North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

(V. 2) May the excellent lustre of the throat of the Creator of the three worlds (i.e., Śiva) grant you endless good fortune!-(the lustre) which is a companion of^¹ the colour of the petals of blooming blue lotuses and is similar to the row of female bees enlivened by the spreading fragrance of the lotus-like face of (Gaurī) the daughter of the mountain!

(V. 3) From Atri's eye there was produced the Moon, whose lustre causes great joy to the ocean, (who is) the elixir of nectar-juice to the night-lotuses, the saucemaker of the gods, the lover of stars, the companion of those who study cupid's work, a mirror for the damsels that are the regions, a swan in the extensive lake of the firmament and an ornament of the three worlds.

(V. 4) In his race there were born the kings (called) Haihayas, of whom Sahasrārjuna, the foremost in the assembly of the valiant,-whose arms bound down the lord of Laṅkā with his creeper-like bow-string,-attained great fame.

(V. 5) In this family there was born the illustrious king Kōkalla. He had eighteen renowned sons. The youngest of them, the king Kaliṅga, (became) the lord of Tummāṇa by adoring (the god) Vaṅkēśvara. His son was Kamala. From him (was born) the illustrious Ratnarāja (I). From him sprang the king Pṛithvīdēva (I), the crest-jewel of the lords of the earth.

(V. 6) His son was the king Jājalladēva (I), who by the might of his arms, deprived Bhujabala, the lord of Suvarṇapura, of his power in a hostile encounter.

(V. 7) His son was the king, the illustrious Ratnadēva (II), whose mind delighted in policy, whose feet were vigilant in moving among the rows of the crest-jewels of kings; (who was) the foremost of great warriors, the mass of whose fame was increased by (its contact with) the mass of radiance of the moon-like faces of the Vidyādharīs resting in the recesses of the caves of Lōkālōka, the lord of mountains.

(V. 8) He^² in battle deprived the king Chōḍagaṅga, the ruler of the Kaliṅga country, the lord of elephants (and) the father of Jaṭēśvara, of his gold, horses and elephants.

(V. 9) From him was (born) Pṛithvīdēva (II), by the mass of the radiance of jewels shining in the hair of whose head, the two lotus-like feet of the lord of Umā were reddened. Being vanquished by him with the prowess of his arms, the king Jaṭēśvara was laid low on the ground . . . . among the prisoners dwelling in his jail.

(V. 10) Need we praise that marvellous hermit of fame, dwelling in the monastery of the three worlds, of that king who by his charity equalled the elephants, the stream of whose rutting juice breaks through their frontal globes? Before the umbrella caused by the scattered particles of his^³ ashes, the moon, the milky ocean, the Himālaya mountain, kunda (flowers), night-lotuses, celestial garlands . . . [pale into insignificance !]

(V. 11) From him there was born Jājalladēva (II), who was to the people like (their own) father; (and) the multitude of whose merits the lords of the earth praise incessantly.

(V. 12) Thereafter, when the king Jājalladēva (II), the moon to the Kalachuri family, attained, through accursed fate, union with Brahman, this wide world became enveloped in darkness on all sides, the people being distressed through loss of (their) discernment on account of the Kali age.
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¹I.e., as dark as.
² In the original text, this is a relative clause, qualifying Ratnadēva II in verse 7.
³ I.e., of the hermit, namely, his fame. A hermit smears his body with ashes.