Byadarahalli (Bengaluru) Inscriptions and Herostones

Byadarahalli is locality in the Herohalli ward, off Magadi Main Road in Bengaluru. It is home to a Kannada inscription which contains a very unique engraving of Gandabherunda, a mythical bird in Indian iconography, only one of a kind to be found in the Bengaluru region. The image of Gandabherunda gained prominence when it was adopted as the royal insignia of the Mysuru Wodeyars and subsequently adopted to the official emblem of the Karnataka state. This Kannada inscription records the tax-free donation of Haruvahalli by a group comprising Chikkanna, Honnappa, Gantegavuda, Maleyapa, Manchapa, Chikkahonnappa, Chokkanna, Gopagavuda, and Ramanna, who are all sons of Kitaneli's Honnagavuda from Kukkala Naadu suring the reign of the Hoysala King Veera Ballala III. This generous gift is made to Mayileyanayakka and Cheneyakka in the presence of Gavudas Bommanna, Barachirayya and others. Mayileyanayakka and Cheneyakka were brothers who served as chieftains (rulers) of Kukalnaadu, they inherited the rule of Kukulanaadu from their father, Kadeyanayaka. The inscription introduces various taxes of an unclear nature that are also assigned to Mayileyanayaka and Channeyanayaka, although the specific reason for singling them out remains unclear Additionally, the inscription mentions Naada Senabhova Jakkana as a witness to this significant act. The inscription's colloquial language and orthographic quirks make it challenging to discern why a location within the bounds of Kukalnaadu is being donated back to the rulers of Kukalanaadu, which requires further clarification. The inscription is presently located on the footpath outside the Mahadevamma Temple in Byadarahalli.

Physical Characteristics

The inscription is 159 cm tall, 77 cm wide. The Kannada Characters are approximately 4 cm tall, 3 cm wide & 0.21 cm deep. The inscription stone has engraving of the mythical bird Gandabherunda fighting a tiger and below that of a warrior fighting a tiger, the latter was also the royal emblem of the Hoysalas. It also has engraving of the sun and moon signifying the infallibility of the grant until the presence of the two.

Discovery and Dating

This inscription was identified during field surveys based on information given in the Epigraphia Carnatica Vol-9. The inscription can be precisely dated to Monday, 29-Jan-1336CE Julian as it is mentioned as

"sakhavarusa saṃda 1252 yiva saṃvatsarada māgha ba 1 so".

Transcription of the Inscription

The transliteration below is from the rereading published in the Journal of Mythic Society.

