North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF SARAYUPARA

Seal
[SANSKRIT]

TRANSLATION

Success! Hail!

(Verse 1) There was (born) the moon, the son of Atri, the source of nectar, and the crest-jewel of the conqueror of the god of love, who, being possessed of gentle lustre, dispels darkness. From him was born Budha possessed of greater fortune, who, being a repository of knowledge as stainless as night-lotuses, has attained the (highest)limit of eulogy in the midst of a host of planets.

(V. 2) His offspring was Purūravas, the lord of the world, the repository of lustre (and) the abode of humility, whose louts-like feet were kissed by the crest-jewels of numerous kings, (and) who had (always) in front of him his beloved Urvaśī.

(V. 3) The wise Nahusha was born from him,^⁵who, having practised a lot of penance, deprived the god Indra of his sleep, making him falsely apprehensive of losing his position.^⁶ In his race was (born) Haihaya, who bore the yoke of the earth (surrounded by ) the seven oceans which he had conquered. His descendant was the king Kṛitavīrya, the guardian of the path (i. e., religion) laid down by the three Vēdas.

(V. 4 ) From that lord was (born) the illustrious Arjuna, the son of Kṛitavīrya, the dust of whose lotus-like feet was mingled with the lustre of the crest-jewels of the princes who were constantly bowing to them; who, being the foremost among the mighty, successively overthrew with the slightest effort, since his childhood, peerless princes who had the fever of arms.⁷

(V. 5) In the family descended from him there was born one, the dust of the pair of whose lotus-like feet fell on the heads of rows of king bowing to him; who occupied Kālañjara in order to overrun gradually and conquer Ayōmukha ; and who was wild fire to the old forest which was the active army of the enemy.

(V. 6) He, the ornament of the Kalachuris, having subdued his adversaries, made over the kingdom to his younger brother. He, the illustrious Lakshmaṇarāja, in turn conquered (the country of ) Śvētapada.
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^¹ Read कमलदलाम्बुबिन्दुलोलां.
^² Metre: Pushpitāgrā.
^³ Read संवत..
^⁴ Read तस्या-.
^⁵ According to the Purāṇas, Nahusha was a grandson, not a son, of Purūravas, being the son of Āyu ; see, e. g., Agnipurāṇa, ch. 274, v. 16.
^⁶ Nahusha himself actually lost the position of Indra, but this verse being in praise of him, the expres sion nija-pada- etc., is to be taken with Indraḥ. See above p. 386, n. 8.
^⁷ I. e., who were proud of their valour.