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

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 12, PLATE VI B. 51
(L. 4.)— . . . . . . . . . . . . both the deceased ancestors and the gods, with the oblations
proper for each of them;¹ . . . . . . . always . . . . . . . . . . . things that are injurious to
man, &c.
(L. 5.)— . . . . . . . . . . . caused to be made a group of temples, not [rivalled by] any-
thing else that could be compared with it in the world.
(L. 6.)— . . . . . . . . . . . assuredly in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . which is beautiful with the
erection of (this) best of columns.
(L. 7.)— . . . . . . . . . . . of the trees . . . . . . . . . . . the groups of fig-trees and castor-
oil plants, the tops of which are bent down by the weight of (their) flowers.
(L. 8.)— . . . . . . . . . . . by (the presence of) Bhadrâryâ, the house shines . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . the sky laden with fresh clouds.
(L. 9.)— . . . . . . . . . . . headed by (the god) Skanda, and by the divine Mothers, on
the earth, . . . . . . . . . . . mankind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(L. 10.)— . . . . . . . . . . . [he] made, indeed, the erection of (this) sacrificial post
. . . . . . . . . . . Bhadrâryâ and others . . . . . . . . . . . . . in (the village (?) called)
Skandaguptabaṭa (?), 30 (and) 5 shares . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(L. 12.)— . . . . . . . . . . . if there be any misdeed on the part of (his) father (or) his
mother, let him share . . . . . . . .
(L. 13.)— . . . . . . . . . . . in the agrahâra of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 shares . . . . .
. . . . . . . . by Anantasêna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Second Part.
(L. 14.)— . . . . . . . . . . . . The son of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious
Samudragupta,—who was the exterminator [of all kings]; who had no antagonist (of
equal power) in the world; [whose fame was tasted by the waters of the four oceans];
who was equal to (the gods) [Dhanada and Varuṇa] and Indra and Antaka; [who was the
very axe] of (the god) Kṛitânta; [who was the giver of many millions of lawfully acquired
cows and gold]; who was the restorer of the aśvamêdha-sacrifice, that had been [long]
in abeyance; [who was the son of the son's son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Gupta];
who was the son's son of [the Mahârâja, the illustrious] Ghaṭôtkacha; (and) who was
[the son] of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, [the glorious Chandragupta (I.), (and) the
daughter's son of Lichchhavi], begotten on the Mahâdêvî Kumâradêvî,—
(L. 19.)—(was) the most devout worshipper of the Divine One, the Mahârâjâdhirâja,
[the glorious Chandragupta (II.)],—who was accepted by him;² [who was begotten on]
the Mahâdêvî [Dattadêvî]; (and) [who was himself without an antagonist (of equal
power.)]
(L. 21.)—[His son], who meditated on [his feet], (and) [who was begotten] on the
Mahâdêvî Dhruvadêvî, (was) [the most devout worshipper of the Divine One], [the
Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Kumâragupta].
(L. 22.)--[His] son, who meditated on his feet, (is) [the most devout worshipper of
the Divine One, the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious] Skandagupta.
¹ lit. “with the havya (the oblation to the gods) and the kavya (the oblation to deceased ances-
tors).”
² i.e. by Samudragupta; see page 12 above, note 1.
U O

52 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
(L. 24.)—[I], the most devout worshipper of the Divine One, [the Mahârâjâdhirâja,
the glorious Skandagupta, issue a command] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of the town
of Ajapura in the . . . . . vishaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a perpetual endowment
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a village-field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the Uparika,¹ the
Kumârâmâtya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . acquired by the merchant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
in the seat (of office) (?) of the Âgrahârika,² the Śaulkika,³ and the Gaulmika⁴ . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and others who subsist on Our favour :—
(L. 31.)—" I have been requested by . . . . . varman,—‘ By my father’s father,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by the Bhaṭṭa Guhilasvâmin, . . . . . . . . . . . . . belonging to
Bhadrâryâ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .”

No. 13; PLATE VII.

BHITARI STONE PILLAR INSCRIPTION OF SKANDAGUPTA.