Line Number	Kannada	IAST
	ಮುಂಭಾಗ	Frontside
1	ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಬುವನಾಸ್ರಯಂ ಶ್ರೀ	svasti samasta buvanāsrayaṃ śrī
2	ಪ್ರಿಥುವಿ ವಲಬಂ ಮಹಾರಾಜಾಧಿ	prithuvi valabaṃ mahārājādhi
3	ರಾಜಂ ರಾಜಪರಮೇಸ್ವರಂ ಪರಮಬಟಾ	rājaṃ rājaparamesvaraṃ paramabaṭā
4	ರಕಂ ಯಾದವ ಕುಲಾಂಬರ ದ್ವಿಂಮ್ಮಣಿ ಸ	rakaṃ yādava ku ̤ lāṃbara dviṃmmaṇi sa
5	ರ್ಬ್ಬಗ್ನ ಚೂಡಾಮಣಿ ಮಲೆರಾಜ ಮ	rbbagna cūḍāmaṇi malĕrāja ma
6	ಲಪರೊಳು ರಂಡರಂ ಗಂಡ ಬೇರು	laparŏlu ̤ raṃḍaraṃ gaṃḍa beru
7	ಂಡ ಕದನ ಪ್ರಚಂಡ ಆಸಹಾಯ ಸೂರ	ṃḍa kadana pracaṃḍa āsahāya sūra
8	ಏಕಾಂಗಿ ವೀರ ಸನಿವಾರ ಸಿಧಿ ಗಿರಿದುಗ ಮಲ್ಲ	ekāṃgi vīra sanivāra sidhi giriduga malla
9	ಚಲದಂಕರಾಮ ಲೋಕಯಿಕನಾಥ ಪಗೆವ	caladaṃkarāma lokayikanātha pagĕva
10	ಗಂಠಕಾಸೂಲ ಅನ್ವಾಥ ಸ್ವಯಂಬು ದಾರ	gaṃṭhakāsūla anvātha svayaṃbu dāra
11	ವಥಿಪುರವರಾಧೀಸ್ವರಂ ಮಾಳವರಾಯ ಮ	vathipuravarādhīsvaraṃ mālavarāya m
12	ಸ್ತಕಾ ಸೂಲ ಗೂರ್ಜರರಾಯ ವಜೀರಾ ಬಯಿರವ	stakā sūla gūrjararāya vajīrā bayirava
13	ಅಂ ಹೆಂಮಿರರಾಯ ಬ್ರಂಹ್ಮರಾಕ್ಷಸಂ ಆದವ	ṃ hĕṃmirarāya braṃhmarākṣasaṃ ādava
14	ರಾಯ ಬಂಜನಾಮೂರ್ತ್ತಿ ಚೋಳರಾಯ ಸ್ತಾ	rāya baṃjanāmū ̤ rtti colarāya stā
15	ಪನಾ ಚಾಡ್ಯ ಪಾಂಡ್ಯರಾಯ ಪತಿಷ್ಟಾಚಾರ್ಯ್ಯ	panā cāḍya pāṃḍyarāya patiṣṭācāryya
16	ಮಗರರಾಯ ನಿಮ್ಮೂಲ ಕಾಡವರಾಯ ದಿಸಿಪ	magararāya nimmūla kāḍavarāya disipa
	ಹಿಂಭಾಗ	Backside
17	ಟ ವಯಿರಿಬ ಕಂಟೀರವಂ ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಮೂರ್ತಿ ನಿ	ṭa vayiriba kaṃṭīravaṃ dakṣiṇāmūrti ni
18	ಸಂಕ ಪ್ರತಾಪ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿ ಹೊಯಿಸಳ ಶ್ರೀ ವೀರ	saṃka pratāpa cakravarti hŏyisala śrī vīra
19	ನಾರಸಿಂಗದೇವ ಕುಮಾರ ಶ್ರೀವೀರ ಬಲ್ಲಾಳ ದಿವರಸ	nārasiṃgadeva kumāra śrīvīra ballāla̤ divarasa
20	ರು ದೋರಸಮುದ್ರದ ಬೀಡಿನಲಿ ನಾನಾ ವಿನೋದ ಸು	ru dorasamudrada bīḍinali nānā vinoda su
21	ಕದಿಂ ಪ್ರಿತುವಿ ರಾಜ್ಯಂಗೆಯುತಂವಿರಲು ಸಖವ	kadiṃ prituvi rājyaṃgĕyutaṃviralu sakhava
22	ರುಸ ಸಂದ ೧೨೫೨ ಯಿವ ಸಂವತ್ಸರದ	rusa saṃda 1252 yiva saṃvatsarada
23	ಮಾಘ ಬ ೧ ಸೋ ಶ್ರೀಮನು ಮಹಾ ಸಾವಂತಾಧಿಪ	māgha ba 1 so śrīmanu mahā sāvaṃtādhipa
24	ತಿ ನರಲೋಕ ಗಂಡ ಮಯಿಲೆಯ ನಾಯಕ ಚಂನೆಯ	ti naraloka gaṃḍa mayilĕya nāyaka caṃnĕya
25	ನಾಯಕರು ಕುಕ್ಕಲನಾಡ ನಾಳುತಂವಿದ್ದಲಿ ಆ	nāyakaru kukkalanāḍa nāl ̤ ṳtaṃviddali ā
26	ಶ್ರೀಮನು ಮಹಾಕುಕ್ಕಲನಾಡ ಮಹಾಪ್ರಬು	śrīmanu mahākukkalanāḍa mahāprabu
27	ಕಿತನೆಲಿಯ ಹೊಂನಗವುಡನ ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಚಿಕ್ಕಂ	kitanĕliya hŏṃnagavuḍana makkalu ci ̤ kkaṃ
28	ಣ ಹೊಂನ್ನಪ ಗಂಟೆಗವುಡ ಮಲೆಯಪ ಮಂ	ṇa hŏṃnnapa gaṃṭĕgavuḍa malĕyapa maṃ
29	ಚಪ ಚಿಕ್ಕಹೊಂನ್ನಪ ಚೊಕ್ಕಂಣ ಗೋಪಗವು	capa cikkahŏṃnnapa cŏkkaṃṇa gopagavu
30	ಡ ರಾಮಂಣ ನಿಧಿಯ ಮಾಡಿಸಿದಿ ಹೊಂ	ḍa rāmaṃṇa nidhiya māḍisidi hŏṃ
31	ನ್ನಪ ಬೊಂಮ್ಮಂಣ ಬರಚಿರಯ್ಯನೊಳ	nnapa bŏṃmmaṃṇa baracirayyanŏla
32	ಗಾದ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಗವುಡುಗಳು . ಮ	gāda samasta gavuḍugalu . ma
33	ಯಿಲೆಯ ನಾಯಕ್ಕ ಚೆಂನೆಯಕ್ಕರಿಗೆ ಹಾರು	yilĕya nāyakka cĕṃnĕyakkarigĕ hāru
34	ವಹಳಿಯನು ಸರ್ಬ್ಬಮಾನ್ಯದ	vahaliyanu sarbbamānyada
35	ಕೊಡಗೆಯಾಗಿ ಕೊಟೆವಾದ ಯಿ ವೂರಲಿ	kŏḍagĕyāgi kŏṭĕvāda yi vūrali
36	ಹುಟಿದ ಸೆಸೆ ಸಿದಾಯ ಪೂಬಿ ಅ ಪೂರ್ಬಾ	hutida sese sidāya pubi a purbā
37	ಯ ಕಾಮಯ ದಂಣಾಯಕ ದೇವ ಮಯಿಲೆ	ya kāmaya daṃṇāyaka deva mayilĕ
38	ಯ ನಾಯಕರ ಹೊದರ ಕಾಣಿಕೆ ಕಡಾಯ .	ya nāyakara hŏdara kāṇikĕ kaḍāya .
39	ರ ಕೊಕು ನೀಡಿದ ಕಾಣಿಕೆ ಮುಂತಾಗಿ ಆರಮ	ra kŏku nīḍida kāṇikĕ muṃtāgi ārama
40	ನೆಯಲಿ ಏನು ಹುಟಿತ್ತನು ಚೆಂನೆಯನಾಯಕ್ಕ	nĕyali enu huṭittanu cĕṃnĕyanāyakka
41	ನೆ ಕೊಂಬನು ಯಿ ಮಾತಿಂಗೆ ತಪ್ಪು ತವಿದಿ ನೀ	nĕ kŏṃbanu yi mātiṃgĕ tappu tavidi nī
42	ರು ನೇಣು ಸರ್ಬ್ಬಮಾನ್ಯ ಯಿ ಮರಿಯಾದಿಯ	ru neṇu sarbbamānya yi mariyādiya
43	ಲಿ ನಾಯಕರ ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಎಂಳು . .	li nāyakara makkal ̤ u makkal ̤ u ̤ ĕṃlu . .
44	ನಾಂದರ ನಡವುದು ಯಿ ಮರಿಯಾದಿಗೆ ಆರು ಅ	nāṃdara naḍavudu yi mariyādigĕ āru a
45	ಳುಪಿದವರು ಗಂಗೆಯ ಥಡಿಯಲಿ ತಗೆಳು ಕಪಿ	pi ̤ lṳpidavaru gaṃgĕya thaḍiyali tagĕlu kap
46	ಲೆಯ ಕೊಂದ ಪಾಪದಲಿ ಹೋಹರು ಯಿ ಮರಿ	lĕya kŏṃda pāpadali hoharu yi mari
47	ಯಾದಿಗೆ ನಾಡ ವೊಪ್ಪ ಶ್ರೀಮುಕ್ತನಾಥ ಬರದ	yādigĕ nāḍa vŏppa śrīmuktanātha barada
48	ಸೇನಬೋವ ಜಕಂಣ ಮಂಗಳ ಮಹಾ ಶ್ರೀಶ್ರೀಶ್ರೀ	senabova jakaṃṇa maṃgala mahā śrī śrī śrī

