The Indian Analyst
 

North Indian Inscriptions

 

 

Contents

Introduction

Contents

Preface

List of Plates

Abbreviations

Additions and Corrections

Images

Introduction

Political History

Administration

Social History

Religious History

Literary History

Gupta Era

Krita Era

Texts and Translations

The Gupta Inscriptions

Index

Other South-Indian Inscriptions 

Volume 1

Volume 2

Volume 3

Vol. 4 - 8

Volume 9

Volume 10

Volume 11

Volume 12

Volume 13

Volume 14

Volume 15

Volume 16

Volume 17

Volume 18

Volume 19

Volume 20

Volume 22
Part 1

Volume 22
Part 2

Volume 23

Volume 24

Volume 26

Volume 27

Tiruvarur

Darasuram

Konerirajapuram

Tanjavur

Annual Reports 1935-1944

Annual Reports 1945- 1947

Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Volume 2, Part 2

Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Volume 7, Part 3

Kalachuri-Chedi Era Part 1

Kalachuri-Chedi Era Part 2

Epigraphica Indica

Epigraphia Indica Volume 3

Epigraphia
Indica Volume 4

Epigraphia Indica Volume 6

Epigraphia Indica Volume 7

Epigraphia Indica Volume 8

Epigraphia Indica Volume 27

Epigraphia Indica Volume 29

Epigraphia Indica Volume 30

Epigraphia Indica Volume 31

Epigraphia Indica Volume 32

Paramaras Volume 7, Part 2

Śilāhāras Volume 6, Part 2

Vākāṭakas Volume 5

Early Gupta Inscriptions

Archaeological Links

Archaeological-Survey of India

Pudukkottai

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS

first discovered; but was afterwards found, on clearing away the lime under which it was hidden, by General Cunningham, who then, in 1890, published his reading of the text in the CASIR., Vol. X, p. 9, with a lithograph (ibid., Plate V, No.1). It was afterwards edited by J. F. Fleet in CII., Vol. III, 1888, pp. 40 ff. and PI. IV D.

       This inscription is on the upper part of the proper right side of the stone. Almost the whole of the first line, and the first half of each of the remaining lines, have been entirely broken away and lost. The remnant of the writing, however, covering a space of about 4" broad by 9" high, is fairly well preserved and easy to read. The size of the letters varies from ¾" to ½". The characters belong, on the whole, to the eastern variety of the Gupta alphabet where s alone is of the western, and are of precisely the same type as those of the two inscriptions Nos. 8 above and 26 below, being probably engraved by the same hand. They include, in the date, forms of the numerical symbols for 8 and 90. The language is Sanskrit; and the inscription is in prose throughout. The orthography presents nothing calling for remark.

       The name of the king is broken away and lost in the first half of line 2. But the inscription is dated, in numerical symbols, in the year ninety-eight (416-17 A.D.); and this shews that the record must belong to the time of the Imperial Gupta king Kumāragupta. So little remains of it that the form of religion or the sect to which it belonged, cannot be determined; nor can the object of it; except that it records a gift of twelve dīnāras, apparently as a contribution to some Brāhmaṇa from Sadāsattra.

       (Line 4) (Chandragupta II), who was the son born of the the Mahādēvī Dattadēvī of the prosperous Samudragupta, the Mahārājadhiraja,

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TEXT

1 [Jitaṁ bhagavatā || Paramabhāga*][vata-mahā][rājādhi*]-
2 [rāja-śrī-Kumāragupta-rājya-saṁvatsa*]rē 90 8 . . .
3 [asyāṁ divasa*]-pūrvvāyaṁ padūa1 . . .
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .nē (?) n=ātma-puṇy-ōpa[chay-ārtthaṁ*]
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rē kālīyaṁ Sadāsa[t*][tra]- . . .
6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .kasya talakanivānlē(?) . . .
7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bhyaṁ dīnārāḥ dvādaśa . . .
8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .sy=āṁkur-ōdbha(?)sta-chchha
9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .[saṁ*]yukta[ḥ*] syād==iti |2

TRANSLATION

       (Lines 1-3) [Victory has been achieved by Bhagavat (Vāsudēva) !]3 [In the year] 90 (and) 8 [of the (dynastic) rule4 of the prosperous Kumāragupta, the Mahārājādhirāja, an ardent devotee of Bhagavat (Vāsudēva)5 . . . . . ; when this was the specification of the date6 . . .

       (Line 3-8) [For the purpose] of augmenting (his) own spiritual merit . . . . . . (to endure) for the time . . . . . . . Sadāsattra7 . . . . . . . twelve dīnāras . . . . . .

       (Line 8-9) [And whosoever breaks up this bit of charity shall become infected with (the Five Great Sins)].
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1 May be read also as paṭṭa with Fleet.
2 Expressed by a horizontal stroke.
3 The meaning of this phraseology is explained by verse 1 of the Tuśām inscription (CII., Vol. III, 1888, No. 67, p. 270) showing that bhagavatā stands for Vīshṇunā.
4 See note 1 to Translation of No. 8 above, p. 246.
5 See note 3 to Translation of No.10 above, p. 253.
6 See note 1 to Translation of No. 6 above, p. 241.
7 See note 1 to Translation of No. No. 8 above, p. 247.

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