THE column containing this inscription appears to have been discovered in 1834 by
Mr. Tregear; but the inscription itself was not observed till a short time afterwards, when
General Cunningham found it, on clearing away the earth from the lower part of the shaft.
The discovery was announced in 1836, by Mr. James Prinsep, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc.
Vol. V. p. 661. And the inscription was first brought to notice in 1837, in the same Jour-
nal, Vol. VI. p. 1 ff., where the Rev. W. H. Mill published his reading of the text, and a
translation of it, accompanied by a lithograph (marked id. Vol. V. Plate xxxii.), reduced
by Mr. Prinsep from a copy made by General Cunningham.⁵—In 1871, in the Archæol.
Surv. Ind. Vol. I. p. 98 and Plate xxx., General Cunningham published another lithograph of
the inscription.—In 1875, in the Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. X. p. 59 ff., Dr. Bhau Daji
published a revised reading of the text, and a translation of it, accompanied by a lithograph,
from a hand-copy made by Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji.⁶—And finally, in 1885, in the Jour. Bo.
Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. XVI. p. 349 ff., Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji has given his own reading of
the text, and a translation of it, with another lithograph reduced from his hand-copy.
Bhitari⁷ is a village about five miles to the north-east of Sayyidpur,⁸ the chief
town of the Sayyidpur Tahsil or Sub-Division of the Ghâzîpur⁹ District in the North-West
Provinces. The red-sandstone column on which the inscription is, stands just outside the
¹ Uparika is a technical official title, the exact purport of which is not known, and a suitable
rendering of which cannot be offered at present.
² Âgrahârika is a technical official title, denoting probably ‘an officer in special charge of
an agrahâra.’
³ Śaulkika is a technical official title, which might be rendered by some such term as ‘superintend-
ent of tolls or customs (śulka).’
⁴ Gaulmika is a technical official title, which might be rendered by ‘superintendent of woods
and forests (gulma).’
⁵ The translation is reprinted in Thomas’ edition of Prinsep’s Essays, Vol. I. p. 242 f.
⁶ This paper was not published till 1875; but it was read before the Society four years earlier,
on the 13th April 1871.
⁷ The ‘Bhitari, Bhitree, Bhitrî, and Bihtarî,’ of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 103. Lat.
25° 35' N.; Long. 83° 17' E.
⁸ The ‘Saidpur and Sydpoor’ of maps, &c.
⁹ The ‘Ghazeepoor’ of maps.

village, on the south side. The inscription is on the eastern face of the square base of the
column ; and the bottom line is only a few inches above the level of the ground.
The writing, which covers a space of about 2' 4½" high by 2' 2¼" broad, has suffered
very much from the effects of the weather ; also the stone has peeled off in a few places ; and
there is a crack running vertically down the inscription, near the left side. With care, how-
ever, nearly the whole of the inscription is legible, on the original stone, with certainty ; and
nothing of a historical nature seems to be lost.—The size of the letters varies from ¼" to 7/16".
The characters belong to the northern class of alphabets, and, though more squarely cut,
are of the same type with those of the Mathurâ inscription of Chandragupta II., No. 4,
p. 25 ff. above, Plate iiiA.—The language is Sanskrit ; and the inscription is in prose as far
as the middle of line 6, and the rest in verse.—In respect of orthography, we have to notice
(1) the use of the guttural nasal, instead of the anusvâra, before ś, in vaṅśa, lines 7, 13,
and 14; (2) the doubling of k, in conjunction with a following r, in vikkramêṇa and
kkramêṇa, line 9; (3) the doubling of t, under the same circumstances, in pauttrasya,
line 3 (but not in prapautrasya, line 2 ; putras, line 4 ; and other places) ; and (4) the
doubling of dh, in conjunction with a following y, in anuddhyâta, line 5
The inscription is one of the Early Gupta king Skandagupta. It is not dated.
It belongs to the Vaishṇava form of religion ; and the object of it is to record the instal-
lation of an image of the god Vishṇu, under the name of Śârṅgin or "the wielder of the
bow of horn named Sârṅga," and the allotment, to the idol, of the village, not mentioned
by name, in which the column stands.
TEXT.¹
1 [Siddham²] [||] [Sar]vva-râj[ô]chchh[ê]ttuḥ pṛithivyâm=a-pratirathasya chatur-
udadhi-salil-[â]svâdita-yaśasô Dhanada-Varuṇ-Endr-[Â]ntaka-sa[masya]
2 Kṛitânta-paraśôḥ nyây-âgat-[â]nêka-gô-hiraṇya-k[ô]ṭi-pradasya chir-ô[t]sann-
âśvamêdh-âharttur=mahârâja-śrî-Gupta-prapautra[sya]
3 mahârâja-śrî-Ghaṭôtkacha-pauttrasya mahârâjâdhirâja-śrî-Chandragupta-
putrasya Lichchhavi-dauhitrasya mahâdêvyâṁ Kum[â]rad[ê]vyâ-
4 m=utpannasya mahârâjâdhirâja-śrî-Samudraguptasya putras=tat-parigṛihîtô
mahâdêvyân=Dattadêvyâm=utpannaḥ svayam=a-pratirathaḥ
5 paramabhâgavato mahârâjâdhirâja-śrî-Chandraguptas=tasya putras=tat-pâd-
ânuddhyâtô mahâdêvyâṁ Dhruvadêvyâm=utpannaḥ parama-
6 bhâgavatô mahârâjâdhir[â]ja-śrî-Kumâraguptas=Tasya [। ] Prathita³-pṛithu-
mati-svabhâva-śaktêḥ pṛithu-yaśasaḥ pṛithivîpatêḥ pṛithu-śrîḥ
7 pi[tri]-pa[r]igata-pâdapadma-varttî prathita-yaśâḥ pṛithivîpatiḥ sutô=yam [॥]
Jagati⁴ bhu[ja]-bal-âḍyô(dhyô) Gupta-vaṅś-aika-vîraḥ prathita-vipula-
8 dhâmâ nâmataḥ Skandaguptaḥ sucharita-charitânâṁ yêna vṛittêna vṛittaṁ
na vihatam=amal-âtmâ tâna-dhîdâ(?)-vinîtaḥ [॥] Vinaya-
9 bala-sunîtair=vvikkramêṇa kkramêṇa pratidinam=abhiyôgâd=îpsitam yêna
la[b]dhvâ svabhimata-vijigîshâ-prôdyatânâṁ parêshâṁ praṇi-
10 hita iva lê[bhê sa]mvidhân-ôpadêśaḥ [॥*] Vichalita-kula-lakshmî-stambhanây=
ôdyatêna kshititala-śayanîyê yêna nîtâ triyâmâ samu-
¹ From the original column.
² There are some faint marks above the sarvva, which seem to be remnants of this word ; but it
is not quite certain.
³ Metre, Pushpitâgrâ. ⁴ Metre, Mâlinî; and in the next four verses.

