North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE SILAHARAS OF KOLHAPUR

TRANSLATION

..(Verse 1). May the resonant utterance of the very name of Ādi-Jina, the very personification of Nārāyaṇdēva, fulfil the desires of the king Gāṇḍaradēva, (who is like) the great wish-fulfilling tree dallying with the creeper that is the damsel of wealth, who is (like) the virtuous Bhīshma, who is born in the family of the Lord of the Vidyādharas, and who is a Nārāyaṇa in comeliness.

..(V. 2). Seeing that the Law of Manu was his own law, the form of Cupid his own form, the family of Jīmūtavāhana, whose greatness was praised all over, his own family, could the lofty fame of the right path, personality and family of this Gaṇḍarādityadēva be ordinary?

..(Line 2). (You), the illustrious Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara Gaṇḍarādityadēva, be victorious !

.. (V. 3). Even as a grove looks beautiful by a tender mango tree, a clear tank by a lotus, an ornament by a ruby, (and) the sky by the moon, so has the lineage of Koṁḍakunda now become purified by a Māghanandi-Muni, who is unwavering in his attachment to the established religious truth (by virtue) of having served at the lotus feet of Kulachaṁdradeva.

.. (V. 4). Who will stand comparison with Champakāmbike whose deity was the Supreme Jina, whose husband is Nākarasa, and whose sons are Bhillarasa, Nimbarasa and Kāvarasa of great fame.

.. (V. 5). Can any queen equal Karṇādēvī, the wife of Gaṇḍaradēva, daughter of Nākirāja and devoted to the feet of Arhaddeva ?

.. (Line 5). Barevarāditya (lit. the sun among writers), a good poet, a Cupid, (among) the reading and the readable . . . . . .

.. (V. 6). The scent-elephant (i.e. the supporter) of Nāgaladēvī, whose food is the magnificent army of the enemy kings, whose bed is the dusty soil of the burnt city of the enemy, whose great fame is his drum of victory—which (elephant) is the very personification of en- chanting glorious valour—has became fit enough to be the royal elephant of his overlord.[1]

.. (V. 7). . . . . . .Well done (by you) Sir ! (in the matter of) interest, taxation or loan on personal security. You have kept up the promise with the countrymen and thus you have become a suppliant for great fame, oh! you, Nākirāja, the Lord of feudatories, Nākarasa great among feudatories, Nāgārjuna, Indra among feudatories.

.. (V. 8). . . . . . .He indeed is the helper who puts to flight the poverty of the world, who is steadfast in his utterances, who gives no scope to untruth, who is endowed with good character, who has arrested (the evil power of ) the Kali Age, who is pure, who has excelled the son of Gaṅgā (i.e. Bhīshma) in purity and the ocean in sagacity. Who is greater than Sāmanta Nimba ?

.. (V. 9). Thus flourished the excellent Nimbadēva, who has made the whole land full of the temples of Jinanātha, the entire country full of Jinēśvara’s . . . . . ., the entire excellent village full of pleasingly good Jainas, the whole surrounding full of the pervasive influence of the words, meanings and essence of the (Jaina) tattva.

.. (V. 10). Why say more? Nimba, a store of all good qualities, is flourishing (being) liked by the modest people through his trustworthiness, and (being ) a shelter to the ascetics through his fourfold gifts.

.. (V. 11). Nimbadeva has caused to be constructed by Indra this temple of Adi-tir-
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[1] This refers to Nimbadēva, who erected the present temple. He is described as the scent-elephant of Nāgaladēvī in No. 49, line 7 also.