This Sanskrit inscription which is not discussed frequently by the scholars is found on one phase of a slab set behind the Nandi Maṇḍapa in front of the central shrine in the Kapoteśvara temple at Chazerla, Narasaraopet Taluk, Guntur district, Guntur, Andhrapradesh. Though the inscription is fully damaged and only a few parts could be traced and translated, this holds a special value since it is the evidence for the Pallava Rule in the region which was later captured by Pulakeśi II. Hence the claim that the region was obtained from Ānandas or Viṣṇu kuṇḍis can be revised and it can be concluded that the region was obtained from Pallavas. The inscription is assigned to Mahendra Varma I of pallava dynasty which is clearly traceable by the titles “Avanibhājana”, “Vegavatī-sanātha” and Mahendra Vikrama Varmā. The inscription is an document of the construction of the temple for śrī Kapoteśvara and appointing twelve Devakarmis. The inscription was published in  South Indian Inscription Volume VI with the number 595.

The inscription is in Sanskrit Language and inscribed in Telugu letters of 7^th CE.

… caraṇavimalakamalayugaḽavahana……tibhṛ……… nastakaraḥ śikharakarapari…… (nadī)…. bhājaḥ ….. lokapālapālita….lokapālapa……ndyāma …leśvaramasya punarapi dvāra….sura…………………………… paramajanaprakathitaguṇagaṇa…..ta…vāmanikara….lināga…pratā…..jaṭākalāpāvasaktāvaśiṣṭagaṁgātaraṁgamālāndhakāri…… bhaktivṛttinā yogābhyāsavaśinā śaśinā………………… sthānamadhivasataḥ…. kapotasya kapotavṛttermahāpra…………………. bhihitanāmadheyabhavanaṁ bhuvanatraya…….viśrutesya ….kapoteśvara……..rakaraḥ kāraṇāntarairastamita…………………………… gaṁga…… daṇḍakāmitra….śiṣṭamata …………………….. sāditastatprasādapūrvvakaṁ sa…………. śvare śrī………….śvara idānīmetadavasthāna…………………….. (kṛ)tābhisandhisahāyasya……………… caraṇavimalakamala…bhāradvājasagotrāṇāṁ…… parivṛddhavallabhānāṁ ………… malalola vimala………………raguṇagaṇa……….. svatejovi………………………………………………………..naya………………………………………………. ritaṭīdeva……………..ta……….lamāryya…………. nayanahariśarīraprādurbhāvādati…………………………….. vītanadavanibhājanajaya…………………………….bhaṭṭāraka pādānudhyātairmma………………………..  mahendravikramamahārāja…………………………… vṛ………gdhavilāsinī……………………………….. vegavatīsanāthakama……………………….. guruparampara…………………………… rājabhuktibhā……….. ……….va…………mā………………….. jaladhara…………………. śrīkapotīsvarādhyakṣadvādaśadevakarmmibhyaḥ ………………………… gata(veśyā.) he sadā………….. bharadatta……… idamācāryyabhu……….. ja………. ryyasya śāsanaṁ rakṣatvācandratārakam|

… bearer of pure lotus feet ………. Starting from ……….. hands, on the sides of peaks…. River… holder of… protected by the dikpālakas …. Dikpālakas…. Again the door…. Celestials.. the qualities that are eulogized by the people, ….. group of… .. making darkness by the waves of ganges that is left from the matted hair… by moon, the embodiment of devotion and self-contended by the practice of Yoga, … Who dwells in the place…. Kapota whose actions are like pigeon..  abode with the name… in the three worlds … known as… Kapoteśvara … doomed by other reasons … .. Daṇḍakamitra (?) … accepted by pious people, with graces of him, ……….. śrī… śvara… Now this place… done help in agreement … pure lotus feet… Of Bhāradvajasa Gotra… the empowering vallabhas.. pure and laundering … cluster of good qualities, …………………. by his  valour, ……… on the banks of ……… born from Hari… victorious Avanibhājana devoid of….  Meditating the holy feet of Bhaṭṭāraka… Mahendra Vikrama Varmā… the matured beautiful ladies ……… The lord of Vegavatī …… the lineage of preceptors, ……… clouds ….. The administrator and twelve Devakarmis of śrī Kapotīśvara… the danseuse…. Always …. This is for the ācārya…. This order should be protected till the moon and stars.

The starting portion eulogizes Lord śiva who resides at Kapoteśvara as the bearer of Gaṅgā and a great Yogi. The other portions tell that the king made the abode for Kapoteśvara and appointed an chief administrator and twelve Devakarmis.

The historical clues are also significant. This inscription is dated as 600 CE by some scholars. But I think this must be revised since the inscription refers the growing Vallabhas (Cāḷukyas). If the phrase is correctly understood, then the inscription should be assigned later than 610 CE, the accession year of Pulakeśi II. The growing power which was understood by the pallavas should be assigned to Pulakeśi II since his successor was only concentrating of the north side.

  The construction of a temple during the reign of Mahendravarmā is evident from this inscription. But the temple might be of bricks since the present structure is a renovation in the later period. Hence it can be claimed that Mahendra Pallava constructed brick temple though he was concentrating on cave-temples.

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