Kota Kapur Inscription
Encyclopedia
Kota Kapur Inscription is an inscription discovered in western coast of Bangka Island
, offcoast South Sumatra
, Indonesia
, by J.K. van der Meulen in December 1892. It was named after "Kotakapur" village, the location where this archaeological findings were discovered. This inscription is using old Malay
language written in Pallava
letters. It was one of the oldest surviving written evidence of ancient Malay language. The inscription dated first day of half moon Vaisakha on the year 608 Saka (28 February 686 CE), mentioned about the curse of whomever committed treason against Srivijaya and the beginning of Srivijayan invasion against Java.
The inscriptions was first examined and analized by H. Kern, a Dutch
epigrapher that worked for Bataviaasch Genootschap in Batavia. At first he taught that Srivijaya was the name of a king. It was George Coedes
that credited for the discovery of Srivijaya
, a name of a 7th century Sumatran maritime empire that ruled over much of western Indonesia include Malay peninsula
and Southern Thailand
. The Kota Kapur inscription is dated from Srivijaya
era.
for crime, trespassing and treasons against Srivijaya. The contents was translated by Coedes:
The inscriptions was carved on a pinnacle stone with several sides, with 177cm height, 32cm width on base and 19cm width on top.
that discovered in 29 November 1920, also Talang Tuwo inscription
that discovered several days earlier in 17 November 1920.
Kota Kapur inscriptions, together with other archaeological findings in the region was the testament of Srivijaya era. It has opened the new horizon and revealed the history of Hindu-Buddhist era in that area. This inscriptions also uncovered the ancient society inhabited the region during 6th and 7th century that clearly shows Hindu-Buddhist influence.
Bangka Island
Bangka is an island lying east of Sumatra, Indonesia. Population 626,955. Area: c.4,600 sq mi .There is an additional small island named Pulau Bangka in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia.-Geography:...
, offcoast South Sumatra
South Sumatra
South Sumatra is a province of Indonesia.-Geography:It is on the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of Lampung to the south, Bengkulu to the west, and Jambi to the north...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, by J.K. van der Meulen in December 1892. It was named after "Kotakapur" village, the location where this archaeological findings were discovered. This inscription is using old Malay
Old Malay
The Old Malay language, also called Classical Malay, is the ancestor of the modern Malay language, including Indonesian and Malaysian. It developed in the now Melayu Kingdom of Sumatra. It was heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Kawi , and was grammatically quite similar to modern Malay.-Old...
language written in Pallava
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty was a Tamil dynasty which ruled the northern Tamil Nadu region and the southern Andhra Pradesh region with their capital at Kanchipuram...
letters. It was one of the oldest surviving written evidence of ancient Malay language. The inscription dated first day of half moon Vaisakha on the year 608 Saka (28 February 686 CE), mentioned about the curse of whomever committed treason against Srivijaya and the beginning of Srivijayan invasion against Java.
The inscriptions was first examined and analized by H. Kern, a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
epigrapher that worked for Bataviaasch Genootschap in Batavia. At first he taught that Srivijaya was the name of a king. It was George Coedes
George Coedès
Georges Cœdès was a 20th century scholar of southeast Asian archaeology and history. Coedès was born in Paris to a family of supposed Hungarian-Jewish emigres. In fact, the family was known as having settled in the region of Strasbourg before 1740. His ancestors were working for the royal Treasury...
that credited for the discovery of Srivijaya
Srivijaya
Srivijaya was a powerful ancient thalassocratic Malay empire based on the island of Sumatra, modern day Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. The earliest solid proof of its existence dates from the 7th century; a Chinese monk, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6...
, a name of a 7th century Sumatran maritime empire that ruled over much of western Indonesia include Malay peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
and Southern Thailand
Southern Thailand
Southern Thailand is a distinct region of Thailand, connected with the Central region by the narrow Kra Isthmus.-Geography:Southern Thailand is located on the Malay Peninsula, with an area around 70,713 km², bounded to the north by Kra Isthmus as the narrowest part of the peninsula. The...
. The Kota Kapur inscription is dated from Srivijaya
Srivijaya
Srivijaya was a powerful ancient thalassocratic Malay empire based on the island of Sumatra, modern day Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. The earliest solid proof of its existence dates from the 7th century; a Chinese monk, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6...
era.
Content
Kota Kapur inscriptions is one of the five inscriptions edicted by Dapunta Hyang, the ruler of Srivijaya. Most of this inscriptions contains curseCurse
A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object...
for crime, trespassing and treasons against Srivijaya. The contents was translated by Coedes:
Original Script
- Siddha titam hamba nvari i avai kandra kayet ni paihumpaan namuha ulu lavan tandrun luah makamatai tandrun luah vinunu paihumpaan hakairum muah kayet ni humpa unai tunai.
- Umentern bhakti ni ulun haraki. unai tunai kita savanakta devata mahardika sannidhana. manraksa yan kadatuan çrivijaya. kita tuvi tandrun luah vanakta devata mulana yan parsumpahan.
- paravis. kadadhi yan uran didalanna bhami paravis hanun. Samavuddhi lavan drohaka, manujari drohaka, niujari drohaka talu din drohaka. tida ya.