Translation

The translation is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia Carnatica. It reads as follows,

"Be it well. When, (with usual and other titles, including) a spear for the head of the Malava king, a Bairava to the Gurjjara king's minister (vajir), a Brahma-rakshasa to Hemmira-Raya, the form of. . . to Adava-Raya, the establisher of the Chola king, the setter up of the Pandya king, rooter up of the Magara king, displacer of the Kadava king,— 'Poysala vira-Narasinga-Deva's son Vira Ballala-Devarasa was in the residence of Dorasamudra, ruling the kingdom of the earth in the enjoy merit of all manner of pleasures : — (on the date specified), when the maha-samantadhipati, champion over the world of men, Meyile-Nayaka Chenneya-Nayaka was ruling the Kukkala-pad; — the Kukkala-nad maha-prabhu. . . . Honna-Gauda's son and others (named) granted the village as a sarvamanya-kodege, with all rights and taxes (specified). Imprecations. Written by the senabhova Jakkanna."

Administrative Divisions and Villages in the Inscription

Kukkala Naadu, is an administrative division mentioned in the inscription that existed from the 8th to the 16th centuries that has been referred to by various names, including Kukanare Naadu, Kukanur Naadu, and Kukala Naadu. The name is likely derived from the region's rugged geological features and the abundance of small ponds and lakes. The name of this administrative division is mentioned in at least six inscriptions, including those in Ramasamudra, Haligevadeyarahalli, Kyatamranhalli and Bommavara in Bengaluru taluk, Manthalu & Banasvadi, Huralichikkanahalli in Nelamangala taluk. The inscription mentions 'Haruvahalli', known today as Herohalli, located approximately 1 km north-northeast of Byadarahalli. Kittanelli as mentioned in the inscription exists to this day, is roughly 7 km northwest of Byadarahalli. Haruvahalli can be decompounded into its constituent parts as Haruvahalli =>Haruva/ Harava + Halli. Haruva/Harava is a term used for Brahmins. Therefore, we can understand Haruvahalli as a place where Brahmins lived. Agrahara and Mangala were some other terms used to denote places where Brahmins stayed.

