North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE SILAHARAS OF NORTH KONKAN

political wisdom taught by (Bṛihaspati) the preceptor of gods; who, having vanquished all enemies in the forefront of the battlefield, ruled over the world, free from trouble.

..(V. 6). From him again sprang his son, the younger Kaparadin (i.e., Kapardin II), the crest-jewel of kings, who was as it were a sharp goad to the elephants in the form of his enemies.; the world being exceedingly whitened by his fame, neither the heavenly elephant (Airāvata) nor the moon nor the milk-ocean could be distinguished.

..(V. 7). From him again sprang his son, the illustrious Vappuvanna, the worthy abode of prosperity, an ornament of royalty, who sanctified the whole circle of the earth. Having one of their tusks forcibly cut off by the creeper-like sword of him who was delighted to fight on the field of battle, all the elephants of the enemies were turned into Vināyakas (i.e. they become Gajānana, who has only one tusk).

.. (V. 8). From him sprang his praiseworthy son, the illustrious Jhañjha, who delighted all people even as the moon does, and who destroyed all blemishes even as the sun dispels all darkness; who erected twelve temples of Śiva, named after himself, which served, as it were, as steps to pious people, ready to repair to the path of heaven.

.. (V. 9). Then there rose his brother, the illustrious Gōggirāja, who, having a mass of brilliant fame, brightened the entire circle of the earth, and who was mighty among the mighty; when that king bent down in the act of drawing (the string of ) his bow, Bhīshma, Drōṇa, the son of Pṛithā (i.e. Arjuna) and others felt surprised in their minds.

[For the translation of verses 10 and 11, see that of verses 8 and 9 of the Ṭhāṇā plates (No. 8).]

..(V. 12) Then there was his son, Vajjaḍadēva by name, proficient in political wisdom, the crest-jewel of all kings. Even now all people extol his deeds, with their creeper-like limbs clad in the robes of horripillation.

.. (V. 13). Then was born his brother, king Arikēsarin, who was honoured by wise people and who had grace of the thunderbolt in destroying the principal mountains which were his arrogant foes, Even in his childhood he marched with his army and having seen God Sōmēsvara, he made an offering of the whole to him by the command of his father, and then returned (to his country).

[ For the translation of v. 14, see that of verse 11 in the Bhāṇḍup plates (No. 9)].

.. (Line 27). Now, while the Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara, the illustrious Chhintarājadēva−who, by his merit, has obtained the right to the five mahāśabdas and who is adorned with all royal titles such as Mahāsāmantādhipati, ‘the lord of the city of Tagara,’ ‘a king of the Śilāhāra family’, ‘a scion of the family of Jīmūtāvāhana,’ ‘(he) who has the ensign of the golden Garuḍa,’ ‘(he) who is a born Vidyādhara’, ‘(he) who is an ocean of pride,’ ‘(he) who has surpassed the world in liberality’, ‘(he) who is an admantine cage to suppliants’ and so forth−is ruling over the whole Koṅkaṇa country, consisting of fourteen hundred villages headed by Purī, together with several maṇḍalas conquered by his arm, and while his Mahāmātya, the illustrious Nāgaṇaiya, and his Mahāsāndhivigrahika, the illustrious Nāupaiya are shouldering the burden of the cares of his government,−at this time the Mahāmaṇḍalēśvara, the illustrious Chhintarājadēva addresses, with salutation, worship and respect, all assembled princes, counsellers, the family priest, the ministers, the principal and subordinate Officers, whether connected with him or not, as well as the heads of the rāshṭras, vishayas, towns, villages, officials and non-officials, government servants and village-people, and also artisans, guilds and the three classes of of townsmen, and others as follows:-

..“Be it known to you that realising that prosperity is unsteady, youth is momentary, and life lies in the jaws of Death, and that youth is being devoured by the demoness in the form of Old Age, who is hidden inside (the body), that the pangs of separation after union with one’s dear ones are like those caused by falling into a hell after dwelling in heaven, that the