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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA The above part of the record n verse is followed by a section in prose which begins with the date already discussed above. It is stated that, on the said date, Mahārāja Naravarmadēva, after having taken a bath and performing such ceremonies as the worship of gods and Brāmanas, granted by a charter in favour of Nāyaka Vachchhēka or Vachchha (apparently the same Brāhmaṇa elsewhere called Vatsa) the village called Guḍhhāgrāma, which had all its four boundaries accurate. The epithet nāyaka seems to show that the donee was an office or feudatory of the king. The grant was made with consent of the king’s mahādēvī (queen, probably the chief queen), jyēshṭhā-kumāra (eldest son), mahāmantrin (chief minister), purōhita (priest) and akshapaṭalika (accountant or record-keeper). A passage engraved in the lower margin of the plate, but apparently meant for insertion into this section says that the grant, like that of Malayavarman, was made without the lands that had been previously granted in favour of gods and Brāhmaṇas. Then follow three of the usual imprecatory and benedictory stanzas. The record ends with two sentences in prose saying that it was composed (cf. kavitvam=idaṁ) by Paṁ (i.e. Paṁḍita) Puruttyama (possibly a mistake for Purushōttama) and engraved by the goldsmith Saḍhēka. We have discussed above the history of the Pratīhāras of Gwalior. It will be seen that king Naravarman flourished at a time when the fortress of Gwalior together with the surrounding area was under the Turkish Musalmans.[1] He may have held sway over the present Śivapurī region where Kurēṭhā, the findspot of his plate, is situated. But whether he was a feudatory of the Musalmans cannot be definitely determined. His simple title Mahārāja in the prose portion of the document may, however point to such a possibility. His relations with the powerful Jajapēlla king Chāhaḍa of Nalapura (Narwar) who flourished in circa 1237-55 A.D. are also as yet unknown.
Only two geographical names are mentioned in the inscription. Besides Gopādri (Gwalior), it speaks of the village called Guḍhhāgrāma. It is difficult to determine the exact location of this village. TEXT[2] [Metres : verses 1, 6 Sragdharā ; verse 2 Āryā; verses 3, 8 Upajāti ; verses 4-5, 7 Vasantatilakā ; verses 9-12 Anushṭubh.]
1 Siddham[3] || Svasti || Ōm[4] namō bhagavatē Vāsudēvāya || Svīkurvvāṇā trilōkīm=asura-
parivṛiḍha-dhvaṁsanāy=ātidūr-ōdaṁcha-
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[1] Dr. Altekar’s statement that both Malayavarman and Nṛivarman (Naravarman) were rulers of Gwalior
(above, Vol. XXVI, p. 280) appears to be wrong.
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