The Tālagunda pillar inscription of Kakusthavarman is an epigraphic record in Sanskrit found in the ruined Pranavalingeshwara temple northwest of village Talagunda, Karnataka, India.

Victorious is the one form filled with all the combination of vedas, the eternal, Sthanu, adorned with shining matted hair intermingled with the light of the moon.

After him the Brahmins, the most excellent of the twice-born, reciters of the Sama, Rig and Yajur vedas; whose favour daily preserves the three worlds from the fear of sin.

The interior of their house resounded with the six modes of reading (the sacred books), preceded by the syllable Om, and they grew fat on full Chatturmasya homas, sacrificial animals and the funeral offerings at the parvas.

In the Kadamba family thus descended, was an illustrious one, an eminent twice-born, named MayuraSarma, adorned with sacred learning, good disposition, purity and other such (virtues).

He set out for the city of the Pallava kings, together with his guru Virasarmma, and desiring to be proficient in pravachana, entered into all religious centres (ghatika) and (so) became a quick (or ready) debater (or disputant).

Therefore, with the hand accustomed to handle kusa grass, (sacrificial) fuel, stone, ladle, ghee and oblations of grain, he seized flashing weapons, resolved to conquer the world.

Quickly overcoming in fight the frontier guards of the Pallava kings, he took up his abode in an inaccessible forest situated in the middle of Sriparvata.

But they (those causes) also helped him to make good his resolution and carry out his designs; and he shone surrounded by them as with ornaments, aud with the preparations for a vigorous campaign.

The kings of Kanchi, his enemies, coming (against him) eagerly bent upon war, he journeyed under difficult disguises and penetrating to their camping grounds by night, came upon their ocean of an army and smote them down like a powerful falcon.

His son was Kanguvarmma, surrounded on high by the sacrifices of great wars, all kings bowing before him, his head fanned by beautiful white chamaras.

With their accumulation of all manner of the essence of wealth, with gateways scented with the ichor from lordly lusty elephants, with the sweet sounds of songs, — the goddess of Fortune contentedly (or steadily) enjoys herself in his houses for a long time.

He had the help of the gods, was surrounded by the prosperous, possessed the three energies, and was seated on a throne, reverenced by head-jewels of feudatories not to be subdued by the other five qualities.

He, here, — in the Siddhi-giving temple of the divine Bhava, the original god, served by the hosts of siddha, gandharvvas and rakshasas, ever praised by Brahmans devoted to the various modes of niyama, homa and diksha, and by these who have completed study, with auspicious repetition of mantras; worshipped with devotion by Satakarni and other fortunate kings seeking to obtain moksha for themselves, — in order that it might with great ease be provided with water, — king Kakusthavarmma — made this auspicious tank.

Being ordered by his son, the King Santivarma — of wide fame from new-found happiness, of a beautiful form adorned with the acquisition of three crowns, — Kubja had his own poem inscribed on the surface of this stone.

Victorious is the eternal Sthanu, whose one body is framed by the coalescence of all the gods; who is adorned with a mass of matted hair, lustrous because inlaid with the rays of the moon.

After him, (victorious are) the gods on earth, the chief of the twice-born, who recite the Sama-, Rig- and Yajur-vedas; whose favour constantly guards the three worlds from the fear of evil.

And next, (victorious is) Kakusthavarman, whose form is like that of the lord of the gods (and) whose intelligence is vast; the king who is the moon in the firmament of the great lineage of the Kadamba leaders of armies.

There was a high family of twice-born, the circle of whose virtues, resembling the moon's rays, was (ever) expanding; in which the sons of H&riti trod the path of the three Vedas, (and) which had sprung from the gotta of Manavya, the foremost of Rishis.

Where the hair was wet from being constantly sprinkled with the holy water of the purificatory rites of manifold sacrifices; which well knew how to dive into the sacred lore, kindled the fire and drank the Soma according to precept.

Where the dwellings were ever resorted to by guests (and) the regular rites not wanting in the three libations; (and) where on a spot near the house there grew one tree with blooming Kadamba flowers.

In the Kadamba family thus arisen there was an illustrious chief of the twice-born named Mayurasarman, adorned with sacred knowledge, good disposition, purity and the rest.

With his preceptor Virasarman he went to the city of the Pallava lords, and, eager to study the whole sacred lore, quickly entered the ghatika as a mendicant.

For, if to one, who has duly served his preceptor's family and earnestly studied his branch of the Veda, the perfection in holiness depends on a king, what can there be more painful than this?

With the hand dexterous in grasping the kusa-grass, the fuel, the stones, the ladle, the melted butter and the oblation-vessel, he unsheathed a flaming sword, eager to conquer the earth.

Of him — whom Shadanana, whose lotus-feet are polished by the crowns of the assembly of the gods, anointed after meditating on Senapati with the Mothers — the son was Kangavarman, who performed lofty great exploits in terrible wars, (and) whose diadem was shaken by the white chowries - of all the chiefs of districts who bowed down (before him).

His brother was Bhagiratha's son Kakustha, of beautiful form, with a voice deep as the cloud's, clever in the pursuit of salvation and the three objects of life, and kind to his lineage; a lord of men with the lion's gait, whose fame was proclaimed on the orb of the earth.

Now to him, favoured by destiny, of no mean energy, endowed with the three powers, the crest-jewels of neighbouring princes bowed down (even) while he was sitting quiet — they who could not be subdued by the other five measures of royal policy together.

Here, at the home of perfection of the holy primeval god Bhava, which is frequented by groups of Siddhas, Gandharvas and Rakshas, which is ever praised with auspicious recitations of sacred texts by Brahman students solely devoted to manifold vows, sacrifices and initiatory rites, (and) which was worshipped with faith by Satakarni and other pious kings seeking salvation for themselves, that king Kakuathavarman has caused to be made this great tank, a reservoir for the supply of abundant water.

[7] Other inscriptions and literary evidence suggests that ghatikas were associated with Hindu temples and mathas (monasteries) in ancient India, and educated hundreds of students in different fields of knowledge.