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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA CHHOTI DEORI STONE INSCRIPTION OF SANKARAGANA (1 Plate) V. V. MIRASHI, AMRAOTI This inscription was first brought to notice by General Sir Alexander Cunningham in his Archæological Survey of India Report for 1883-84. He again referred to it in the next year’s report and published a lithograph of it.2 The inscription was subsequently noticed by Dr. (then Mr.) D. R. Bhandarkar in Mr. Cousens’ Progress Report of the Archæological Survey of Western India for 1903-4, p. 54, and by Rai Bahadur Hiralal in his Inscriptions in the Central Provinces and Berar.3 Though noticed several times, the inscription has defied all attempts at interpretation ; for, Cunningham was told that the language of the inscription was not Sanskrit. Dr. Bhandarkar also has remarked :. ‘ What the language of the inscription is cannot be made out.’ The inscription is edited here for the first time from ink impressions kindly supplied by the Superintendent, Archæological Survey, Central Circle, Patna. Chhoṭi Deori (Small Deori) is situated on the left bank of the Ken, about 16 miles to the west of Jokāhi, in the Murwārā tahsīl of the Jubbulpur District in the Central Provinces. The village is so called probably to distinguish it from the larger village named Deori which lies about five miles to the west. It is also called Māḍhā Deori on account of a number of small temples (maṭhīs), from thirty to forty in number, which lie buried in dense jungle. According to Cunningham, all these were most probably Śaiva shrines. The pillar on which the present inscription is incised must have also belonged to a Śaiva temple as is indicated by its contents. ‘ The pillar is 7 feet 2 inches high and 1 foot square. The inscription of 11 lines is near the top ; in the middle there are two seated figures, male and female;4 and below there is a standing male figure.’5
As stated above, the inscription consists of eleven lines. It covers a space 1′ ½″ broad by 1′ 2″ high. It is in a state of fair preservation. The characters belong to the proto-Nāgarī alphabet, resembling those of the Saugor stone inscription.6 They are very carelessly written. Several groups of aksharas are unnecessarily repeated in ll. 4 and 5 as well as in ll.10 and 11. The marks for the medial vowels and visargaare omitted in many cases. The form of kh in khaṁ[ḍ]a-, l.1, likhataṁ, l.9, and likhitaṁ, l.10 is peculiar. It resembles somewhat the conjunct ksha, with ______________
[1] This probably refers to the temple of Śiva where the inscribed panel was apparently put up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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