North Indian Inscriptions

SRAVANA-BELGOLA EPITAPH OF MALLISHENA.

......(V. 44.) “Let them protect you, these loud shouts for help¹ of the ancient sage (i.e. Brahmâ) :— ‘Now this holy sage Vâdirâja eagerly takes away from my side the goddess of Speech, whose affection (has become) very strong through (his) long familiarity (with her). Ah ! Ah ! Look ! Look ! Is this the way of ascetics ?’”

......(V. 45.) Wise, endowed with superhuman qualities, (and) dispelling darkness (or ignorance) by the rays of true knowledge (was) he whose famous name commenced with the word Śrî and ended with Vijaya. The splendour of his fine moon-like toe-nails mingled with the dawn-like redness produced by the jewels on the head of the Gaṅga king.

......(Line 132.) NOTE.— For, this holy one was praised by the holy Vâdirâjadêva (as follows) :—

......(V. 46.) “All that double excellence of learning and penance, which, before, in the holy sage Hêmasêna had been brought to the highest pitch through very long application, must have devolved on Śrîvijaya when he occupied his chair. How else (could he acquire) such learning (and) such penance in a short time ?”

......(V. 47.) I worship that lord of sages, Kamalabhadra, who obtained fame on this (earth) by floods of sin-destroying virtues, (and) who possessed proficiency in learning (but) no conceit, brilliant penance (but) no fierceness, might (but) no pride.

......(V. 48.) I resort to him, in order to purify myself,— the extremely pure Kamalabhadra, (who resembles) an excellent lake, by the mere thought of which the mind of (all) good pilgrims (or disciples) on this (earth) becomes perfectly pure.

......(V. 49.) Let (all those) good men who are considered as learned on this (earth), praise that great scholar (sûri), who adorned (i.e. appropriately bore) the name Dayâpâla, to whom alone the title of Paṇḍita was suitable, the extremely fortunate one who, though the foremost of ascetics,² was resplendent with numerous ornaments of jewels, (viz.) virtues, (and) was embraced in this Kali (age) by the goddess of Speech with all (her) parts !

......(V. 50.) Victorious is the holy Dayâpâladêva, who subdued the pride of Cupid, who knew all sciences, who conquered all disputants, whose extremely pure fame pervaded the circle of (all) quarters, (and) whose feet were reddened by the jewels in the diadems of bowing kings.

......(V. 51.) Who is able to describe as “such and such” the ability of that ascetic Śântidêva, having worshipped whose pair of pure lotus-feet, the well-known Poysaḷa king Vinayâditya brought to the presence of the goddess of (his) kingdom (other) countries, which fulfilled (his) commands ? Rare indeed are (men) who possess such brilliant and great splendour.

......(V. 52.) Fortunate is that sage, on whom the Pâṇḍya king, who had received a wealth of knowledge through his favour,³ conferred the title “Lord” (Svâmin), (and) whose name Śabdachaturmukha was celebrated in the court of king Âhavamalla.

......(V. 53.) To be worshipped by those who desire (their own) welfare, is that lord of Paṇḍitas, Guṇasêna, the jewel of the beryl⁴ (producing) country near Śrî-Miḷḷûra,⁵
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......¹ I had originally translated the adjective abrahmaṇya-parâḥ by ‘impious,’ Professor Kielhorn pointed out to me that it refers to the exclamation ‘abrahmaṇyam !’
......² A similar virôdhâbhâsa occurs in verse 68, and gives rise to a joke at the expense of Brahmâ in verse 44.
......³ i.e. who was converted to the Jaina religion.
......⁴ Viḍûrasâra is synonymous with vaiḍûrya (or vaidûrya) and viḍûraja (or vidûraja). The only locality in Southern India, where beryls are found, is Padiyûr or Pattiyâli in the Dhârâpuram tâlukâ of the Coimbatore district ; see Ind. Ant. Vol. V. p. 237 ff.
......⁵ There is a village named Mullûr in the Uḍipi tâlukâ of the South Canara district ; Mr. Sewell’s Lists of Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 232.