North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF SARAYUPARA

KASIA STONE INSCRIPTION

had a marvellous form in (this) world, and whose fame spread to the confines of the quarters; with whom, Purūravas, the beautiful-browed Urvaśī enjoyed pleasures here for a long time, rejecting the whole host of gods.

(V. 10) His son was Āyu; he begat Nahusha; from him (was born) that Yayāti. He had five sons Yadu and others. The son of Yadu, named Sahasrada, became a wellknown king. From him again sprang Haihaya, whose extensive dynasty was revered by the three worlds.

(V. 11) In this family gladdened by princes of infinite virtues was born that venerable one who, having the most holy name of Kārtavīrya, governed the earth with (his) merits surpassing those of Pṛithu.

(V. 12) The same path, which was formerly laid down by the self-existent (Brahma) according to the old custom, was followed (by all beings), while he, whose orders were venerated, was the lord (of the earth). What more (need be said)? He knew of the advent of misconduct even in the minds of (his) subjects, appearing immediately (before them) with (his) missiles.^¹

(V. 13) In the dynasty of him of well-known prowess, (adorning) the Kala- churi family (which is) the crest-jewel of the three worlds, there was born (the king) Śaṅkaragaṇa of well-known form, to whom Śiva being pleased instantly granted his own emblem (i. e., the bull).

(V.14) From him, whose fame (spread) up to the ocean which is the garment of the earth, was born Nannarāja, whose rising fortune, honoured by all , shone forth exceedingly owing to the absence of faults and who, like the sun (whose rising splendour, adored by all, shines forth at the close of the night) purifies the earth. . . . . .

(V. 15) The damsels, that were his (i .e., Nannarāja's) forces, longingly looked at the faces of rivers^² (as they were being kissed) by their lord (the ocean), -(the faces) which had for their fresh ornamental mark, newly planted tilaka trees; which appeared more lovely with the play of eyebrows (in the form of the dancing waves); (and) which had blue lotuses for their bright eyes and the petals of (red) lotuses (growing in them) for their reddish, tremulous and smiling lower lips. . . . . .

(V. 16) The son of him (i.e., Nannarāja), who, with the canopy of the creeping plant of his matchless dense fame, had covered the whole expanse of the confines of the quarters, was the illustrious Lakshmaṇarāja (I) who, having destroyed the armies of his enemies, was prowess (itself) in a visible form.

(V. 17) The lord . . . . . having entered with affection the fort . . . . . . afterwards took his abode in the inaccessible place called Śaivaya, situated among mountains, which was the all-in-all of the earth and the residence of Śibi, the son of Uśīnara.

(V. 18) From him was born the lord of the circle of this earth (named)Śivarāja (I) resembling Śiva, who, possessing excellent fame, looked bright with his
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¹ For the idea, compare Raghuvaṁśa, Canto VI, verse 39.
² Sahni took the faces described here to be those of the husbands, which their wives eagerly beheld. Hirananda Sastri, on the other hand, understood this verse to mean that the ocean saw with sur- prise the faces of his wives (i. e., the rivers) adorned by the women in Nannarāja's forces. Both these interpretations appear to be incorrect. No Sanskrit poet would describe men's faces in this manner. The poet does not also want to say that any damsels accompanied his soldiers and adorned the faces of rivers. The word for 'army' used here is sēnā, which, being feminine in gender, suggests the metaphor in the present verse. The forces of Nannarāja looked eagerly at the beautiful scene near the mouths of rivers just as a damsel would look longingly at another lady's face being kissed by her lover ! The poet's in- tention is of course to suggest that Nannarāja's conquests extended to the shores of the ocean.