This book Sri Viroopaksha and Srirama copper plate inscriptions is the seventh in the series of books published by the Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute, Government of Andhra Pradesh.
The first, a charter known as 'Sri Viroopaksha Inscription' was laid by Srirangarayalu son of Tirumalarayalu in the month of November 1576 A.D. gifting twentyfour villages for the daily worship of Srikalahastiswara. The second charter, known as 'Srirama Inscription' was a gift of a village made by another Srirangarayalu son of Pinavenkatarayalu in the year 1644 A.D. January for the daily worship of Srikalahastiswara and the Goddess there.
These copper plate inscriptions were handed over to the then Director, State Archives on 1st January 1971 by Sri Parasurama Gurukul at Kalahasti and on 2nd January 1971 they were shown to the Special Secretary, Education, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Sri S. R. Ramamurthy at Tirupati. Sri Ramamurthy observed that such valuable inscriptions as these would be very useful for Historians and that they should be published. Thereafter photos of these copper plates were taken by the Director and Sri C. V. S. L. Sastry, working in the O. M. L. & R. I as Research Officer was asked to prepare a manuscript copy of the same. Sri Sastry informed me that he prepared a manuscript copy and it is handed over to the Director but he never knew what happened to that script. However the then Director of State Archives gave copies of these photos to Sri N. C. S. Venkatacharyulu with a request to prepare a manuscript copy of them, and also write meanings in Telugu and gist of each sloka, and Sri Venkatacharyulu very carefully prepared the copy along with meanings and gist of every sloka.
The Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute could get an opportunity as the Joint Director to conduct my researches into several old works and publish several books. It is all due to the honour and affection of the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Sri Kasu Brahmananda Reddi. Not only that this Institute could get an opportunity to publish a research work on these copper plate inscriptions giving a lot of hitherto unknown historical facts brought to light by me in this book. There is no doubt, this book will be received with a word of praise by various research scholars as these inscriptions besides containing other matters, occupy a unique place in the history of the country.
As these two inscriptions were in Sanskrit and Devanagari script, the Devanagari version of these scripts is also being published for the benefit of non- Telugu researchers. With the same and in view besides the Telugu version of the research work, an English translation of the same is also being published.
As far as I know, these inscriptions were never published before, nor any research scholars of inscriptions or historians wrote any comments based on these inscriptions. These inscriptions stand as authentic proof for the facts regarding Araveeti Dynasty, right from the ancestors of Araveeti Bukkarayalu with different lineages, till the fall of Vijayanagara empire.
It is mentioned, in my research work that some of the slokas from Sri Viroopaksha Inscription were taken by the author of Sri Rama Inscription and incorporated them in Sri Rama Inscription. However, we find some of these slokas from Sri Viroopokaha Inscription in some of the later other inscriptions also (See Veera Venkatapati Vilapaka Inscription-Epigraphica India, Volume IV, page 272). There is nothing wrong in taking slokas from older inscriptions as far as the former generations instead of writing something fresh about the old, in order to maintain a single version of facts about the lineage of rulers. Originating three generations of gap between them, these two inscriptions provide us a complete and uninterrupted history of the Araveeti Dynasty and thus, it is needless to say, they occupy a unique place in history.
The original texts of these inscriptions have been published in Telugu and Devanagari scripts verbatim in this book. For the text of each plate of these ins criptions in the Telugu script is printed on one page and in the Devanagari script on the next page line to line as original and its replica. The photo copies of the res pective copper plates are printed on the page facing its Devanagari text.
While writing forewords and prefaces to the books Seetakalyanam, Indumati Parinayam and Sringara Padams (all in Telugu,) Sri Geeta Govindam, Geeta Sankaram and Vaikrutachandrika (in Sanskrit,) Radha Vamsidhar Vilas Natak (in Hindi) and Enugula Veeraswamy's Journal (in English), I had to do extensive research, mostly at home than in office, sitting through nights sometimes and during my strenuous work at home my wife Mrs. Sasikala helping in many ways and I thank her for the same.
Sri K. Vithal Reddi, Telugu Pandit, Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute must be congratulated for his patience and sincere understanding in writing, while I dictated the scripts of the preface for the book Enugula Veeraswamy's Journal and also the present research work.
The introduction 1 wrote for the book Radhavamsidhar Vilas Natak, was translated into Hindi by my dear student Sahitya Ratna, Sri Gurram Subba Rao, M.A., Sri Vadrevu Purushottam helped me extensively in translating into English, my preface to Enugula Veeraswamy's Journal and the present research work and I am indebted to them both. Sri C. V.S. L. Sastry (Research Officer) and Sri V. V. Chary helped me while I was comparing the Telugu version of my research work with the translated version and my congratulation are due to them. I also congratulate to all those employees who worked along with me as Joint Director of Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute, Our thanks are due to Sri S. R. Ramamurthy, LA.S., for the keen interest evinced by him to bring to light invaluable old texts and to the revival of our ancient cultural wealth. We are thankful to Dr. N. Ramesan, M. A., Ph.D., LA.S., for his kind encouragement in the development of Andhra Pradesh Government Oriental Manuscripts Library and Research Institute, to the Assistant Secretary Sri I. Raghunatha Rao. We are also very thankful to Sri D. Kamayya who until his retirement as Deputy Secretary, has shown great enthusiasm. Our hearty congratulations to Sri K. Kesavarao, B.A., B.L., who assumed charge recently as Deputy Secretary, Education Department.
We are grateful to the Andhra Pradesh Text-book Press authorities for taking keen and patient interest in bringing out this book nicely. Our thanks are due to the Deputy Directors Sri G. Ramakrishna Rao and Sri D. Veeramanie who rendered us their invaluable help whenever required.
My hearty congratulations to Sri P. Narayanan, Sri M. R. Sabhapathi, Assistant Directors, Sri V. Gangadharam, Sri K. Narasimha Rao, Sri Y. Sreeramulu and Sri B. James, and others who helped in the printing work of this book.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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