South Indian Inscriptions

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA

(Line 1.) Ôṁ Hail ! While the Gaupta year three hundred was current (and) while the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Śaśâṅkarâja, was ruling over the earth surrounded by the girdle of the waves of the water of the four oceans, together with islands, mountains and cities,─ from the victorious Kôṅgêda near the bank of the Śâlimâ river, on both of whose banks, covered with the flowers of various excellent trees, pools of water have formed, (and which therefore) resembles the river of the gods (Gaṅgâ), which issued from the sky, which was brought down by Bhagîratha, (and) the streams of whose water are split and dashed outside by many masses of rock at (her) fall on the top of the Snowy Mountain,─ the dear son of the Mahârâja Yaśôbhîta, (who was) the dear son of the Mahârâja Mahâsâmanta, the glorious Mâdhavarâja (I.),─ the very pious Mahârâja Mahâsâmanta, the glorious Mâdhavarâja (II.), who has caused to bloom the lotus─ the Śilôdbhava family, by the mass of rays─ his virtues ; who has repulsed the armies of all the enemies by the sharp edge of (his) sword which rivals an unfolded^[1] flower of the blue lotus ; whose wealth is being enjoyed by the distressed, helpless, poor, and mendicants ; who has acquired the prosperity of a prince by the pair of his bar-like arms ; whose body is as spotless and as brilliant as a lotus ; who possesses the virtues of learning, courage and constancy which adorn the whole world ; (and) who is devoted to the feet of the blessed lord of the three worlds (viz. Śiva) who is the cause of existence, creation and destruction,^[2] whose arms are placed on the hump of the great bull (viz. Nandi) as on the pillow of a couch, (and) whose matted hair is illuminated in one place by the crescent of the moon,─ being in good health, suitably worships and honours princes, ministers, officers, their subordinates, and others who are present or shall be present at the village of Chhavalakkhaya which belongs to the Kṛishṇagiri-vishaya, (and informs them as follows) :─

(L. 20.) “ Let it be known to you (that), for the sake of (our) father and mother and for the increase of (our) own merit, with libations of water, at an eclipse of the sun, we have given this village, to last for the same time as the moon and the sun, to Chharampasvâmin who belongs to the gôtra of Bharadvâja (and) has the pravaras of Âṅgirasa and Bârhaspatya.”

(L. 24.) And it is said in the Law-book (Smṛitiśâstra) :^[3] [Here follow four of the customary verses, and perhaps a fifth verse which is obliterated.]

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^[1] This meaning of vikôśa is not given in the dictionaries.
^[2] The words sṛishṭi and saṁhâra are mere repetitions of utpatti and pralaya.
^[3] In the Buguḍa (l. 44 f.) the same four verses are stated to be quotations from the Law of Manu.

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No. 15.- TWO PILLAR INSCRIPTIONS AT AMARAVATI.
BY E. HULTZSCH, PH.D.

These two inscriptions (Nos. 269 and 270 of 1897) are engraved on the four sides of a pillar at the southern entrance to the central shrine of the Amarêśvara temple at Amarâvatî in the Sa ttenapalli tâluka of the Kistna district. The alphabet is Telugu, and the languages are Sanskṛit and Telugu.

A.- Inscription of Kêta II. ;
Śaka-Saṁvat 1104.

The inscription contains 52 Sanskṛit verse. There are passages in Telugu prose in lines 108 to 127, 131 to 149, and 170 to 187. The inscription opens with the mention of the city of Śrî-Dhânyakaṭaka, which contains the Śiva temple called Amarêśvara, and close to which is ‘ a very lofty Chaitya ’ of god Buddha