54 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
11 dita-ba[la]-kôshân=Pushyamitrâṁś=cha [j]itvâ kshitipa-charaṇa-pîṭhê sthâpitô
vâma-pâdaḥ [||] Prasabham-anupam[ai]r=vvidhvasta-śastra-pratâpai[r]=
vina[◡ ◡]mu-
12 [◡ - -]kshânti-śaury[ai]r=nnirûḍhaṁ charitam=amala-kîrttêr=ggîyatê yasya
śubhraṁ diśi-diśi paritushṭair=â-kumâraṁ manushyaiḥ [||] Pitari
divaṁ=upê[tê]
13 viplutâṁ vaṁśa-lakshmîṁ bhuja-bala-vijit-ârir=yyaḥ pratishṭhâpya bhûyaḥ
jitam=iti paritôshân=mâtaraṁ sâsra-nêttrâṁ hata-ripur=iva Krishṇô
Dêvakîm=abhyupê-
14 [ta]ḥ [||] Sv[ai]r¹=ddaṇḍ[aih] [◡ ◡] ra(?)tyu[-]t-prachalitaṁ vaṁśaṁ prati-
shṭhâpya yô bâhubhyâm=avaniṁ vijitya hi jitêshv=ârttêshu kṛitvâ dayâm
n=ôtsiktô [na] cha vismitaḥ pratidinaṁ
15 saṁvarddhamâna-dyutiḥ gîtaiś=cha stutibhiś=cha vandaka-ja(?)nô(?) yaṁ
prâ(?)payaty=âryyatâm [||] Hûnair=yyasya samâgatasya samaré
dôrbhyâṁ dharâ kampitâ bhîm-âvartta-karasya
16 śatrushu śarâ[— — ◡ — — ◡ — — — ◡ ◡ — ◡ —] vira(?)chi(?)taṁ
prakhyâpitô [-]î[◡]î[-] na dyô(?)ti[◡]nabhî(?)shu lakshyata iva
śrôtrêshu Gâṅga-dhvaniḥ [||]
17 S[v]a²-pituḥ kîrtti[— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
— — — — ◡ ◡ — —] [||] [Karttavyâ] pratimâ kâchit=pratimâṁ
tasya Śârṅgiṇaḥ
18 s[u]-pratitaś=chakâr=êmâṁ y[âvad=â-chandra-târakam] [||] Iha ch=ainam
pratishṭhâpya su-pratishṭhita-śâsanaḥ grâmam=ênaṁ sa vidadh[ê] pituḥ
pu[ṇ]y-âbhivṛiddhayê [||]
19 Atô bhagavatô mûrttir=iyaṁ yaś=ch=âtra saṁsthi(?)ta(?)ḥ ubhayam
nirddidêś=âsau pituḥ puṇyâya puṇya-dhîr=it. [||*]
TRANSLATION.
[Perfection has been attained] ! The son of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious
Samudragupta,—who was the exterminator of all kings; who had no antagonist (of
equal power) in the world; whose fame was tasted by the waters of the four oceans; who
was equal to (the gods) Dhanada and Varuṇa and Indra and Antaka : who was the very
axe of (the god) Kṛitânta; who was the giver of many millions of lawfully acquired cows
and gold; who was the restorer of the aśvamêdha-sacrifice, that had been long in
abeyance; who was the son of the son’s son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Gupta; who
was the son’s son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Ghaṭôtkacha; (and) who was the son
of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Chandragupta (I.), (and) the daughter’s son of
Lichchhavi,³ begotten on the Mahâdêvî Kumâradêvî,—
(Line 4.)—(was) the most devout worshipper of the Divine One, the Mahârâjâdhirâja,
the glorious Chandragupta (II.), who was accepted by him;⁴ who was begotten on the
Mahâdêvî Dattadêvî; (and) who was himself without an antagonist (of equal power).
¹ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita; and in the next verse.
² Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh); and in the following three verses.
³ The usual form of this name is Lichchhavi, with the vowel a in the second syllable. As
regards the present variant, see page 16 above, note 1.
⁴ i.e. by Samudragupta; see page 12 above, note 1.

