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Vessagiri, or more commonly in Sinhalese Vessagiriya, is the traditional name of a forest-bound cluster of rocks in Anurādhapura. The site features three hummock-boulders of gneiss rock in a line from north to south (Rock A, Rock B and Rock C). The hummocks are surrounded by the ruins of a monastery, which had its cells in the caves of Rocks B and C (twenty-three caves in total). Some of the caves are inscribed with dedications to the Buddhist priesthood, plus there are a number of other rock inscriptions at the site. In addition, two inscribed slabs associated with Vessagiri are preserved in the museum at Anurādhapura (OB03019 and OB03020). The present inscription is engraved on one of the slabs. It dates from the reign of king Dappula V (A.D. 940-952) and records a royal offering to the Virāṅkurā monastery.

Vessagiri, or more commonly in Sinhalese Vessagiriya, is the traditional name of a forest-bound cluster of rocks in Anurādhapura. The site features three hummock-boulders of gneiss rock in a line from north to south (Rock A, Rock B and Rock C). The hummocks are surrounded by the ruins of a monastery, which had its cells in the caves of Rocks B and C (twenty-three caves in total). Some of the caves are inscribed with dedications to the Buddhist priesthood, plus there are a number of other rock inscriptions at the site.

The present inscription is engraved on the eastern face of Rock B. In 1904, Don Martino de Zilva Wickremasinghe noted the existence on an inscription – or possibly two inscriptions – in this area but he was unable to make out their contents. Two decades later, Senarath Paranavitana gave a more detailed account of the inscriptions on this part of the rock, identifying four separate records, one of which is dealt with here (for the others, see IN03169, IN03170 and IN03171). None of these four inscriptions is dated. However, they can be assigned on palaeographic grounds to the sixth century A.D. It is also significant that one (the present inscription) refers to Boya-Opulavana-Kasapi-gari (P. Bodhi-Uppalavaṇṇa-Kassapagiri) and another (IN03171) mentions Kasaba-giriye. These were alternative names for the ancient monastery of Issarasamaṇa-vihāra, which Paranavitana connects with modern Vessagiriya. This monastery was richly endowed by king Kassapa I, who renamed the foundation after himself and his two daughters, Bodhi and Uppalavaṇṇā, as reflected in the inscriptions here. Hence these records must postdate Kassapa I’s accession to the throne, which Paranavitana places around 526 A.D. All four inscriptions record how certain named individuals obtained freedom from slavery for themselves or their relatives. In one of the inscriptions (IN03171), this freedom is said to have been granted after payments were made to the monastery, suggesting that the monastery owned the slaves in question.

Vessagiri, or more commonly in Sinhalese Vessagiriya, is the traditional name of a forest-bound cluster of rocks in Anurādhapura. The site features three hummock-boulders of gneiss rock in a line from north to south (Rock A, Rock B and Rock C). The hummocks are surrounded by the ruins of a monastery, which had its cells in the caves of Rocks B and C (twenty-three caves in total). Some of the caves are inscribed with dedications to the Buddhist priesthood, plus there are a number of other rock inscriptions at the site, including the present record.

INIG1343a  Tilorī (Gwalior). On a pillar north of the village. 2 lines, nāgarī, incomplete. There are also other short inscriptions on this pillar, one of them reading: kīrti[pā]ladevaḥ

INIG1342c Sakarra (Guna). On a satī stone. Number of lines not given, nāgarī, Sanskrit. Purport not given.

INIG1342b Sakarra (Guna). On a satī stone. 8 lines, nāgarī, Hindi. Mentions Rāmadeva.

INIG1342a jyaiṣṭha badi 3 somavāra Ballārpur (Shivpuri). On a satī stone. 18 lines, nāgarī, Sanskrit. Mentions Gopāladeva of Narwar, the death of Rāuta Arjuna and the immolation of his three wives.

INIG1341d pauṣa badi 1 somavāra Sesaī Buzurg (Shivpuri). On a satī stone. 12 lines, nāgarī, Hindi. Mentions the death of rā˚ (rāuta) Malayadeva and his two wives in a cattle stealing incident during the time of mahārājādhirāja Gopāla during the administration of mahākumāra Jaitravarman. The name of the village is given as Sesaigrāma.

INIG1341c kārttika śudi 5 vu(bu)dhe Surwāyā (Shivpuri). On a slab. 25 lines, nāgarī, Sanskrit. Records that in the time of Gopāladeva a well was constructed by the Sārasvata brāhmaṇa Īśvara of Sarasvatīpaṭṭana (i.e. Surwāyā). Composed by Somamiśra, traced on the stone by Gāṅgadeva and incised by sūtradhāra Ratana. The date is also given in the chronogram: eka abdhi rāmarūpa. Now in Archaeological Museum, Gwalior.