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The Indian Analyst
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North Indian Inscriptions |
THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS (Verse 3) May that (Sun) Illuminator (Vivasvan), whose ornament is exquisite beams, protect you, who, with (his) mass of rays dropping down from the wide and lofty summit of the Rising Mountain, every day looks intensely red like the cheeks of intoxicated women ! (Verses 4-5) From the province of Lāṭa, which is lovely in consequence of choice trees, bowed down with the weight of flowers, temples, assembly-halls, and Vihāras, (and) the mountains of which are covered with flora, there came to (the town of) Daśapura those (people) of wellknown craft, first with their mind full of regard (for it), and afterwards (bodily) in a band, together with children and kinsfolk, disregarding the unceasing discomforts of journey and so forth, being manifestly carried away by the good qualities of the ruler of the country. (Verse 6) In course (of time) this (town) has become an excellent forehead beauty-mark of the Earth, which is adorned with thousands of mountains the rocks of which are besprinkled with the drops of rut trickling down from the sides of the temples of intoxicated elephants, and the ear-ornaments of which are the trees bending down with flowers; (Verse 7) (The town), where the lakes shine with waters, on the bank, being variegated with many flowers fallen from trees growing on the margins, are adorned with full-blown lotuses; (and) are full of ducks; (Verse 8) Where in some places the lakes shine with swans, become tawny with the pollen falling from the lotuses set in motion by the tremulous waves, and, in some, with water-lilies bent down with the weight of their filaments; (Verse 9) Where the woods are adorned, with lordly trees, bowed down with the burden of their flowers;–with the humming of the swarms of bees become bold through intoxication,–and with the women-folk of the town strolling unceasingly;
(Verse 10) Where the buildings, with moving flags, full of women, intensely white, (and) extremely lofty, bear resemblance to the peaks of white clouds variegated with forked lightning; (Verse 11) And (where) other (buildings) resemble the lofty summits of Kailāsa, with long terraces and rail mouldings,1 resounding with the notes of music, with works in painting se6t up and adorned with waving plantain trees; (Verse 12) Where the buildings, being decorated with rows of terraces,2 resembling lines of gods’ palaces (and) as pure as the rays of the full-moon, (appear) to have risen up as if by tearing open the earth; (Verse 13). Which (town) being enclosed by two charming river of tremulous waves, shines like the body of the God of Love, clasped in private by (his wives) Prīti and Rati, possessed of (prominent) breasts; (Verse 14) Which, with the Brāhmaṇas who are endowed with truthfulness, forgiveness, self-control, quiescence, religious vows, purity, fortitude, study of Vēda, proper conduct, modesty and understanding, and who are stores of knowledge and penance (and yet) free from conceit, shines like the sky with glowing planets; (Verse 15) Then having come in contact with constant meetings, and with cordiality
augmenting day by day, (and) being honourably treated like sons by the kings, they lived in
the town in joy and happiness;
1 Fleet renders vēdikā apparently by ‘arbours’ and Bühler by ‘stone-seats’ (Ind. Ant., Vol. XLII, p. 142). But
vēdikā, being here associated with valabhī, should denote some member of a building. In this connection attention
may be drawn to the occurrence of the word in Kārlē inscriptions (Nos. 3 and 15) where it is rendered by “[rail pattern] moulding” by Bühler. (ASWI., Vol. IV, p. 90 and note 3) and by “rail mouldings” by Senart (Ep. Ind.,
Vol. VII, pp. 51-52). There can thus be no doubt that vēdikā once denoted some kind of moulding forming part
and feature of an edifice.
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