Epigraphy, or the study of inscriptions, has played a very important role in reconstructing the history of India. Tamil Nadu in particular has a very large number of epigraphs, which have been of immense help to historians in writing about the history of the Tamil country. The majority of these inscriptions are written in Tamil. However, beginning from the sixth century ad, a large number of inscriptions, both lithic and copper-plate grants came to be composed in Sanskrit as well. Some of these epigraphs are wholly in Sanskrit while some, especially the copper-plate inscriptions, are bi-lingual, with the first or prashasti portion in chaste Sanskrit and the second or operative part of the record being in Tamil. CONTENTS Foreword by K.V. Ramesh Preface Abbreviations Key to Transliteration Introduction 1. Administration Duties of a king — Kings as upholders of Social Order — Divine Origin — Coronation Ceremony — Viceroys — Emblems — Ministers — Military Administration — Weapons wielded by the kings — Army Divisions — Elephants — Artillery 2. Social and Economic Life Brahmanas — Other Castes — Queens — Queens of the Madurai Nayakas — Queens of the Tanjavur Nayakas — Brahmana Women — Economic Life — Crops — Irrigation — Tanks and Channels — Special Privileges — Medicine — Temples 3. Education and Literature Harihara II — Virupaksha — Deva Raya I — Deva Raya II — Vira-Nrisimha — Krishnadeva Raya — Acyuta Raya — Shriranga Raya — Venkata II — Venkata III — Nayaka kings of Madurai — Nayaka kings of Tanjavur — Later Pandyan kings — Marathas — Mathas — Poet-Composers of the Sanskrit Inscriptions — Literary Beauty of the Sanskrit Inscriptions — Manipravala Style — Vaishnava Mythology — Venkatesha — Varaha — Rama — Krishna — Bhudevi — Shaiva Mythology — Ardhanarishvara — Sharada — Ganesha — Muruga — Indra — Brahma 4. Religion Harihara II — Virupaksha — Deva Raya I — Deva Raya II — Mallikarjuna — Krishnadeva Raya — Acyuta Raya — Sadashiva Raya — Tirumala I — Shriranga Raya — Venkata II — Venkata III — Nayaka rulers of Madurai — Nayaka rulers of Tanjavur — Raghunatha — Nayaka — Later Pandyan Kings — Marathas — Vassal chieftains, ministers and officials — Uttamanambis — Tatacarya — Spiritual preceptors — Vidyaranya — Mahadanas — Tulapurusha Plates Bibliography Index