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

50 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
"in Saurâshṭra, Kachchh, Lâṭadêśa, and Mâlava. The Vâḷâs were a branch of the Geh-
"lots. After the fall of Valabhî, the Vâḷâ governor of Wâmanasthalî became indepen-
"dent. Râma Râjâ had no son; but his sister was married to the Râjâ of Nagar Ṭhâṭha,"
&c. This story was criticised by Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar in the Ind. Ant. Vol. III. p. 303;
his opinion being that "the tradition itself, though interesting, as giving the truth gene-
"rally, cannot be considered to be true in the particulars; . . . . . . . . . . it simply gives
"us what was known before, that the Valabhîs succeeded the Guptas." In reply to this,
and in defence of the supposed tradition, Mr. Thomas¹ said that it "may be imperfect, as
"such old-world tales are liable to become; but there is an instructive confirmation of
"one obscure portion of the earlier history given by the Muhammadan inquirer,² and a
"clear explanation of the causes of the local transfer of power, combined with an impor-
"tant reference to the conventional imperial delegation of authority to a son, as well as an
"indication of the length of the reigns of two kings, to be found nowhere else; and, to
"complete the tale, we trace in its details, a fully reasonable accord with the more precise
"data furnished by inscriptions and coins." Of course, this supposed tradition is of that
half-perfect kind which carries its own confirmation with it; if we could but accept it.
Nothing is more natural, for instance, than the introduction of the termination pâla into
the middle of the name of Kumâragupta; and than the substitution of Prâṇadatta and
Chakrapâṇi for the Parṇadatta, and his son Chakrapâlita, of the Junâgaḍh rock inscription
of Skandagupta, and of Bhaṭṭâraka for Bhaṭârka, as the name of the upstart Sênâpati.
But no further attention need be paid to the matter; since I have it on the best possible
authority,—that of Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji himself,—that the supposed tradition has only
sprung into existence within the last fifteen or twenty years, and owes its origin only to
certain speculations of his, which found their way to the bards through an educational
treatise! It simply furnishes an instance of the extreme suspicion with which we must
view every Hindu historical legend.
In 1874, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. XLIII. Part I. p. 363 ff., the question was
considered by Dr. Rajendralala Mitra, in then bringing to notice the Indôr grant of
Skandagupta, No. 16, page 68. He introduced (id. p. 369 ff.) a new, and perfectly gra-
tuitous, point in the Kahâum pillar inscription, by connecting the word śântê, in line 3,
with varshê, in line 4; and, hankering after the meanings given by Mr. Prinsep and
Dr. Hall, to the word śânta in particular, though he aimed also at giving to the whole verse
a purport which should be more correct than that made out by them, and should be an im-
provement even on Dr. Bhau Daji's translation, he translated (id. p. 371) "in the empire
"of Skandagupta; the year one hundred and forty-one having passed away." The paper
adds nothing of any value to the general discussion; beyond (id. p. 371) following, in con-
tradiction to Dr. F. E. Hall, Prof. H. H. Wilson's rendering of the expression in the Mahâ-
¹ Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. II. p. 30. ² i.e. Albêrûnî.