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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
ment’. This expression is also used in inscriptions in the sense of inscribing. Kara (1. 149, 154,
155) means as earthen bank. The form iṁchika (1. 147) meaning a little, is obviously the older
form of iṁchuka. The expression avuru-bāḍe (l. 151) is really made up of two words avuru and pāḍe.
The latter means ‘a swamp or marsh’. Avuru-bāḍe is a compound of avuru, (a kind of grass) and
pāḍe. In the passage mūṇḍ-ūḷḷa-muttala-Māṁgāpu-puṁta (l. 157) muttala is a compound of
mūḍu and tala ; mūṇḍ-ūḷḷa-muttala means at the junction of the three villages. Māṁgāpu-puṁta is the narrow way (puṁta) belonging to the village of Māṁgām, the present Māgam, a
boundary village.
The inscription begins with the invocation of the god Vishṇu and his Varāha incarnation
(11. 1-4). This is followed by an account of the creation. It is stated that at first the whole world
was submerged under waters ; that on perceiving this, the god Nārāyaṇa, assuming the form of
Brahmā, created all the worlds, in the midst of which was the earth adorned by the Golden Mountain
and surrounded by the islands and the seas ; that in the centre of the earth and encircled by the
salt seas was the Jambūdvīpa divided into nine-khaṇḍas or continents, of which that extending
from the Himalayas to the Southern Ocean was known as Bhārata-varsha comprising many
countries, where different languages and customs prevailed ; and that one of them named Tiliṅga,
through which flowed many holy rivers, contained several rich towns and cities,beautiful mountains,
impenetrable forests, deep tanks, and unassailable fortresses (11. 4-13).
Several kings of both the Solar and Lunar families held sway over this country extending from
the sea, without swerving from the path of righteousness. During the Kali Age, the kings of
the Kākati family ruled over Tiliṅga from their capital Ēkaśilā, like the Ikshvākus from Ayōdhyā.
When several rulers of the dynasty passed away, Pratāparudra, a monarch famous for his prowess
ascended the throne and ruled the country with truth and justice so that such famous monarchs
of yore as Yayāti, Nābhāga and Bhagīratha were completely forgotten. While king Pratāparudra
was ruling the kingdom in this manner, bitter hositility arose between him and Ahammada Suratrāṇa, the lord of the Turushkas. The Suratrāṇa, who was the Yama (Death) to the kings, stamped
out the remnants of the royal families left undestroyed by Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma). Although
Pratāparudra vanquished that Suratrāṇa who had an army of 900,000 horses seven times, he had
to submit to that Turushka at last, despite his military strength, and unrivalled skill in diplomacy,
owing to the decrease of the good fortunes of the people of the earth. While being carried away
as a prisoner by the Turushka monarch to his capital Delhi, Pratāparudra departed, by the
decree of the Providence, to the world of the gods on the banks of the river Sōmōdbhavā, i.e.
Narmadā (11. 13-28). When the sun, viz. Pratāparudra, set, the world was enveloped in the
Turushka darkness. The evil (adharma), which he had up to that time kept under check, flourished under them, as the conditions were very favourable for its growth. The cruel wretches subjected
the rich to torture for the sake of their wealth. Many of their victims died of terror at the very
sight of their vicious countenances ; the Brāhmaṇas were compelled to abandon their religious
practices ; the images of the gods were overturned and broken ; the agrahāras of the learned were
confiscated ; the cultivators were despoiled of the fruits of their labour, and their families were
impoverished and ruined. None dared to lay claim to anything, whether it was a piece of property
or one’s own wife. To those despicable wretches wine was the ordinary drink, beef the staple
food, and the slaying of the Brāhmaṇas the favourite pastime. The land of Tiliṅga, left without
a protector, suffered destruction from the Yavanas like a forest subjected to devastating wild
fire (11. 28-39). Then was born, as of an aṁśa of the god Vishṇu, who took pity on the sufferings of the people, had descended from heaven, king Prōla of the Musunūri family of the fourth
caste, who assumed the sovereignty of the earth. He destroyed the power of the Yavanas, who
abandoned their forts and fled to unknown places unable to resist his might. The very people
who suffered at the hands of the Yavanas sought protection under him, and turned against them
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