North Indian Inscriptions

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS

on end and indicating (his) feeling, (his) father, perceiving (him) with the eye, overcome with affection, (and) laden with tears (of joy), (but) discerning the true state (of things) said to him ‘so protect (thou) the whole earth’, while he was being looked up with sad faces by others of equal birth, (but) while the courtiers were breathing cheerfully.¹

       (Verse 5) Beholding whose many super-human actions, some felt the thrill of marvel and burst into horripilation, some relishing with feeling . . . . . . , some afflicted with his prowess sought (whose) protection after perfoming obeisance; . . . . . .

        (Verse 6) (Whose enemies), whose offence was always great, being conquered by his arm in battles . . . . . . day by day . . . . . . pride . . . . . . (develop) repentance with their minds filled with delight and expanding with much and evident pleasure and affection.

       (Verse 7) By whom, with the impetuosity of the prowess of (his) arm, which grew to overflowing, having singly and in a moment uprooted Achyuta and Nāgāsēna and [Gaṇapati]² come together in a battle (against him) thereafter, causing, indeed, the scion of the Kōta family to be captured by (his) forces, (while) amusing himself at (the city) named Pushpa, while the sun . . . . . . the banks . . . . . .

       (Verse 8) (Being) the enclosing structure of Dharma (Sacred Law,) (his) multifarious sprouting fame is as bright as the rays of the moon; (his) erudition pierces down to Truth . . . . . . quiescence . . . . . . , the course of (his) wise utterances is worthy of study; (his) again is poetry which outdistances the greatness of the genius of (other) poets. What excellence is there which does not belong to him ? So has he alone become a fit subject of contemplation with the learned.³

       (Lines 17-18] Of him (who) was skilful in engaging in hundreds of battles of various kinds, whose only ally was valour (parākrama) through the might of his own arm, and who
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¹ For Bühler’s translation of this verse, see Ind., Ant., Vol. XLII, p. 176. “This verse,” says Fleet, “seems to indicate that Chandragupta I specially selected Samudragupta, from among several brothers, to conquer the land and to succeed him on the throne.” This means apparently that Samudragupta was selected by his father to ascend the Gupta throne in course of time after his death. This seems to be supported by what he syas, further, namely that “a clear indication of some such custom of selection is afforded by the epithet tat-parigṛihīta, “accepted (as his favourite son and chosen successor) by him (Samudragupta),” which is always applied to Chandragupta II, in the genealogical passages; e.g., in lines 9-10 of his Mathurā inscription,” (No. 10 below, Plate X). It is, however, very doubtful whether Fleet’s view is correct. The words nikhilām pāhy=ēvam=urvvīm=iti “So do ( thou) protect the whole earth, ‘ are, in my opinion, a clear indication that Chandragupta I retired from the arduous life of a king and became a vānaprastha by putting Samudragupta in charge of the urvī or earth which he had conquered and held (see above, Introduction, p. 8). Compare the last verse of the third canto of the Raghuvaṁśa. [In this connection, attention is invited to the article on Chandragupta’s Abdication in IC., Vol. XIV, pp. 141 ff. and the translation given there, on p. 146, which runs as follows: “with hair erect, indicating affection, when father embraced him, saying: “come, come!”, those present in the court felt exhilarated, while the rival claimants looked at him with sullen faces. Then his eyes laden with tears and sparkling with emotion, father cast a piercing glance at him and thus spake to him: “protect thou the whole earth!”–Ed.].
² This is a translation of the restored part of line 13. Originally the name must have been Gaṇapa in this stanza. The name, however, is identical with Gaṇapati who, we know, was a Nāga prince of much power and influence. For the identification of this ruler and others mentioned along with him, and, above all, for the formation of the Nāga confederacy against Samudragupta, see above, Introduction, pp. 8-11.
³ Bühler translates the stanza as follows: “He alone is worthy of the thoughts of the learned! Because what excellence is there, which would not be his? He has made firm the barrier of law, his is the sprouting fame that shines purely like the rays of the moon, his the wisdom which pierces down to the truth, his the self-control........., his the poetic works which multiply the spiritual treasures of poets.” (Ind, Ant., Vol. XLII, p. 178). [Dr. V. Raghavan translates the stanza as follows:” ‘Wide spread fame, pure as the rays of moon and having the fence of Dharma, piercing scholarship that comprehends the truth (of things and śāstras) ;...............study of the belles–lettres; and poesy which throws into shade the genius of (other) poets;–what excellence is there which is not in this king’; he who is the one person who is (thus) contemplated upon by the learned.: JOR.,Vol. XVI, p. 162.--Ed.].