North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

patal of) a lotus shaken by wind, that wealth is unsteady resembling mostly the flashes [of lightning] and that man's youth imitates (in fickleness) the shining of the fire-fly, he who had acquired abundant wealth [by valour] exerted himself for piety.

(V. 23) In this^¹ Mallāla, which renders the circle of regions fragrant with abundant [full-blown] lotuses, he constructed a temple of Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva) white like lavala flowers and (distinguished) by these banners set in motion by wind, which remove the perspiration, caused by fatigue, of the horses of the sun.

(V. 24) [And he constructed] a tank , which appears beautiful with clusters of full-blown lotuses, the rows of the waves of which are broken by the protruding breasts of town-ladies and which is crowded on all sides with multitudes of swans sporting in water . . . .

(V. 25) The religious merit of this temple, the splendour of which is beautiful like that of the moon's rays and kunda flowers, he assigned to the king Pṛithvīdēva (II) of pious nature.

(V. 26) He . . . . . constructed ten large and beautiful temples of Tryambaka (Śiva), [bright] like moon-light, full-blown night-lotuses, kunda flowers and the mountain of crystals (i.e., Kailāsa).

(V. 26) He . . . . . constructed ten large and beautiful temples of Tryambaka (Śiva), [bright] like moon-light, full-blown night-lotuses, kunda flowers and the mountain of crystals (i.e., Kailas

(V. 28) He erected at the famous Varēlāpura, a temple of Śrīkaṇṭha (Śiva) white like the lustre of the moon , and covered with flags fluttering in the wind; having received habitation in which, the god (Śiva), the lord of Ambikā, has given up completely his longing for living on Kailāsa. . . .

(V. 29) By him there were built at Ratnapura nine cloud-kissing excellent temples of Pārvati, the daughter of the Himālaya, (which are) white like night-lotuses, the moon, kunda flowers, snow, pearl-necklaces and lavali (flowers) (and) the flags of which flutter in the wind.

(V. 30) He made here a large and beautiful well, with wonderful steps, the waves of which were stirred by the plump breasts of town-ladies sporting (in its water).

(V. 31) In the northern and southern directions of Ratnapura he made two beautiful tanks which are rendered noisy by the buzzing of the swarms of bees humming on clusters of full-blown lotuses and the banks of which are crowded with numerous swans sporting (in their matter) and [in which garments slip down from the bodies of] extremely libidinous women.

(V. 32) At the village named Gōṭhālī he made a pleasant tank which is occupied by crowds of fishes as heaven is by gods.^²

(V. 33) He constructed at Nārāyaṇapura a temple of Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva), white like the moon, which with its flags scrapes the sky.

(V. 34) He made a tank near the village Bamhaṇī, which, like the story of the Bhārata^³, is . . . . .
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¹ The wording of verse 23 may be taken to signify that the inscription originally came from Mallāla, but notice a similar wording in v. 30.
² There is a play on the expression animēsha-dṛiś (lit., having unwinking eyes). It signifies (i) fishes and (ii) gods.
³ The verse apparently contained an expression which, by means of double entendre, described both the tank and the story of the Mahābhārata.