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North
Indian Inscriptions |
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INSCRIPTIONS OF THE SILAHARAS OF NORTH KONKAN
..The importance of the present inscription lies in this that it is the earliest inscription of
the Śilāhāras and is also the only inscription of the Śilāhāra king Pullaśakti. It shows that
Buddhism was flourishing in Western Mahārāshṭra even in the second half of the ninth
century A.D.
..As for the localities mentioned in the present inscription, Kṛīshṇagiri is the hill of
Kānhērī where the cave is excavated. Kōṅkaṇa including Purī and other places is North
Koṅkaṇ, of which the ancient capital was Purī. The location of Purī is not yet quite certain.
Some identify it with the island of Elephanta near Bombay, but, as pointed out by Cousens,
this island, during the greater part of the monsoon is cut off to a great extent by rough seas.
Cousens proposed to locate the place at a site about a mile north of Mārol village in the island
of Sāshṭī, where extensive ruins of old temples are noticed. The site is not, however, known
by the name of Purī. Another identification suggested is with Rājapurī in the former Janjīrā
State; but this place would be too far south for a capital of North Koṅkaṇ. The identification
of Purī will have to be left for further research. It is noteworthy that Purī is not mentioned here as the then capital of the Śilāhāras. It is coupled with Koṅkaṇ only to signify
that North Koṅkaṇ was meant thereby.
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[1] From inked estampages kindly supplied by Mr. M.N. Deshpande.
[2] Expressed by a symbol. Kielhorn took it as representing ōm, but in early records it stands for siddham. This
word is clearly mentioned in the beginning of the Cḥipḷuṇ stone inscription (No. 28).
[3] Read महाराजस्य.
[4] Kielhorn proposed to read सर्व्वत:, but usually समग्र occurs in this context.
[5] Kielhorn proposed to read तत्पादानुजीवी, but the mātrā of the medial ō of dō is clear and the following
akshara also appears to be प. So पादोपजीवी, which 4occurs in this context, is the probable reading.
[6] These aksharas are now uncertain. They are so in West’s eye-copy also. I have given Kielhorn’s reading
here.
[7] All these aksharas are uncertain both in the estampage and in West’s eye-copy. I have given Kielhorn’s
reading here.
[8] Kielhorn reads चीवरीभ्यो.
[9] These aksharas also are equally uncertain. I have given Kielhorn’s reading here too.
[10] These aksharas also are uncertain. I have adopted Kielhorn’s reading.
[11] Kielhorn’s reading काञ्चनद्रम्मशतं, which has misled scholars, is clearly wrong. Both the estampage
and the eye-copy substantiate the reading given above.
[12] Read एते द्रम्मा:.
[13] Kielhorn read सम्व. But the eye-copy shows word to be सम्वत. Read संवत्.
[14] These figures have disappeared completely. They do not appear in West’s eye-copy. Kielhorn also was
doubtful about them.
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