The legendary association of this area with Lord Virupaksha (Harihara and Bukka Raya being of Shaiva faith) and Lord Rama (the personification of the perfect king) was not lost on the empire's founders. Its natural ruggedness and inaccessibility must have been additional reasons to choose this location for the capital of the new empire. During the empire's rule, Vijayanagara was known as one of the most beautiful cities in India. A copper plate inscription ("Tamarashasana") of Marappa (one of the Sangama brothers) is dated 1346 and traces the Sangama genealogy, identifying the Sangama family deity ("gotradhidaivam") as Lord Virupaksha of Hampi. Inscriptions attesting to the elevation of Lord Virupaksha to "Rashtra devata" (God of the Kingdom) have been found. By the time of Bukka I, the capital had already grown into a great capital and inscriptions call it "great Nagari named Vijaya situated in Hemakuta".