of the sowing extent of four āmuṇas of seed paddy from Sotemuṇa, which was made suitable for sowing by having the stumps of trees and roots removed, and which was granted in his own name . . . . . . . the former endowment-decree itself.
[Lines 16–17] Should there be any one who has caused harm to this religious endowment, he is as if he has eaten the rice put in the kāvuṇuva; he also will become a crow or a dog and will be boiled in the eight great hells. This merit that we have performed (should be protected) by those of the future as if it has been performed by their own selves.
Other versions
In the fifth (year of the reign) of (Her Majesty Abhá Salamewan) Kalyánavati, who enjoys royal prosperity as supreme (lit. one-canopy) ruler of Tri-Siṇhala, (Pihiṭi, Mȧyá, Ruhuṇá).
(Upon the order of the General Lolupẹla)-kulaku Vijaya Abó Singu-Senevi nȧvan (who promoted the interests of) Church and State . . . . . . (Laṇká) Adikára Man (da-nȧvan) lord of the city of Mahala-pura called (Badala-goḍa) in the Middle Country (belonging to) the Mȧyá Kingdom . . . . . . . because it was reported that the sluices of this ( . . . . ) tank were ruined and impermanent, owing to washaways at three breaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . and because the former second sluice no longer existed and many fields did (not) survive, Sedu Kasba (Kásyapa) Budim, having examined the sluice sites and selected a (new) suitable site, (had constructed) there a sluice (Lacha-dhẹṭi-miyarin-kaṇȧvá), in his own name, (to wit) A ( . . . . ) raso Vija Yan . . . . . . . . .
(Further), having observed that the Vihára ( . . . . ) at Senevirat Pirivena (established by the General) Meṇyavarẹ Lak Vijaya Yaṇ Sin̆gu-Senevi-návan was dilapidated, after enquiry he employed outside labour and had the (Ya)talava Dȧgaba and the Kaḍu Dȧgaba built; improved the damaged flower-garden here; gave servitors (lit. hand-and-foot service); had water-places and huts constructed; and put Monks of the Great Community (Mahá Sańgha) into residence, bestowing on them the four priestly requisites (clothing, food, bedding, medicines)—(in all) preparing ten sacred sites (for them).
He who (thus) benefits the State and Religion, desiring greatly to carry out in his own name, Lẹvu sotemu-míjni . . . . . . . . . . which his own tank had received . . . . . . . . . having had gift of . . . . . (to the Vihȧra) . . . . (the former) charitable gift . . . . . . . . .
Should any one cause harm to this benefaction, he will become (like dog and crow, and) like one who eats the rice (left for) dogs and crows, and will suffer woe in the Eight Great Hells.
May the merit of this action which we have performed accrue to others in the future as though done by them.