North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

KHAROD STONE INSCRIPTION OF RATNADEVA III : YEAR 933

(V. 13) Then his elder brother Jagaddēva of marvellous prowess, joining hastily from the eastern country, became the lord of the kingdom.

(V. 14) While that king, who delighted in valour, sport and charity, was governing the kingdom, the thieves . . . . disappeared, obstacles (vanished), dangers departed, the enemies took shelter in the corners of mountain-caves, (and) the people roaming in dense forests had no fear even from a tiger.

(V. 15) As Lakshmī was of the enemy of Mura (i.e., of Vishṇu), as Rati was of the flowery-bowed (god of love), even so Sōmalladēvī, honoured for excellences, was [a dear wife] of (that) king.

(V. 16) From them was born a son (named) Ratnadeva (III), a great warrior, whose fame is sung by the wives of gods, the beautiful tendrils of whose fame are sporting in the cavities of the regions on the earth; who by his charities has humbled the celestial tree, and who is extremely to the fortune of hostile kings impetuous in fighting.

(V. 17) Seeing that his beautiful form gave more delight to the eyes of deer-eyed ladies than his own, the crocodile-bannered (god of love) became bodiless, as of through shame.

(V. 18) On the stage of his tongue dances vigorously the goddess of learning, exciting wonder by the marvellous use of Sanskrit and other words.^¹

(V. 19) The capital of that king was the very beautiful city of Ratnapura, resembling the city of Indra.

(V. 20) In the gōtra named Kāśyapa there was Dēvadhara, a treasury of arts on the earth. As Hari was foremost in the act of lifting up the earth, even so was he in (succouring) (men) sunk in adversity.

(V. 21) He had a son named the illustrious Rājadēva, the ocean of [pleasing speech], extremely proficient in the Śāstras and in (the use of ) multitudes of weapons. None has attained here resemblance to him.

(V. 22) He, who was well-conducted, had a beloved wife named Jīvā of virtuous character, the foremost of chaste women and the best means of attaining unblemished success.

(V. 23) From them was born Gaṅgādhara of wonderful intelligence, who has a multitude of excellences as the ocean has jewels, (and who is) the sole kinsman of the good; for blessed (as he is), he has never had, even for a moment, a passion other than benevolence.

(V. 24) Having come to know that his mind has already been occupied by religious merit, character, compassion, calmness, charity . . . . (and other) adorable excellences, avarice, greed and other (vices) have dwelt away from him

(V.25)When the treasure was exhausted, the elephant force became weak, the people were scattered, the country was infested by famine and reduced to a pitiable state, he, by the might of his policy, rendered the kingdom of his lord, the illustrious Ratnadēva (III)-though it had been involved in great calamities-complete with its seven constituents.^²

(V. 26) Having seen his courage, liberality, discernment, valour fame, good nature, (proficiency in) the Śāstras also his unique (practice of) Chāṇakya's science^³ marked
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¹ There is a play on the word pada here. It means (1) a word and (2) a step in dancing.
² The seven constituents of a State are the king, the prime minister, an ally, a treasure, a kingdom,
a stronghold and an army.
³ I.e., the science of politics.