North Indian Inscriptions

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS

       (Verse 22) Within this brief time, he ruled with confidence over the people, including the inhabitants of the city; and who has fondled all classes of citizens, (surely his own) sons, [or, as if they were his own sons–Ed.], after carefully enquiring into (their) faults.

       (Verse 23) And (who) has gratified the subjects by conversations preceded by smiles, marks of honour and presents, and by unrestrained visiting one another’s houses such as promotes friendly home receptions.

       (Verse 24) Full of the highest feeling of reverence to the Brāhmaṇa, capable, pure, (and) in a suitable manner devoted to charity, he has enjoyed pleasures of sense attainable in time, without any conflict between religious merit and worldly prosperity.

       (Verse 25) Is it strange if he, (born) of Parṇadatta, is possessed of proper behaviour? Will any scorching arise from the moon which is cooling like a string of pearls or like a water-lily?

       (Verse 26) When, in course of time, there came the season of clouds, tearing asunder with (its) clouds the season of heat, much water rained down unceasingly for a long time–in consequence of which (the lake) Sudarśana burst from the four roads.

       (Verse 27-28) And now when a century of years, increased by thirty-six (had elapsed), making the calculation according to the Gupta era, at night, on the sixth day of (the month) Praushṭhapada,–these (rivers) sprung from (the mountain) Raivataka, and this Palāśinī that moves gracefully in sand, (all of them) the wives of the ocean, having dwelt for long in bondage,¹ went again to their husband (the ocean), in due accordance with the scriptures.

       (Verse 29) Noticing the great bewilderment caused by the advent of rains, (the mountain) Ūrjayat, wishing to da a good turn to the great ocean,² stretched forth, as it were, a hand, consisting of the river (Palāśinī), decorated with the numerous powers that grew on the edges of (its) banks.

       (Verse 30-31) Feeling, indeed, dejected on all sides, discussing how they should act, keeping awake the whole night by turns, the people reflected (thus), feeling restless “just in a moment, (the lake) Sudarśana, has become disagreeable to the sight of men;³ can it ever become pleasing of aspect, having the appearance of the ocean⁴ . . . . ?”

       (Verse 32) He, having become . . . . , displaying exceeding devotion to (his) father, (and) placing, (prominently) before him, religion, (his) sacred ties to the king, and the well-being of the town;

       (Verse 33) When a century of years, increased by thirtyseven (had elapsed), comprechending the sacred writings, . . . . whose great might is well known; though (he is) viśva;⁵

       (Verse 34) Then having sacrificed to the gods with oblations of clarified butter and with obeisances; and having gratified the twice-born with (present of) riches; and having honoured
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¹ Here there is a pun upon the Sanskrit word bandhana which means both ‘bondage’ in the case of wives and ‘barrage’ in the case of the rivers.
² The expression mah-ōdadhēr=Ūrjayatā, priy-ēpsumā is thus translated by Fleet: “desirous of appropriating the wives of the mighty ocean” which is ridiculous. Priyēpsu here stands, not for priyā īpsu, but for priya īpsu and is to be taken in the sense of “wishing or desirous of doing a good turn (priya)”, obviously to his friend, the mighty ocean, by stretching forth its hand in the shape of the Palāśinī, which, being overflooded and being one sheet of water from Ūrjayat to the sea appeared like a hand extended by the mountain itself to touch and quiet its friend, the ocean, which was tempest-torn on account of the monsoon.
³ In the phrase pumām(n) hi, the word hi seems to have been used in the sense of iva. Or, it may be, as seems more probable, that pumām is a mistake for puṁsām.
⁴ Ambhōnidhi itself means an ocean, s-āmbhōnidhi is therefore far-fetched. But the word seems to have been used here by the panegyrist as he was a weak poet.
⁵ There is a pun upon the word viśva; at one time, it means ‘all-pervading’ and at another ‘a citizen (nāgara).’