Vol. III Plate vii
CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM.
Bhitari Pillar Inscription of Skandagupta

Text of the Inscription (in Sanskrit / Gupta Brahmi Script):
[1] [सर्व्वराजोच्छेत्तुः पृ]थिव्यामप्रतिरथस्य चतुरुदधिपयिलादस्वादितयशसो धनदवरुणेन्द्रान्तकसमस्य
[2] कृतान्तपरशोर्न्यायागतानेकगोहिरण्यकोटिप्रदस्य चिरोत्सन्नाश्वमेधाहर्त्तुर्महाराजश्रीगुप्तप्रपौत्रस्य
[3] महाराजश्रीघटोत्कचपौत्रस्य महाराजाधिराजश्रीचन्द्रगुप्तपुत्रस्य लिच्छविदौहित्रस्य महादेव्याङ्कुमारदेव्या-
[4] मुत्पन्नस्य महाराजाधिराजश्रीसमुद्रगुप्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्परिगृहीतो महादेव्यान्दत्तदेव्यामुत्पन्नः
[5] स्वयम्प्रतिरथः परमभागवतो महाराजाधिराजश्रीचन्द्रगुप्तस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुद्ध्यातो महादेव्यान्ध्रुवदेव्या-
[6] मुत्पन्नो महाराजाधिराजश्रीकुमारगुप्तस्तस्य [।] प्रथितपृथुमतिस्वभावशक्तेः पृथिवीपतेः पृथुश्रीः [।]
[7] पितृपरिगतपादपद्मवर्ती प्रथितयशाः पृथिवीपतिः सुतोऽयम् [॥] विचलितकुललक्ष्मीस्तम्भनायोद्यतेन
[8] क्षितितलशयनीये येन नीता त्रियामा [।] समुदितबलकोशान्पुष्यमित्रांश्च जित्वा क्षितिपचरणपीठे
[9] स्थापितो वामपादः [॥] चरितममलकीर्त्तेर्गीयते यस्य शुभ्रं दिशि दिशि परितुष्टैराकुमारम्मनुष्यैः [।]
[10] पितरि दिवमुपेते विप्लुतां वंशलक्ष्मीं भुजबलविजितारिर्यः प्रतिष्ठाप्य भूयः [।] जितमिति परितोषान्मातरं
[11] साश्रुनेत्रां हतरिपुरिव कृष्णो देवकीमभ्युपेतः [॥] स्वैर्दण्डैः क्षितिपकुलैश्चरितं नयद्भिर्गीतं च
[12] यस्य चरितं प्रथितेन ... [।] हूणैर्यस्य समागतस्य समरे दोर्भ्यां धरा कम्पिता भीमावर्त्तकरस्य
[13] ... [तस्य] च ... [।] ...
[14] ...
[15] ... [अनेन] ...
[16] ... [पितुः कीर्त्तिकर्त्तनाय] ...
[17] ... शार्ङ्गिणो ... [प्रतिमा प्रतिष्ठिता] ...
[18] ... [ग्रामोऽतिसृष्टः] ...
[19] ... [अक्षयनीवी] ...