Prashasthi of the Hoysala King Veera Ballala III

The The first 18 lines of the 48-line inscription form the Prashasthi of the King. These contain a wealth of information about the King Veera Ballala III. The inscription mentions the following titles or Birudavali of the King.

Kannada

IAST

ಮಹಾರಾಜಾಧಿ ರಾಜಂ ರಾಜಪರಮೇಸ್ವರಂ ಪರಮಬಟಾರಕಂ ಯಾದವ ಕುಲಾಂಬರ ದ್ವಿಂಮ್ಮಣಿ ಸರ್ಬ್ಬಗ್ನ ಚೂಡಾಮಣಿ ಮಲೆರಾಜ ಮಲಪರೊಳು ರಂಡರಂ ಗಂಡ ಬೇರುಂಡ ಕದನ ಪ್ರಚಂಡ ಆಸಹಾಯ ಸೂರ ಏಕಾಂಗಿ ವೀರ ಸನಿವಾರ ಸಿಧಿ ಗಿರಿದುಗ ಮಲ್ಲ ಚಲದಂಕರಾಮ ಲೋಕಯಿಕನಾಥ ಪಗೆವಗಂಠಕಾಸೂಲ ಅನ್ವಾಥ ಸ್ವಯಂಬು ದಾರವಥಿಪುರವರಾಧೀಸ್ವರಂ ಮಾಳವರಾಯ ಮಸ್ತಕಾ ಸೂಲ ಗೂರ್ಜರರಾಯ ವಜೀರಾ ಬಯಿರವಅಂ ಹೆಂಮಿರರಾಯ ಬ್ರಂಹ್ಮರಾಕ್ಷಸಂ ಆದವರಾಯ ಬಂಜನಾಮೂರ್ತ್ತಿ ಚೋಳರಾಯ ಸ್ತಾಪನಾ ಚಾಡ್ಯ ಪಾಂಡ್ಯರಾಯ ಪತಿಷ್ಟಾಚಾರ್ಯ್ಯ ಮಗರರಾಯ ನಿಮ್ಮೂಲ ಕಾಡವರಾಯ ದಿಸಿಪಟ ವಯಿರಿಬ ಕಂಟೀರವಂ ದಕ್ಷಿಣಾಮೂರ್ತಿ ನಿಸಂಕ ಪ್ರತಾಪ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿ ಹೊಯಿಸಳ ಶ್ರೀ ವೀರನಾರಸಿಂಗದೇವ ಕುಮಾರ ಶ್ರೀವೀರ ಬಲ್ಲಾಳ ದಿವರಸ

mahārājādhi rājaṃ rājaparamesvaraṃ paramabaṭārakaṃ yādava kulāṃbara dviṃmmaṇi sarbbagna cūḍāmaṇi malĕrāja malaparŏlu ̤ raṃḍaraṃ gaṃḍa beruṃḍa kadana pracaṃḍa āsahāya sūra ekāṃgi vīra sanivāra sidhi giriduga malla caladaṃkarāma lokayikanātha pagĕvagaṃṭhakāsūla anvātha svayaṃbu dāravathipuravarādhīsvaraṃ mālavarāya mastakā sūla gūrjararāya vajīrā bayiravaṃ hĕṃmirarāya braṃhmarākṣasaṃ ādava rāya baṃjanāmūrtti colarāya stāpanā cāḍya pāṃḍyarāya patiṣṭācāryya magararāya nimmūla kāḍavarāya disipaṭa vayiriba kaṃṭīravaṃ dakṣiṇāmūrti nisaṃka pratāpa cakravarti hŏyisala śrī vīranārasiṃgadeva kumāra śrīvīra ballāla̤ divarasa

Shapashaya

The inscription has final imprecatory verses called the Shapashaya, common format in Kannada Inscriptions that intends to sanctity the inscription and prevent its harm by the people. It states that any individual who violates the grant will be cursed with the same fate as someone who kills a Kapile, an orange brown sacred cow on the banks of river Ganga. According to the Garuda Purana, the act of killing a cow is believed to result in rebirth of a person into a hunchback in their subsequent birth. It emphasizes that those who fail to honor this donation will incur demerits equivalent to committing the grave act of killing a holy cow, Kapile, on the banks of the sacred Ganga River.