North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

I.14 and -punya-, I.4; the anusvara before v is changed to m, and mra is written as mvra in s-amvra-, I.4.

The inscription, called praśasti in line 11, is one of Ghāṭama,^¹ a feudatory of the Kalachuri prince Vāhara. The object of it is apparently to commemorate the death, in battle, of Yaśa, the father-in-law of Ghāṭama. The record was composed by the poet Chandrākara and written on the stone by Māṇḍēka. It was engraved by Vira, the son of Kōsura.

After the customary obeisance to Mahā-Gaṇēśa, the inscription opens with three verses in honour of Gaṇēśa, Ambikā and Murāri (Kṛishṇa).We are next told that in the Lūṇḍēla family was born Karṇadēva. His son Yaśa gave his daughter in marriage to Ghāṭama. After consigning his son Saurīdāsa to Ghāṭama's care and putting him in possession of his territory and treasure, Yaśa attacked some enemies^² whose names are not mentioned. The record next mentions Tējanārāyaṇa who is said to have lost his life on the battlefield.

With verse 9 begins the genealogy of Ghāṭama. In the Chāyuhāna (Chauhāṇ) family there was a prince named Nirdēvala. His son was Bharata. After him is mentioned Ghāṭama who, though it is not expressly stated, was probably his son and successor. Ghāṭama obtained possession of a heaven-like fortress (evidently Kōsaṅga, modern Kosgain) and was greatly favoured by the king Vāhara. His minister was Gōraksha, who had apparently a son named Vaijala. Verse 18 states that Ghāṭama gave cows, yielding good milk and decked with gold and cloth, together with their calves to the poet Chandrākara who composed this praśasti by his order.

The inscription is dated,^³ in line 14, in the year 1570, the cyclic year being Vikrama, on Monday, the thirteenth tithi of the dark fortnight of Āśvina.^⁴ This date must evidently be referred to the Vikrama era. In the northern Vikrama year 1570 expired, the thirteenth tithi of the dark fortnight of the pūrṇimānta Āśvina commenced 2 h. 50 m. after mean sunrise on Monday. The cyclic year was Vikrama according to the northern luni-solar system.^⁵ Though the tithi was not civilly connected with Monday, it must have been so cited because it was current when the inscription was put up. The corresponding Christian date is the 26th September 1513 A.C.

TEXT⁶

¹ His name appears as Ghāṭamma in verses 7, 14 and 17-19 owing the exigencies of the metre.
² They were perhaps the Paṭhāṇas whom Vāhara claims to have vanquished in I.8 of No. 105, above.
³ Hiralal's statement that the inscription has broken off where the year was given is not correct. The figures of the year, though somewhat indistinct, can be read without much difficulty on the original stone.
⁴ There is another date in I.13, viɀ., Wednesday, the 10th tithi of the bright fortnight in the first or intercalary Māgha. There was, however, no intercalary Māgha in or about the Vikrama year 1570.
⁵ According to the southern luni-solar system, it was Śrīmukha.
⁶ From the original stone.
⁷ Metre of verse 1-3: Śārdūlavikriḍita.