North Indian Inscriptions

PREFACE

preparing notes, references, etc. but his work was also interrupted due to several reasons like his transfers from Ootacamund to Delhi first as Deputy Director General of Archaeology and again as Joint Director General of Archaeology from which post he retired in 1965 and joined the Panjab University, Chandigarh, as Professor of Ancient Indian Culture and Archaeology. Ater his assignment at Chandigarh was over and after he came to settle down at Ootacamund, Dr. Chhabra resumed his work on the revision of the Gupta volume in 1972. In the meanwhile, the Epigraphical Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India was shifted from Ootacamund to Mysore in June 1966 when Dr. G. S. Gai was its Head as Government Epigraphist for India (which designation has been subsequently changed as Chief Epigraphist). So Dr. Chhabra was required to visit Mysore from Ootacamund in connection with his work on Gupta volume.

        In order to expedite this work, Dr. Chhabra suggested, in 1975, to Shri M. N. Deshpande, the then Director General of Archaeology, to associate Dr. Gai as Co-Editor to which the Director General readily agreed. Dr. Gai also retired from service in March 1976 but as he settled down in Mysore only where the Office of the Chief Epigraphist is located, he could take up and concentrate on this work earnestly. He worked continuously for over eight months and filled up the references, gaps, etc. in Dr. Bhandarkar’s draft, dressed up and prepared the press-copy by re-arranging and getting the entire matter re-typed under his personal supervision. Dr. Gai also edited and included in the volume four newly discovered inscriptions of the rulers of the Imperial Gupta dynasty, viz. Nos. 5, 23, 32 and 37.

        It will be noticed that Dr. Bhandarkar has largely followed Fleet in the introductory portion of each inscription and also in giving the texts of the inscriptions, though he has given his own readings and interpretations wherever he differed from Fleet. But he has thoroughly revised the translations of the texts. And the Historical chapters written by him and forming his original contribution undoubtedly bear the stamp of his great scholarship and erudition. The editors have restricted their comments to the barest minimum in order to retain and make available Dr. Bhandarkar’s views and comments on various topics in their original to the scholars. The work of consolidation of the different and latest views and comments of various scholars on many topics has not been attempted here, as originally intended, and has been left to a future date.

        The manuscript of the press-copy was sent to the Sree Saraswaty Press Ltd., Calcutta, towards the end of 1976 but, due to some unavoidable difficulties in the press, the printing of the volume was delayed. And, at last, after a chequered career extending over a period of about fifty years (thirty years after the death of Dr. Bhandarkar), this long awaited revised volume of the Inscriptions of the Early Gupta Kings has now been printed and placed in the hands of the scholars. There is a saying in Sanskrit-śrēyāṁsi bahu vighnāni which means “there are many obstacles in good undertaking” which fits very well in the case of this volume. And, as a token of our great regard for that veteran scholar Dr. D. R. Bhandarkar, who toiled hard in the preparation of this volume till the end of his life, we dedicate this revised volume to his revered memory.

        We are grateful to Shri M. N. Deshpande, former Director General of Archaeology, for seeing that suitable accommodation and other necessary facilities were provided in the office of the Chief Epigraphist to Dr. Gai which enabled him to carry on the work relating to this volume and also for arranging for its publication in the Sree Saraswaty Press Ltd., Calcutta. We are also thankful to the present Director General of Archaeology, Shri B. K. Thapar, for evincing keen interest in the expeditious printing of the volume. Our thanks are also due to Dr. K. V. Ramesh, Superintending Epigraphist, who rendered much assistance to Dr. Gai in the initial stages and to Dr. S. S. Iyer, Senior Epigraphical Assistant, who has