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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA The weight of the three plates with the uncut ring is 255 tolas. They resemble the Mallār plates of Mahā-Śivagupta[1] in shape and size. The rims of the plates, like those of the Mallār plates, are not raised. The surface of the seal which is deeply counter-sunk, is divided into three parts. The upper part bears in relief the figure of a couchant bull with a triśūla in front. Close to the triśūla to the proper left side is seen one figure, which we may take for a horn (śṛiṅga) or a trumpet. To the right side is found the figure of a kamaṇḍalu or water-jar having some object on it which is not distinct. Below this comes the legend in two lines, which is separated from the device by two horizontal parallel lines. Below the legend is shown a large full-blown lotus flanked by two leaves. The record consists of 32 lines, there being eight lines on each inscribed face. The letters are neatly and deeply engraved. Their average size is ·4″ in height. The characters are of the box-headed variety and closely resemble those on the Mallār[2] plates of the same king and on the Baloda[3] and Rājim plates[4] of Tīvaradēva, the grand-uncle of the donor of the present plates. The peculiarities worth noticing here are : (1) The frequent use of medial ṛi instead of subscript r ; especially in the word śrī it is very conspicuous (lines 4, 13). (2) There is absolutely no difference between the signs of medial ō and au. Perhaps the same sign is used for both and we have to read it according to the context. See, e.g., śaurya in line 3, paurṇṇa- in lines 10 and 32, gauravāt in line 28. The language is Sanskrit, and with the exception of the customary benedictory and imprecatory verses at the end, the whole records is in prose. The first sentence is almost identical in wording with that found in the Mallār plates. Like the Mallār plates, this charter also does not contain the name of the place of issue, but unlike them, it gives the date in the regnal year of the king in clear words and figures, which is 57.
The plates were issued by the illustrious Mahā-Śivaguptarājadēva, son of the illustrious Harshadēva, who was born in the lunar dynasty and was a devout worshipper of Mahēśvara (Śiva). They record the donation of the village Vaidyapadraka in the bhōga or sub-division of Ōṇī. The donation was made for the offering to and worship, with music, dancing and feeding, of god Śiva Īśānēśvara enshrined in the temple at Pattana Khadirapadra-tala, and for the repairs and maintenance of that structure. It was made on the full-moon day of Kārttika. This Mahā-Śivaguptarāja, son of king Harshagupta, also called Harshadēva as the tests of the present plates and the Mallār plates have, is described as Bālārjuna in the Lakshman temple inscription[5] belonging to his mother Vāsaṭā who was the daughter of king Sūryavarman of the Varman dynasty of Magadha. This Sūryavarman was the son of the Maukhari king Īśānavarman and had at least a son named Bhāskaravarman, at whose request, his nephew (sister’s son) king Mahā-Śivaguptarājadēva, had donated a village called Kailāsapura to a Bhikshu-Saṅgha.[6] The Harāhā stone inscription[7] which gives the genealogy of the Maukhari kings, has the date 611 _______________________________________________
[1] Above, Vol. XXIII, pp. 113 ff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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