South Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE MINISTERS AND FEUDATORIES OF THE
VATSAGULMA BRANCH

... (V. 19). The son of Hastibhōja, renowned on earth, became the minister of that king . . . . . . whole earth . . . . . . . . . . .

... (V. 20). Beloved by the king and the subjects, he, who was of staid and firm mind, endowed with the virtues of liberality, forgiveness and generosity, and intent on (the performance of ) religious duty, governed the country righteously, (shining) brightly with the rays of his fame, religious merit and virtue.

...(V. 21). He amassed a large store of religious merit for . . . . . . especially, after which he, [regarding] the sacred law as his (only) companion, made this sacred dwelling,¹ being extremely devoted to (the Buddha), the teacher of the world.

... (V. 22). [Realising that] life, youth wealth and happiness are transitory, . . . . . he, for the sake of his father and mother, caused to be made this excellent dwelling to be occupied by the best of ascetics.

...(V. 23). On the best of mountains, on which hang multitudes of water-laden clouds (and) which is inhabited by the lords of serpents . . . . . . . in the thickets of the slopes (?) of which . . . . . . . . by the lord of the goddess of heroism.

...( V. 24). [The dwelling] which is adorned with windows, doors, beautiful picture-galleries², ledges, statues of the nymphs of Indra and the like, which is ornamented with beautiful pillars and stairs, and has a temple of the Buddha inside.

...(V. 25). Which is situated on the top (of the mountain), appears attractive . . . . . . . a canopy, which is provided with a large reservoir of abundant water and is also ornamented with a shrine of the lord of the Nāgas³ and the like.

...(V. 26) . . . . . . . . . various pleasures . . . . . . . . in a fierce wind blowing all round . . . . . . . warmed by the heat of the rays of the summer sun and affording enjoyment of well-known comforts in all seasons.

... (V. 27). [Which resembles] the palaces of the lord gods and is similar to a cave in the lovely Mandara mountain . . . . . . . . as desired by the people.

... (V. 28). which . . . . . . shines on (the slopes of) this matchless mountain . . . . . . since it removes fatigue.

... (V. 29). The cave on this (mountain) . . . . . . clothed in the brilliance of Indra’s crown, which the people, with their love expanding through joy and gratification, have named –viśāla⁴ .

...(V. 30). Having presented (the cave) with devotion to the Community of Monks, Varāhadēva together with the multitude of his relatives, having enjoyed royal pleasures, ruled righteously, being praised like Sugata ( i.e. the Buddha).

... (V. 31). As long as . . . . . . with the multitude of the hoods of serpents resembling crowding clouds . . . . . . as long as the sun [shines] with rays red like fresh red arsenic,−even so long may this spotless cave containing an excellent hall (maṇḍapa) dedicated to the three ratnas, be enjoyed !

...(V. 32). [May] this mountain, the peak of which contains various (types of) caves which is inhabited by great people . . . . . . and may the whole world also, getting rid of its manifold sins, enter that tranquil and whole state, free from sorrow and pain !
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¹ Kārā seems to have been used here in the unusual sense of ‘a place of worship’. It may be noted that kāra in Pali means ‘an act of worship’ or ‘homage’. Bühler translated, ‘He made a prison (?) all round for the teacher of the world’.
² Su-vīthi was translated as ‘splendid verandahs’ by Bhagvanlal and as ‘beautiful terraces’ by Bühler. It probably refers to the picture-galleries in the cave. Cf. vīthikā used in the Uttararāmacharita, Act I. Burgess thought that the chaitya-mandiram must be structural and outside; but it undoubtedly refers to the shrine containing a colossal statue of the Buddha at the back of the cave.
³ This refers to the shrine of the Nāga Rāja ‘in the staircase leading down from the front of the cave’. ⁴ Cave XVI seems to have borne a name ending in visala.