North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF RATANPUR

KUGDA STONE INSCRIPTION OF PRITHVIDEVA II : YEAR 893

wife, even though he was a dear lover of fame and was a favourite of . . . . .

(V. 4) [There was born] from him the illustrious Ratnadēva (II) . . . . . . . .[a multitude of hostile kings moving on the border of the battlefield]; . . . . . . . . who was the moon to the ocean of friendly persons; who was the resting place of courteous conduct and whose feet were caressed by the heads of a crowd of princes.

(V. 5) He whose great valour is caused by the gifts of the best jewels of various kinds, knows^¹ not . . . . .being protected by his obeisance to the sole god Hari.

(V. 6) (This verse is completely lost.)

(V. 7) . . . . [His son was Harigaṇa by name, a swan to the lotus plant which was] the service of the feet of Hari and Hara.

(V. 8) . . . . . . . . . . He had a modest wife who was like the goddess of for- tune (and) like Satī in her husband's home in the midst of prosperity in all matters.

(V. 9) On her [was begotten by him a son] Vallabharāja by name, who robbed lustre from the clusters of lotuses which were the families of his foes. . . . . .

(V.10) [Having not seen a suitable illustration and having not heard of one in (this) Kali age, in (respect of) horse-riding, acquaintance with numerous and] various (branches of) knowledge, [healing and appreciation of a multitude of noble qualities], [the crowd of poets] observed silence in eulogising him.

(V.11) Being vehemently fond of the sport of capturing [elephants on earth, he has made the whole Vindhya forest devoid of elephants and having humbled, through (his) lord, the king of Gauḍa who, like Indra, was the lord of elephants, the valiant (Vallabharāja) day by day] turned the enemy's city into a Vindhya tract for the capture of (his) elephants.

(V.12) While his lord was looking on, [the wise (Vallabharāja) dealt blows (?) on the hostile kings] from behind and before and adorned [his lord] in the centre of the great arena of the battlefield with [pearls scattered from the frontal globes of rutting elephants, just then cut off.]

(V.13) He who was praised through poetry, [who advanced a long distance for the destruction of the redoubtable and mighty enemy, who was congratulated by the gracious lord . . . . ] the valiant one, whose fortune shines as if because it has obtained a footing of valour.

(V.14) [While his fame is] roaming at will in every direction, [the world shines] appearing lovely as it were at all times, [as though it has bathed in the milky ocean or has been carved out of the stones of the crystal mountain (Kailāsa).]

(V.15) [When he confers wealth on suppliants] in this world, the kalpa tree . . . . . . [engages itself in fetching water and other things . . . .]

(V.16) Having realized on reflection that the world is decayed and rotten (he) .. . . . . . . . . . .

(Verses 17-27 are completely effaced.)
(V. 28) May (this) meritorious work endure so long as . . . . . confers. . . . . . . .
(Verse 29 is entirely lost.)

In the Kalachuri year 893, [during the reign of ] the king, the illustrious Pṛithvīdeva (II).
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¹ Verses 5 and 6 probably contained a glorification of Dēvarāja and Rāghava, the grandfather and father, respectively, of Harigaṇa. 29