North Indian Inscriptions

MISCELLANEOUS INSCRIPTIONS

AMARAKANTAK STATUE INSCRIPTION :YEAR 922

mentioned by Sir A. Cunningham's Assistant, Mr. Beglar^¹, and finally noticed by Mr. R. D. Banerji in his Progress Report of the Archæological Survey, Western Circle, for 1920-21, P. 55. It is edited here for the first time from excellent impressions kindly supplied by the Superintendent, Archæological Survey, Central Circle, Patna.

The inscription is incised on the pedestal of a statue at Amarakaṇţak in Vindhya Pradesh. The statue is of a male person sitting cross-legged with hands clasped in adoration and holding a lotus-bud. On either side of him stands a female figure with a fly-whisk in her right hand. On his head there is an umbrella and on either side of it, a Gandharva carrying a garland.

The inscription contains four lines on the proper right and one line giving the date on the left. It is in a perfect state of preservation. The average size of the letters in the lines on the proper right is .4'' and in that on the left is .5'' . The characters are Nāgarī. The form of ksh in li(lē)khan-ādhyaksha-and Mādhavāksha in line 1 is noteworthy. The language is Sanskrit. Except for the date, the inscription is metrically composed. There are only two verses, both of which are numbered.

The object of the inscription is to record that the statue is an exact representation of Nārāyaṇa, the son of Mādhavāksha who was the Superintendent of Writing 'here at Ratnapura'. The wording of the description suggests that the statue was made at Ratnapura and later on removed to Amarakaṇṭak.

The inscription is dated in the year 922 (expressed in decimal figures only) of an unspecified era. This date. judged by the characters, must be referred to the Kalachuri era. As an expired year, it would correspond to 1170-71 A. C.

TRANSLATION

(Verse 1) There was here, at the famous Ratnapura, a learned Superintendent of Writing, well-known by the name of Madhavāksha, who was a wish-fulfilling tree to (all) creatures.

(V. 2) He had a son named Nārāyaṇa who was (like) Arjuna in archery. This statue has been caused to be made of him, resembling him in form and excellence. The year 922.
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¹ C. A. S. I. R., Vol VII, pp. 233 ff.
² From ink impressions.
³ Expressed by a symbol.
⁴ The aksara appears more like Ku than ksha
⁵ Metre of this and the next verse: Anushṭubh.
⁶ This letter appears clearly as षि in the impressions.
⁷ The sense requires स्वरुपगुणतुल्या which, however, would not suit the metre. Read स्वरुपगुणसदृशी