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS ; No. 13, PLATE VII. 55
(L. 5.)—His son (was) the most devout worshipper of the Divine One, the Mahâ-
râjâdhirâja, the glorious Kumâragupta, who meditated on his feet, (and) who was
begotten on the Mahâdêvî Dhruvadêvî.
(L. 6.)—The son of him, the king, who was renowned for the innate power of (his)
mighty intellect (and) whose fame was great, (is) this (present) king, by name Skanda-
gupta, who possesses great glory ; who subsisted (like a bee) on the wide-spreading
waterlilies which were the feet of (his) father ;¹ whose fame is spread far and wide ;—who
is amply endowed with strength of arm in the world ; who is the most eminent hero in the
lineage of the Guptas ; whose great splendour is spread far and wide ; by whom, prac-
tising (good) behaviour, the conduct of those who perform good actions is not obstructed ;
who is of spotless soul ; (and) who is well disciplined in the understanding of musical
keys(?) :—
(L. 8.)—By whom,—having, with daily intense application, step by step attained his
object by means of good behaviour and strength and politic conduct,—instruction in the art
of disposition (of resources) was acquired, (and) was employed as the means of (subduing
his) enemies who had put themselves forward in the desire for conquest that was so highly
welcome (to them) :—
(L. 10.)—By whom, when ne prepared himself to restore the fallen fortunes of
(his) family, a (whole) night was spent on a couch that was the bare earth ; and then,
having conquered the Pushyamitras,² who had developed great power and wealth, he
placed (his) left foot on a foot-stool which was the king (of that tribe himself) :—
(L. 11.)—The resplendent behaviour of whom, possessed of spotless fame,—inherent,
[but increased] by . . . . . . . and patience and heroism which are emphatically unequalled,
(and) which destroy the efficacy of the weapons (of his enemies),—is sung in every region
by happy men, even down to the children :—
(L. 12.)—Who, when (his) father had attained the skies, conquered (his) enemies by
the strength of (his) arm, and established again the ruined fortunes of (his) lineage ; and
then, crying “the victory has been achieved,” betook himself to (his) mother, whose eyes
were full of tears from joy, just as Kṛishṇa, when he had slain (his) enemies, betook himself
to (his mother) Dêvakî ;—
(L. 14.)—Who, with his own armies, established (again) (his) lineage that had been
made to totter . . . . . . . . . (and) with his two arms subjugated the earth, (and) shewed
mercy to the conquered peoples in distress, (but) has become neither proud nor arrogant,
¹ This expression is very analogous in its purport to the tat-pâd-ânudhyâta of line 5 above.
Compare Amôghavarshadêva-pâdapaṅkaja-bhramara, “a bee at the waterlilies which are the feet of
Amôghavarshadêva,” in line 17 f. of the Śirûr inscription of Śaka-Saṁvat 788 (Ind. Ant. Vol. XII.
p. 219.)
² The second syllable of this name, like the rest of the inscription, is damaged. But, as regards
the lower component,—comparing it with the subscript y of this inscription, e.g. in pradasya, line 2, and
dauhitrasya, line 3 ; and contrasting it with the subscript p, e.g. in tat-parigṛihîtô, line 4, and tat-pâdá,
line 5,—it is plainly y. This passage, therefore, shews that the correct form of the first part of this name
is pushya, not pushpa ; a point which Dêvanâgarî manuscripts have not sufficed, and cannot suffice, to
settle. And it bears out the Prâkṛit form, Pûsamitta, of the name of the early king Pushyamitra,
the contemporary of Patañjali, in the passages given by Dr. Bühler from the Prâkṛit Gâthâs accord-
ing to Mêrutuṅga, Dharmasâgara, and Jayavijayagaṇi (Ind. Ant. Vol. II. p. 362 f.)—Pushyamitra is
the correct form according to Prof. Weber also (Sanskrit Literature, p. 223, note 237).

56 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
though his glory is increasing day by day; (and) whom the bards raise to distinction with
(their) songs and praises :—
(L. 15.)—By whose two arms the earth was shaken, when he, the creator (of a disturb-
ance like that) of a terrible whirlpool, joined in close conflict with the Hûnas; ......
among enemies ...... arrows ............ proclaimed ............ just as if it were
the roaring of (the river) Gaṅgâ, making itself noticed in (their) ears.
(L. 17.)— ... the fame of his father ....................................
................................ (Saying to himself that) an image of some kind or other
[should be made], he, the very celebrated one, made this image of that (famous) (god)
Śârṅgin, [to endure as long as the moon and stars may last]. And, having here installed
this (god),¹ he, whose commands are well-established, has allotted this village (to the idol),
in order to increase the religious merit of (his) father.²
(L. 19.)—Accordingly, this image of the Divine One, and (this village) which has
been here agreed to,³—both of these, he, the pious-minded one, has assigned for (the
increase of) the religious merit of (his) father.

