North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

like the light of a lamp on a lamp-stand (placed near the jar), and covered with the streams of water of the high waves of the celestial river (Gaṅga) (even as the jar is filled with water) !

(V. 2) May the large, extremely terrific (and yet) lovely trunk of Gaṇapati for ever protect you !__(the trunk) which at day-break appears splendid as it is raised after a dip in the water of the celestial river, possessing the grace of the stalk of the large lotus namely, the circle of the universe!

(V. 3) Glorious is white-rayed god (i.e., the Moon) born , from the ocean, who fills the circles of the sky and (earthly) regions with a mass of drops dripping from a multitude of streams of nectar; (who is) the mirror of the army of the king Love, the friend of night-lotuses and tap-root of the great by of world; (and) who possesses skill in removing the seal of haughtiness (from the hearts) of tremulous-eyed Women.

(V. 4) In his race there was the illustrious Ratnadēva (II), a beautiful king, an abode of royal fortune, a fierce cloud to extinguish the continuously raging flames of the spreading mighty fire of the valour of the king Chōḍagaṅga,^¹ a wild fire to consume the unique tree of pride (supporting) the creeper-like long arms of the hostile valiant lords of the earth.

(V. 5) From him was born his son Pṛithvīdēva (II) , a lord, of the whole circle of the earth, who was the eagle to the serpents, namely, the mighty hostile lords of the earth; whose two lotus-like feet were adored by the submissive (princes) with multitudes of beautiful jasmine wreaths, namely, the mass of the lustre of their crest-jewels; (that supported) the creeper, namely, the fame of excellent royalty.

(V. 6) From him was born the prince Jājalladēva (II), the lord of Tummāṇa, the foremost of the kings who have raised the Chēdi family; who, by the pride of his arms, has annihilated his foes, illumining, like a lamp, his spotless family; (who was) a unique treasure of excellent royalty (and) a sun of prowess; (and) who has acquired fortune by his valour.

(V. 7) I fancy that owing to apprehension caused by the suspicion that he might give them away (to suppliants), ^² the milky ocean, the lord of rivers, has kept his multitude of jewels in the deep water rolling in (his) dreadful cavities, the sun-god his delighted by the streams of his rutting juice, In the heavens rendered inaccessible by the waters of the celestial river.

(V. 8) In the reign of that king, which follows the path of good policy, is free from the infestation of troubles and gives delight to the people^³__

(V. 9) There was in the glorious Madhya-dēśa ornamented by the garland of waves of the flooding water of the extensive celestial river, (which is) like a necklace to the whole orb of the earth crowded with countries, a village named Kumbhaṭī with charming and extensive lands, the habitation of the best of the twice-born, which the creator made, by effort, a spotless counterpart of a portion of heaven.
___________

¹ Keilhorn translated uṛipa-Chōḍgaṅga as Chēḍa and Gaṅga princes (Ep. Ind., Vol. I, p. 43), but later on corrected himself. (See ibid., Vol. VIII, Appendix I, p. 17.)
² Keilhorn translated, 'I fancy that through far, produced by the suspicion that they would have to give (them) to him' etc. But dāna means a charitable gift. The king would not have begged for these jewels, but would have wrested them from the ocean etc. in order to give them away to his suppliants.
The same idea occurs in v. 17, below, and more clearly in v. 20 of No. 96, above.
³ This verse is connected in sense with verse 21. It states the time when the temple of Kēdārā was built.