South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

not clear : pīṭha ‘ basement ’, mēkhalā, tilaka, saṁgīkārya, stara ‘ layer ’, garbha-kōshṭha, parvakōshṭha, chatushkī (excavated squares at the bottom of the lake), etc. The minor dams seems to be named after the nearest village, tree or the like, such as Nimba-sētu, Bhadra-sētu, Kāṁkarōlīsētu, Asaṭiyāgrāma-sētu, Vaṁsōlāgrāma-sētu, etc. The monotony of the details is occasionally relieved by a play upon the numbers or drawing similes as in vv. 14, 15, 19, 34, 36, 45 and 56.

Slab XIII ; Canto XII

This canto continues the description of the minor constructions in and around the lake, giving their measurements. Verse 5 states that on the border f the village Mōrchanā, there is a hillock in the lake, on the western peak of which is perched a pavilion sacred to Varuṇa, the god of waters. The villages completely submerged in the lake are stated to be Sivālī, Bhiṁgavada, Bhānō, Luhāṇō, and Guḍhalī, and those partly submerged were Mōrchanā, Pasōṁda, Khēḍī, Chhāparakhēḍikā, Tāsōḷa and Maṁḍōvara. The rivers or rivulets that drained into the lake are said to be Gōmatī, Tāla and Kailavā. Besides, the tanks, wells, etc., of the villages of Kāṁkarōlī, Lōhāṇa and Sivālī, numbering thirty, also merged into the lake.

From verse 13 onwards the poet praises the great enterprise of his patron, Rājasiṁha. The maximum limit prescribed by Viśvakarman for artificial lakes is 6,000 yards in length. Whether anybody ever constructed a lake of that length is doubtful, but Rājasiṁha even exceeded that limit, the lake constructed by him measuring 7,000 yards in length.

The poet now informs hat formerly Rāṇā Udayasiṁha had attempted to construct a dam on that very spot, but his attempt was a failure. Afterwards he constructed a lake which was named after him, viz., Udayasāgara.

In the year 1730 there came heavy floods in the river Tāla, which caused much destruction in the city. In the same year in the month of Āśvina the lake had water eight hastas in depth due to waters coming from the Gōmatī.

On the fullmoon day of the month of Māgha in that year Rājasiṁha performed the great gift of Suvarṇapṛithivī,^[1] that consisted of 500 palas of gold, costing 28,000 rupees.

In the year 1731, on the 5th day of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa, the artisans hailing from Lāhōra (Lahore), Gurjara (Gujarat) and Surita (Surat), floated a bin boat, called Jahāja, built by them, in the lake.

In that year, on the occasion of his birth-day anniversary, Rājasiṁha performed the great gift of Viśvachakra,^[1] consisting of 500 palas of gold.

Slab XIV ; Canto XIII

After the completion of the construction of the lake, Rājasiṁha, in connection with its inauguration ceremony, sent invitations to prices, relatives, friends and others. The poet utilizes the occasion by describing the immense expenditure of wealth by Rājasiṁha as host to the invitees. We are told how the king sent his messengers with horses, chariots, elephants, palanquins, etc., to fetch his guests, what elaborate arrangements he made for the stay of his guests by way of setting apart big mansions and erecting tents, all fully furnished and decorated, as well as by accumulating all sorts of provisions, toilet requisites and other necessary articles, and how he collected cloths, ornaments, horses, elephants, cows, etc., to be given in charity. Apart from princes, the invitees included learned men, poets, bard and holy men. The city became choke-full of people. They brought many presents to Rājasiṁha who accepted only as much as seemed proper and returned the rest.

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^[1] For this see Hēmādri, op. cit., Dānakhaṇḍa, pp. 301 and 326.