- Marppadah tida ya bhakti. tida yan tatvarjjawa diy aku. dngan diiyan nigalarku sanyasa datua. dhava vuathana uran inan nivunuh ya sumpah nisuruh tapik ya mulan parvvanda datu çriwi-
- jaya. Talu muah ya dnan gotrasantanana. tathapi savankna yan vuatna jahat. makalanit uran. makasuit. makagila. mantra gada visaprayoga. udu tuwa. tamval.
- Sarambat. kasihan. vacikarana.ityevamadi. janan muah ya sidha. pulan ka iya muah yan dosana vuatna jahat inan tathapi nivunuh yan sumpah talu muah ya mulam yam manu-
- ruh marjjahati. yan vatu nipratishta ini tuvi nivunuh ya sumpah talu, muah ya mulan. saranbhana uran drohaka tida bhakti tatvarjjava diy aku, dhava vua-
- tna niwunuh ya sumpah ini gran kadachi iya bhakti tatvjjava diy aku. dngan di yam nigalarku sanyasa dattua. çanti muah kavuatana. dngan gotrasantanana.
- Samrddha svasthi niroga nirupadrava subhiksa muah vanuana paravis chakravarsatita 608 din pratipada çuklapaksa vulan vaichaka. tatkalana
- Yan manman sumpah ini. nipahat di velana yan vala çrivijaya kalivat manapik yan bhumi java tida bhakti ka çrivijaya.
Translation
- Success ! (followed probably by cursing mantra formula that cannot be understood or translated)
- All oh thou gods almighty, all that gathered to protect Kadatuan (palace/kingdom) Srivijaya; all of thou gods that starts the beginning of the swear of all swear (curse)!!
- If in this lands, the realm under Kadatuan rule, there is a rebel, conspired with rebel, talk to rebel, and listen to rebel;
- know the rebel, dishonor, ungrateful, unfaithful to me or those whom I've apponted as datu; may all people that commit those deeds will die caused by curse or fell under expedition (war campaign) against them wage by a datu or led by several datus od Srivijaya, and let them;
- punished altogether with their clan and family. Moreover let the evil deeds; such as disturbing other's soul, make other sick, cause people to suffer madness, using mantra (magic spell), poison, using upas (poison), tuba (poison), and ganja (marijuana),
- saramwat (?), pekasih (love charm), force themself upon others, and many other things, may all that deed will not succeed and strike back to those whom guilty for that evil deeds; may all die because of curse. Also those whom spread evil rumors to sway people.
- May those whom destroy the stone placed in this place also die because of the curse and directly punished. May all murderer, rebel, all of those ungrateful and unfaithful to me, all the performer of those deeds
- die because of curse. But for those whom obey and faithful to me and those whom I have appointed as datu, may all their efforts are blessed, also their clan and family
- with success, welfare, good health, freed from disaster, abundance everything for all their lands! In the year 608 Saka, first day of half moon Vaisakha (28 February 686), in that time
- this curse is said; the carving took place during the Srivijaya army just departed to attack Java, which is not submit to Srivijaya.
The inscriptions was carved on a pinnacle stone with several sides, with 177cm height, 32cm width on base and 19cm width on top.
Significance
Kota Kapur inscription was the first Srivijayan inscription discovered, long before the discovery of Kedukan Bukit InscriptionKedukan Bukit Inscription
The Kedukan Bukit Inscription was discovered by the Dutchman M. Batenburg on 29 November 1920 at Kedukan Bukit, South Sumatra, on the banks of the River Tatang, a tributary of the River Musi. It is the oldest surviving specimen of the Malay language, in a form known as Old Malay. It is a small...
that discovered in 29 November 1920, also Talang Tuwo inscription
Talang Tuwo inscription
Talang Tuwo inscription is a 7th century Srivijaya inscription discovered by Louis Constant Westenenk on 17 November 1920 on the foot of Bukit Seguntang near Palembang.The inscription was discovered in good condition with clear inscribed scripts...
that discovered several days earlier in 17 November 1920.
Kota Kapur inscriptions, together with other archaeological findings in the region was the testament of Srivijaya era. It has opened the new horizon and revealed the history of Hindu-Buddhist era in that area. This inscriptions also uncovered the ancient society inhabited the region during 6th and 7th century that clearly shows Hindu-Buddhist influence.
See also
- Kedukan Bukit InscriptionKedukan Bukit InscriptionThe Kedukan Bukit Inscription was discovered by the Dutchman M. Batenburg on 29 November 1920 at Kedukan Bukit, South Sumatra, on the banks of the River Tatang, a tributary of the River Musi. It is the oldest surviving specimen of the Malay language, in a form known as Old Malay. It is a small...
- Telaga Batu inscriptionTelaga Batu inscriptionTelaga Batu iscription is a 7th century Srivijayan inscription discovered in Sabokingking, 3 Ilir, Ilir Timur II, Palembang, South Sumatra around 1950s. The iscription is now displayed in National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta, with inventory number D.155...
- Talang Tuwo inscriptionTalang Tuwo inscriptionTalang Tuwo inscription is a 7th century Srivijaya inscription discovered by Louis Constant Westenenk on 17 November 1920 on the foot of Bukit Seguntang near Palembang.The inscription was discovered in good condition with clear inscribed scripts...