Virarajendra
A brief analysis on the Actual Birth Star of Rajendra Chola - 1 (A.D.1011-1044)
From the Report on the WebPage with the following URL in the "Indian Express" News Paper in their issue dated 20-12-2012 it is noted, that there is some confusions regarding the Actual Month of Birth of Rajendra Chola - 1 (A.D.1011-1044) under the Natchaththiram "Thiruvaathirai".
http://www.newindianexpress.com/educ...cle1386406.ece
Discussion
The original Tamil version of the text of the Thiruvaarur Temple Inscription reads as follows:
"....."Aiyyar pirantha arulina appikai (Aippasi) Sadaiya thiruvilaa" varaivukku thirumulai attavum theerththaththukku Thirusunnam idikkavum "Naam pirantha Aadi Thiruvaathirai 'Thirunaalil' thiruvilaa......"
Inscription of Rajendra Chola - 1 on the west wall of central shrine (karuvarai)
of Thiyagarajar temple in Thiruvaarur, Tamil Nadu dated A.D.1043
Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy - Inscription No: 674, of the Year 1919
The above Inscription from Thiruvaarur "very positively" says that "Naam pirantha Aadi Thiruvaathirai" which enables us to conclude that Rajendra Chola - 1 (A.D.1011-1044) was born under the Natchaththiram the "Adi Thiruvaathirai".
The original Tamil version of the text of Thiruvottriyur Temple Inscription on same is as follows:
".....Sakkaravarththi Sri Rajendra Chola Thevar Thirunakshaththirayai Thiruvaathirai "Thirunaal" "masamthorum" Thiruvilaa eluntharuluvikka kadavaarkal....."
Inscription of Rajadhiraja Chola - 1 on the right side of the entrance to the third Gopura of Thiruvottriyur temple., Tamil Nadu
Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy - Inscription No: 75, Year 1895
South Indian Inscriptions - Vol 5, Inscription No: 633.
From the above it is evident that he considered his Birth Asterism - the Thiruvaathirai Natchathiram very auspicious to him, and in addition to the 'Thiruvaathirai Natchaththiram of the Month of his Birth the 'Adi', he also arranged for special religious rituals in temples also on the other 'Thiruvaathirai Natchaththiram days falling in each Month of an Year. This is further confirmed by the Tamil Inscriptions of Rajendra Chola - 1 at the Thirumuthukuntram & Thirumalapaadi Siva temples.
The original Tamil version of the text of another Thiruvottriyur Temple Inscription on same as follows:
".....Thiruvottriyur udaiya Mahaathevarkku Udaiyaar Sri Rajendra Chola Thevar "Thirunaal" 'Maarkali Thiruvathirai' gnantru neiyaadi yarulavendu misaththukku Thiruvottriyur - Thiru Mayaanamum Madamudaiya - Sathuraana Pandithan thevar pandaaraththu vaiththa kasu nootrimpathu......"
Inscription of Rajendra Chola - 1 on the south wall of central shrine of Adipuriswara in Thiruvottriyur temple, Tamil Nadu.
Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy - Inscription No: 399, Year 1896
South Indian Inscriptions - Vol 5, Inscription No: 1354
In the above original Tamil Inscription the reference 'Udaiyaar Sri Rajendra Chola Thevar "Thirunaal" Maarkali Thiruvaathirai" should be taken to mean as "'Udaiyaar Sri Rajendra Chola Thevar (Mudisoodiya) "Thirunaal" Maarkali Thiruvaathirai", as no where else in this original Tamil version of the Thiruvottriyur Inscription it is said that "Maarkali Thiruvaathirai" was his pirantha - Natchaththiram and Month of Rajendra Chola - 1.
The same have been copied as it is from the "Annual Report of South Indian Epigraphy" in two other books titled the "Inscriptions of the Madras Presidency by V.Rangachariya" and in the "South Indian Shrines by Jagadisvara Iyer". This wrong interpretations on the above three sources lead Scholars to assume the Natchaththiram and Month of Rajendra Chola - 1 as "Maarkali Thiruvaathirai" over a long period.
'Thirunaal' can mean any 'auspicious day'. The word 'Thirunaal' in the text of the third Inscription above, has been misinterpreted in English in the Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy of the year 1912 as the Birth Natchaththiram and Month of Rajendra Chola - 1.
Two very important dates which could be celebrated during the period of rule of any Indian King or Emperor as auspicious days very special to themselves - are the Natchaththiram of the Month of his Birth, and the Natchaththiram of the Month of his Ascension on the throne of their respective kingdoms..
Hence from the third Inscription mentioned we could "also" tentatively conclude that he ascended the throne of the Chola Empire on the day of "Markali Thiruvaathirai" (early January) in A.D.1014 the year of demise of Rajaraja Chola - 1 (A.D.985-1014) his father, and that could have been the reason it has been 'specifically' mentioned as 'Markali Thiruvaathirai' without just mentioning as Thiruvaathirai Thirunaal. This conclusion could be held valid, until such time any further positive evidence on the Natchaththiram and the Month of accension on the Chola throne by Rajendra Chola - 1 surface. He was earlier nominated as the Heir Apparent (Yuvaraja) of the Chola empire in the year A.D.1011 and remained so upto A.D.1014.
Trust the foregoing sheds light over the confusions on the Actual Nakshatthiram (Birth Star) ruling on the date of Rajendra Chola's Birth.
