North Indian Inscriptions

SINDA INSCRIPTION AT BHAIRANMATTI.

serpents (lit. ‘the family of those who have poison on their glances,’— dṛishṭivisha-kuḷa, l. 6) ; who was born in the Nâgavaṁśa, which is resplendent with the rays of the jewels in the hoods of the members of it ; who had the dignity of the nâga-banner (l. 7) ; who had the crest of a tiger ; who was the supreme lord of the town Bhôgâvatî ; who was a very Nârâyaṇa among the Sindas (l. 9) ; and who, even unaided, was a very Śûdraka.

......There is ten introduced Pulikâla’s genealogy :— Saying : “I will behold the region of the earth which is so belauded by the sons of men.” there came (from the lower regions) Dharaṇêndra, the serpent-king (l. 10), leaving his army behind him out of respect,— both he and his wife, through the affection that existed between them ; and then, on her becoming pregnant, there was born to his lady, at Ahichchhatra (l. 11-12) in the region of the river Sindhû, a prince named Sinda (l. 12), resplendent with lustrous glory. Being much perplexed (at the birth of a son in human form), the serpent-king said to a tiger :─ “Carefully preserve this child in safety” (l. 13). Thereupon the tiger, preferring in turn his own request to the lord of snakes, said :— “Cause him to become a great lord the earth” (l. 14). And so the boy was nourished, and, becoming the lord of the Sinda country (l. 15) and practicing exalted and brave precepts, developed long arms of prowess which surpassed everything else on the earth. When the long-armed lord Sinda joined his hands and closed his eyes (in respectful request), the lord of the Kaḍambas (l. 16) through affection gave him his daughter ; and, he having taken her, during the time that he lived in dalliance with that charming woman, there were born three sons (l. 17), from whom there sprang those who were born as kings in the most exalted race of the Sindas (l. 18).

......While they, thirty-one (in succession),¹ were governing the Bâgaḍage district with freedom from anxiety, there was born (another) prince named Sinda (l. 19).

......Glorious on the earth, through the Sindas of Bâhaḍage (l. 20), is the lineage of the Sindas, which came without a break from the long-armed Sinda ; and famous was he who was named Kammara (l. 21). Amidst the praises of the world, to Kammayyarasa and to his wife Sagarabbarasi (l. 22) there was born Pulikâla (l. 23). To the king Pulikâla and to Rêvakabbe (l. 24) there was born king Nâgâtya (l. 24). To the brave king Nâgâtya and to Poleyabbarasi (l. 25) there was born Polasinda (l. 26), an ornament of the Sinda race. (And his son is) king Sêvya (l. 28-29), pure by both lines of descent ; for, his mother was Bijjaladêvî (l. 27), daughter of the Khâṇḍava Maṇḍalêśvara (l. 26), and his father was that sun of the Sindas, who had the banner of the hooded serpents.

......Hail ! A Mahâmaṇḍalêśvara who has attained the pañchamahâśabda ; the supreme lord of Bhôgâvatî, the best of towns (l. 29) ; he whose right arm is skilful in protecting the Brâhmaṇas of the town of Achichchhatra (l. 30) ; the sun of the Sindas ; a most devout worshipper of the god Mahêsvara (l. 32) ; the lord of the banner of hooded serpents ; a very king of Nâgas in human form (l. 33) ; a kaḷahaṁsa-bird whose feathers are ruffled by the play of the feet of Bhuvanaikamalladêva-(Sômêśvara II.) (l. 34) ; the ornament of the Sindavaṁśa ; the owner of the tiger-banner (l. 35) ; the king of the Sinda country ; the emperor of Pâtâḷa (l. 36) ; a very Vikramâditya in a new form ; a very Sahadêva in the art of using the sword,— (such is) the illustrious Mahâmaṇḍaḷêśvara, the lord Sêvyarasa (l. 37).

......Hail ! A Mahâsâmanta who had attained the pañchamahâśabda (l. 38) ; a very Kuḷika in effecting the destruction of hostile kings (l. 40) ; an ornament of the family of the serpents (dṛishṭivisha-kuḷa) ; decorated with three golden umbrellas ; the lord of Bhôgâvati, the best of towns (l. 41) ; the lord of the banner of the hooded serpents Ananta and Vâsugi and
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......¹ This seems to be the meaning of the text. But it is not clear why the neuter form of the numeral is used, instead of the masculine.