No. 14; PLATE VIII.

JUNAGADH ROCK INSCRIPTION OF SKANDAGUPTA.

THE YEARS 136, 137, AND 138.

THE discovery of this inscription appears to have been first announced in 1838, by Mr.
James Prinsep, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. VII. p. 347 f.—In 1844, in the Jour. Bo.
Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. I. p. 148, there was published a lithograph of it, reduced from a
copy, made by General Sir George LeGrand Jacob, Mr. N. L. Westergaard, and a Brâh-
man assistant, which had been submitted to the Society two years previously.—In 1862, in
the same Journal, Vol. VII. p. 121 ff., Dr. Bhau Daji published his reading of the text,
and a translation of it, accompanied by a lithograph reduced from a cloth tracing made in
1861 by Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji.—And in 1876, Dr. Bhau Daji's text and translation, the
latter revised by Professor Eggeling, were reprinted in the Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. II.
p. 134 ff., accompanied by a slightly reduced reproduction of the original lithograph from
Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji's copy (id. Plate xv.)
Junâgaḍh⁴ is the chief town of the Junâgaḍh Native State in the Kâṭhiâwâḍ⁵ Penin-

¹ Or, perhaps, "having here set up this (pillar)."
² It was through reading mahêśa-prîta-gupta, "the Gupta attached to, or beloved of, Śiva,"
instead of ênam sa vidadhê pituḥ, line 18,—and through failing to see that pitari divam=upêtê, "when
(his) father had attained the skies," line 12, refers to the death of Kumâragupta,—that Dr. Mill
came to speak of "a young prince, a minor at the date of this inscription," and to suggest that he was
probably the Mahêndragupta (sic.; but in reality Mahêndrâditya, a title of Kumâragupta), whose name
occurs on some of the coins of the dynasty. This double mistake in Dr. Mill's genealogy was repeat-
ed by Mr. Thomas in his Gupta genealogy (Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. II. p. 19). And Mahêndragupta's
name is also given in Mr. Fergusson's last list (Cave-Temples of Western India, p. 191).
³ Or perhaps, "and (this column) which stands here"
⁴ The 'Joonaghur, Junagad, Junagarh, and Junagurh,' of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 13.
Lat. 21° 31' N.; Long. 70° 36' E.
⁵ The 'Kathiawar and Kattywar' of maps, &c.

sula in the Bombay Presidency. The city itself, or its ancient representative, is spoken of
in this inscription; but its ancient name is not given. The name occurs, however, in line
1 of Rudradâman's inscription,¹ as Girinagara, or 'the city of, or on, the hill.' This
name subsequently passed over to the mountain itself, Girnâr, which in the inscriptions is
called Ûrjayat; and this fact rather tends to indicate that the ancient city stood, not
where the modern town stands, but closer up to the mountain, and perhaps on the rising
ground at the foot of it. The inscription is on the north-west face of a large granite bould-
er, containing also fourteen Asôka edicts and a long inscription of the Mahâkshatrapa
Rudradâman, now under a shed specially built to protect it, about a mile to the east of the
town, and at the commencement of the gorge that leads to the valley which lies round the
mountain Girnâr.
The writing, which covers a space of about 10' 0" broad by 7' 3" high, is in a state of
fairly good preservation; and it is only in line 22 ff., where the rock has actually peeled off,
that there are any extensive lacunæ in the inscription. It is, however, not very easy to
read; owing partly to the irregular, and occasionally rather shallow, nature of the engrav-
ing; partly to the roughness of the rock, and the way in which the natural marks of it
mix themselves up a good deal with the letters; and partly to the fact that at several
places the engraver, in consequence of unusual irregularities of the surface, passed over con-
siderable portions of the rock and left them blank.²—The size of the letters varies from
about ⁷/₈" to 1¼". The characters belong to the southern class of alphabets; but the type
is a later development of that which was used in the inscription of the Mahâkshatrapa
Rudradâman on the same rock;³ it may be called the Saurâshṭra or Kâthiâwâḍ alphabet
of the fifth century A.D. One of its most marked characteristics is the way in which the
subscript y is represented by the full form of the letter, not, as in other alphabets, by a cur-
tailment of it; e.g. in buddhyâ, line 5; vyasanî, line 6; and nyâyâ, line 8.—The
language is Sanskrit; and, except for the opening word siddham, and a few words in line
23, the entire inscription is in verse.—In respect of orthography we have to notice (1) the
use of the guttural nasal, instead of the anusvâra, before ś, in vaṅśa, line 24; (2) the
doubling of dh in conjunction with a following y, in buddhyâ, line 5; and (3) the indifference
about the doubling of consonants in conjunction with a preceding r; e.g. the consonant
is doubled in ârttham, line 1, ârttir, line 2, and darppô, line 3; but not in vîryô, line 2,
paryanta, line 3, sarvân, line 5, ârjavau, line 7, and ârjanê=rthasya, line 8.
The first part of the inscription refers itself to the reign of the Early Gupta king
Skandagupta; and, after an invocation of the god Vishṇu and five verses in praise of
the reigning king, it narrates how he appointed a certain Parṇadatta to govern his
territories in the Surâshṭras or the Kâthiâwâḍ country. In his turn, Parṇadatta
appointed his son, Chakrapâlita, to govern the city at which the inscription is. The
inscription then proceeds to its real object; viz. to record that, "making the calculation
in the reckoning of the Guptas,"⁴ in the year one hundred and thirty-six (A.D. 455-56),
¹ Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. II. p. 128.
² These blank spaces lie especially on each side of the large natural fissure running almost down
the centre of the inscription.
³ Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. II. p. 128, Pl. xiv.
⁴ As is quite clear even in the lithograph with which Bhau Daji worked, the correct reading here
(line 15) is Gupta-prakâlê gaṇanâṁ vidhâya; not Guptasya kâlâ[d]=gaṇanâṁ vidhâya, "counting
from the era of Gupta," as it was taken to be by Bhau Daji and was afterwards specifically confirmed

