|
South
Indian Inscriptions |
|
|
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
No. 28.- PLATES OF DANTIVARMAN OF GUJARAT ;
SAKA-SAMVAT 789.
BY D. R. BHANDARKAR, M. A.
These copper plates were brought to my father, Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar, from Gujarât ; but
he does not know the name of the village where they were found. The plates are three in
number, each measuring about 1′ 1″ by 9¼″. Their edges are raised into rims for the protection of the writing. The first plate is inscribed on one side only, the remaining two being
engraved on both sides. They are strung on a copper ring which measures about 3½″ in
diameter and is about ⅜″ thick. The ring had not yet been cut when the plates were sent to
Dr. Hultzsch. The ends of the ring are secured in the base of circular seal, measuring about
1⅞″ in diameter and bearing, in high relief on a countersunk surface, a much corroded figure of
Garuḍa, squatting and facing to the full front. The engraving is clear, bold and deep, but not
well executed. Very often the letters are not fully engraved, and in a good many places they
are drawn carelessly.─ The language is Sanskṛit throughout. There can be no doubt that the
kâṁsâr has engraved the original document without understanding it, as will be seen from the
numerous mistakes pointed out in the footnotes.
Allowing for the misspellings and inaccuracies
due to an unskilled engraver, there are certain solecisms for which the official who drew up the
grant must be held responsible. There is one compound in line 55, which cannot be justified by
the rules of grammar. Other grammatical mistakes may be noticed in such instances as
Sarthâtailâṭakîya-dvichatvâriṁśaty-ântarggataº in line 59, -mahâparvvam=uddiśya in line 66,
and so forth.─ As regards lexicography, attention may be drawn (1) to the word vâsâpaka[6] (l. 58)
which occurs in the list of the officials and functionaries to whom the royal grantor addresses
himself, and (2) to the term Talaprahâri (l. 57) which appears to have been an appellation of
Dantivarman.[7]─ In respect of orthography, it deserves to be noted (1) that the rules of saṁdhi
_______________________________________ [6] [Compare Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 69, note 31.─ E. H.]
[7] [Note also sênabhôgika (l. 81), which is an older form of śânabhôga, sênabôva, etc., ‘ the clerk of a village
or of some village.’ (Kittel’s Kannaḍa-English Dictionary).─ E. H.]
|
\D7
|