गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 14, PLATE VIII. 63
(L. 9.)—(And it was this same Parṇadatta) who, with pressing (and) with diffi-
culty, was appointed by the lord of kings, who had thus deliberated in his mind for many
days and nights, to protect in a proper manner the land of the Surâshṭras. (And) just as
the gods became comfortable, (and) not disturbed in mind, when they had appointed
Varuṇa to the western point of the compass, so the king was easy at heart, when he had
appointed Parṇadatta over the region of the west.
(L. 10.)—His son,—possessed of a filial disposition; his own self, as it were, re-
duplicated; well trained by self-control; worthy to be protected, as if it were his own self,
by the all-pervading spirit; always self-possessed; endowed with a naturally beautiful form;
having a disposition the whole of which was always pervaded with joy through a variety of
charming actions that were in accordance with (his) beauty; having a waterlily of a face
that resembled a bed of waterlilies in full bloom; the refuge of men who came to him for
protection,—was this same one who is renowned on the earth under the name of Chakra-
pâlita; who is beloved of the people; and who confers distinction upon (his) father by his
own noble qualities which are everything except unpolished:—
(L. 11.)—In whom all these qualities dwell to a marked degree, (and) without ever
wandering away (from him),—viz. patience; lordship; modesty; and good behaviour; and
heroism without (too) great an estimation of prowess; eloquence (?); self-control; liber-
ality; and high-spiritedness; civility; the acquittance of debts and obligations; and free-
dom from empty-headedness; beauty; and reprobation of things that are not right; absence
of astonishment; firmness; and generosity. Even in the whole world there is no one to
be found, in whom a comparison with his virtues may be made; verily he has become,
in all entireness, the standard of comparison for men who are endowed with virtuous
qualities.
(L. 12.)—(And it was he) who was appointed by (his) father, after testing in person
(the existence in him of) these same qualities mentioned above, and higher ones even than
them; and who then accomplished the protection of (this) city in a way that quite distin-
guished him above his predecessors. Relying upon the process of his own two excel-
lent arms (?), not on the pride of any other man, he subjected no one in this city to any
anxiety; and he punished wicked people. Even in this time which is a mean one, he
failed not to maintain confidence in the people, together with the inhabitants of the city;
and, by carefully inquiring into faults, he has charmed all the citizens, together with ....
..... and children. And he has made (his) subjects happy by conversations addressed
with smiles, and marks of honour, and presents; by free and reciprocal entering into (each
other's) houses; (and) by carefully nourishing the family ceremonies of affection. En-
dowed with the highest piety, affable, pure, (and) in a suitable manner devoted to charity,
he has, even without any conflict between religion and wealth, applied himself to such
pleasures as may be attained at the proper time. What wonder is there in the fact that
he, [born] from Parṇadatta, is possessed of such proper behaviour?; can heat ever be
produced from the moon, which is cold like a string of pearls or like a waterlily?
(L. 15.)—Then, in due course of time, there came the season of clouds, bursting
asunder with (its) clouds the season of heat, when much water rained down unceasingly
for a long time; by reason of which (the lake) Sudarśana suddenly burst,—making the
calculation in the reckoning of the **Guptas,**¹ in a century of years, increased by thirty and
¹ See page 57 above, note 4.