58 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
at night, on the sixth day of the month Praushṭhapada (August-September), the lake
Sudarśana (formed in the valley round the foot of Girnâr, by an ancient embankment
across the gorge, near where the inscription is) burst in consequence of excessive rain.
The date, here, and in the two passages further on, is expressed fully in words, not in
numerical symbols. The restoration of the breach, by renewing the embankment, was
effected under the orders of Chakrapâlita after two months' work, in the year one hun-
dred and thirty-seven (A.D. 456-57).
The second part, line 24 to the end, seems to have mentioned Skandagupta and
Parṇadatta again, in passages in line 24 that are now illegible. And then, in
accordance with the general Vaishṇava tendency indicated by the opening invocation of
the whole inscription, it goes on to record that, in the one hundred and thirty-eighth year,
in the time or reckoning of the Guptas (A.D. 457-58), Chakrapâlita caused to be built
a temple of the god Vishṇu under the name of Chakrabhṛit or the 'bearer of the discus.'
After this, the inscription ends with two verses, of which not enough now remains to shew
their purport.
TEXT.¹
First Part.
1 Siddham [||*] Śriyam²=abhimata-bhôgyâṁ naika-kâl-âpanîtâṁ tridaśapati-
sukh-ârtthaṁ yô Balêr=âjahâra | kamala-nilayanâyâḥ śaśvataṁ dhâma
Lakshmyâḥ
by Thomas (Jour. R. As. Soc. N. S. Vol. XIII. p. 538).—In the present series of inscriptions, this
passage, and the genitive plural Guptânâṁ, governed apparently by kâla, in line 27 below, are the
only ones that tend in any way to connect the name of the Guptas with the era used by them. But
not either of them suffices to shew that the era was established by the Guptas themselves; or even
that it had, at this time, received the accepted name of "the Gupta era." And, what the wording
of the first of them really shews, is simply that the date was being recorded in an era which was not
the one in customary use in that part of the country.—The only other passage of a similar tendency is
the date in line 16 f. of the Môrbî copper-plate grant of Jâïṅka, as it has always been accepted up to
now in accordance with Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar's reading and translation,—Paṁch-âśîtyâ yutê=tîtê
samânâṁ śata-paṁchakê | Gauptê dadâv=adô nṛipaḥ s-ôparâgê=rkka-maṇḍalê ||;—"five hundred
and eighty-five years of the Guptas having elapsed, the king granted this, when the disc of the sun
was eclipsed" (Ind. Ant. Vol. II. p. 258.)—But this rendering takes no notice of the fact that the
real reading, in line 17, is not gauptê at all, but gôptê. It is only by the correction of ô into au
that the name of the Guptas can be introduced into this passage. But we may with just as much
reason correct gôptê into gôptṟê, 'to the protector, i.e. the local governor' (compare this word in line
6 of the present inscription); and this is even more sustainable; for the word is entirely separated
from the date in the preceding half of the verse, and it stands immediately before the word dadau,
'he gave,' in connection with which we have every reason to look for a dative (or some other) case
