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

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 15. PLATE IX A. 67
TEXT.¹
1 Siddham² [II*] Yasy³=ôpasthâna-bhûmir=nṛipati-śata-śiraḥ⁴-pâta-vât-âvadhûtâ
2 Guptânâṁ vanśa-jasya pravisṛita-yaśasas=tasya sarvv-ôttam-arddhêḥ
3 râjyê Śakr-ôpamasya kshitipa-śata-patêḥ Skandaguptasya śântê
4 varshê ttriṅśad-daś-aik-ôttaraka-śatatamê Jyêshṭha-mâsi prapannê I(II)
5 Khyâtê=smin=grâma-ratnê Kakubha iti janais=sâdhu-saṁsarga-pûtê I⁵
6 puttrô yas=Sômilasya prachura-guṇa-nidhêr=Bhaṭṭisômô mahât[m]â
7 tat-sûnû Rudrasôma[ḥ*] prithula-mati-yaśâ Vyâghra ity=anya-saṁjñô I⁶
8 Madras=tasy=âtmajô=bhûd=dvija-guru-yatishu prâyaśaḥ prîtimân=yaḥ I(II)
9 Puṇya-skandhaṁ sa chakkrê jagad=idam=akhilaṁ saṁsarad=vîkshya bhîtô
10 śrêyô-rtthaṁ bhûta-bhûtyai pathi niyamavatâm=arhatâm=âdikarttṝn
11 pañch=êndrâṁ(n) sthâpayitvâ dharaṇidharamayân=sannikhâtas=tatô=yam
12 śaila-stambhaḥ su-chârur=giri-vara-śikhar-âgr-ôpamaḥ kîrtti-karttâ [II*]
TRANSLATION.
Perfection has been attained! In the tranquil⁷ reign of Skandagupta, whose hall
of audience is shaken by the wind caused by the falling down (in the act of performing
obeisance) of the heads of a hundred kings; who is born in the lineage of the Guptas;
whose fame is spread far and wide; who excels all others in prosperity; who resembles
(the god) Śakra; (and) who is the lord of a hundred kings;—in the one hundredth year,
increased by thirty and ten and one; the month Jyêshṭha having arrived;—
(Line 5.)—In this jewel of a village, which is known by people under the name of
Kakubha, (and) which is pure from association with holy men,⁸—(there was) the high-
minded Bhaṭṭisôma, who (was) the son of Sômila, that receptacle of many good qualities.
His son (was) Rudrasôma, of great intellect and fame, who had the other appellation of
Vyâghra.⁹ His son was Madra, who (was) especially full of affection for Brâhmans and
religious preceptors and ascetics.
¹ From Gen. Cunningham’s ink-impression, together with the lithograph from which my
lithograph is reduced.
² In the original, this word is in the margin; the si opposite the commencement of line 2, and
the ddham opposite, and partly above, the commencement of line 3.
³ Metre, Sragdharâ, throughout.
⁴ The mark in the original after this visarga would seem to be an accidental slip of the engra-
ver’s tool, rather than intended for a mark of punctuation, which is not required here.
⁵ and ⁶. In each case, the mark of punctuation is unnecessary.
⁷ śântê.—It is unnecessary to explain in detail the interpretation of this word. The difficulty
is,—not the correct rendering of it, which is perfectly obvious,—but to comprehend how it ever came
to be read śântêḥ, and to be interpreted by "of the repose, i.e. death," i.e. "after the decease (of
Skandagupta);" or, being read śântê correctly, to comprehend how it ever came to be interpre-
ted as meaning "(the empire of Skandagupta) being quiescent," or "(the empire of Skandagupta)
being extinct (for the hundred and forty-first year)."—The correct interpretation appears to have
been first pointed out by Bhau Daji; "in the year one hundred and forty-one, in the peaceful reign
of Skandagupta" (Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. VIII. p. 246.)
⁸ The proper context is—"(there was) Madra;" who is mentioned in line 8. The intervening
genealogical matter is by way of a parenthesis.
⁹ For some similar instances of second names, see page 27 above, note 4.
K 2.