North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE SILAHARAS OF NORTH KONKAN

TRANSALTION

Success ! Om ! Obeisance to Vinayaka !

..(Verse 1) I bow to the God Shumpesvara[5], who is the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the world (and) who removes all miseries of (his ) devotees !

.. (V.2) There is the illustrious king Kēśi[dēva], son of King Aparārka (II), who is a gem adorning the illustrious family of the Vidyādharas (and ) who is well-known in the family of Jīmūtakētu. Having seen the mode of the administration of him who is a store of immeasurable and holy valour, the divine Earth does not remember (with regret ) (the ancient) kings such as Rama.

..(Line 5) In the Śaka year 1161[6], the cyclic year being Vikārin, on the holy occasion of the Śivarātri, on Tuesday, the fourteenth tithi‒(in figures) 14‒in the dark fortnight of Māgha‒on this day, here during the beneficial and victorious reign of the Mahārājādhirāja, Kōṅkaṇa-chakravartin, the illustrious Kēśidēva adorned with all royal titles, while the (following) ministers are bearing the burden of the cares of the whole kingdom (entrusted to them) by his favour, viz. the Mahāmātya, the illustrious Jhampaḍaprabhu,[7] the Mahāsāndhivigrahika Rājadēva Paṇḍita, and the State Treasury officer Anantaprabhu and others,‒at such a time the royal order for the gift of the village Brahmapurī is being written as follows :‒

.. (V. 3) The brave and illustrious king Kēśī, whose heart is wholly[8] and always devoted to the worship of the holy Shōmpēśvara has caused to be established the wonderful and famous Brahmapurī attractive on account of the mount-like temple of Purāri (Śiva), to be enjoyed by the descendants of the worthy Brāhmaṇa Sōmanāyaka[9].

.. (Line 14) The names of the Brāhmaṇas are recorded here :‒Sōmanāyaka, Sūryanāyaka, Gōvindanāyaka, Nāūnāyaka‒these are the four Brāhmaṇas.

.. (V. 4) The illustrious king Kēśin (II) has granted, in the presence of the holy Shōmpēśvara, Māñjasapallī, included in the village Bōpagrāma, free from all obligations, extending to its boundaries, to be enjoyed as long as the moon, the sun and the stars endure, for the all-time maintenance of the multitude of Brāhmaṇas who will worship Purāri (Siva).
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[1] Dikshit’s reading धि(धी)मता does not suit the metre and is not supported by the facsimile.
[2] Metre : Śārdūlavikrīḍita.
[3] These seven aksharas cannot be read satisfactorily. धर्मध्वंसे हि जायते सर्वदा नरकस्थिति: may be suggested as a possible reading.
[4] Metre of this and the next verse: Anushṭubh.
[5] The text reads Shumpēśvara here Shōmpēśvara in line 11. Dikshit suggested its correction as Sōmēśvara.
[6] Dikshit read the Śaka year as 1162. But see the discussion above, p. 170.
[7] Mahāmātya Jhampaḍaprabhu is mentioned also in the Rānvaḍ and Chāñjē stone inscriptions, dated Śaka 1181 and 1182 respectively. See below, Nos. 38 and 39. The Treasury Minister Anantapai mentioned in the Bassein inscription of Mallikārjuna, dated Śaka 1083, and Pareḷ inscription of Aparāditya II, dated 1108, may have been an ancestor of the Anantaprabhu mentioned here. See Nos. 29 and 32.
[8] Dikshit read Sa(Śa)rvātmajaḥ in place of sarvāntaraḥ in V. 3, but Śarva is not known as the name of Kēśidēva’s father, Aparāditya II.
[9] This shows that the three Brāhmaṇas named after Sōmanāyaka in lines 14-15 were the sons of that Brāhmaṇa.