Or, again, without any correction at all, we may translate "the king gave this (charter) at (the village
of) Gôpta;" and thus obtain a village-name that may quite reasonably be taken as the ancient form
of the modern Gôp, which occurs, for instance, in Kâṭhiâwâḍ, about seventy-five miles south-west of
Môrbî, twenty-five miles south of Nawânagar or Jâmnagar, and fifty miles east of Dhiniki, where there
was found the copper-plate grant (genuine or spurious, as may be settled hereafter) of a king Jâikadêva,
dated Vikrama-Saṁvat 794 (Ind. Ant. Vol. XII. p. 151 ff.).—I must not be understood as disputing
in this note, that the Môrbî date is recorded in the era that had been used by the Guptas. My object
is only to shew that there is nothing in the passage containing the date, that compels us to connect
the name of the Guptas with it. The difficulty in disposing finally of the whole bearing of the
Môrbî inscription, is, that the first plate was lost sight of before it was procured for examination at
all; and now, even the second plate also, the published one, has been mislaid and is not forthcoming.
¹ From the original stone. ² Metre, Mâlinî; and in the next two verses.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; NO. 14, PLATE VIII. 59
2 sa jayati vijit-ārttir=Vvīshṇur=atyanta-jishṇuḥ || Tad=anu jayati śaśvat śrī-
parikshipta-vakshâḥ sva-bhuja-janita-vīryô râjarâjâdhirâjaḥ | narapati-
3 bhujagânâṁ mâna-darpp-ôtphaṇânâṁ pratikṛiti-Garuḍ-âjñā[ṁ] nirvvishī[ṁ]
ch=âvakarttâ || Nṛipati-guṇa-nikêtaḥ Skandaguptaḥ pṛithu-śrīḥ chatur-
udadhi-ja(?)l(?)-ântâṁ sphīta-paryanta-dêśâṁ |
4 avanim=avanat-ârir=yaḥ chakâr=âtma-saṁsthâr. pitari sura-sakhitvaṁ
prāptavaty=âtma-śaktyâ || Âpi¹ cha jitam=[ê]va têna prathayanti
yaśâṁsi yasya ripavô=pi âmūla-bhagna-darpâ niva......²
Mlêchchha-dêśêshu ||
5 Kramêṇa³ buddhyâ nipuṇaṁ pradhârya dhyâtvâ cha kṛitsnân=guṇa-dôsha-
hêtūn | vyapêtya sarvân=manujêndra-putrâṁ=llakshmīḥ svayaṁ yaṁ
varayâṁ-chakâra || Tasmin⁴=nṛipê śâsati n=aiva kaśchid=dharmmâd=
apêtô manujaḥ prajâsu |
6 ârttô daridrô vyasanī kadaryô daṇḍ[yô] na vâ yô bhṛiśa-pīḍitaḥ syât ||*
Êvaṁ sa jitvâ pṛithivīṁ samagrâṁ bhagn-âgra-darpâ[n] dvishataś=cha
kṛitvâ | sarvvêshu dêśêshu vidhâya gôptṛi(ptrī)n saṁchintayâ[m-â]sa
bahu-prakâram || Syât=kô=nurūpô
7 matimân=vini(nī)tô mêdhâ-smṛitibhyâm=anapêta-bhâvaḥ | saty-ârjav-audârya-
nay-ôpapannô mâdhurya-dâkshiṇya-yaśô-nvitaś=cha || Bhaktô=nurakto nṛi-
v[i]ś[ê]sha-yuktaḥ sarvv-ôpadhâbhiś=cha viśuddha-buddhiḥ | ânṛiṇya-
bhâv-ôpagat-ântarâtmâ⁵ sarvvasya lôkasya hitê pravṛittaḥ ||
8 Nyây-ârjanê=rthasya cha kaḥ samarthaḥ syâd=arjitasy=âpy=atha rakshaṇê
cha | gôpâyitasy=âpi [cha] vṛiddhi-hêtau vṛiddhasya pâtra-pratipâdanâya ||
Sarvvêshu bhṛityêshv=api saṁhatêshu yô mê praśishyân=nikhilân=
Surâshṭrân | Âṁ jñâtam=êkaḥ khalu Parṇadattô bhârasya tasy=
ôdvahanê samarthaḥ ||
9 Êvaṁ viniśchitya nṛip-âdhipêna naikân=ahô-râtra-gaṇân=sva-matyâ | yaḥ
saṁniyuktô=rthanayâ kathaṁchit samyak-Surâshṭr-âvani-pâlanâya ||
Niyujya⁶ dêvâ Varuṇaṁ pratīchyâṁ svasthâ yathâ n=ônmanasô
babhūvu[ḥ] [|] pūrvvêtarasyâṁ diśi Parṇadattaṁ niyujya râjâ
dhṛitimâṁs-tath-âbhût |(||)
10 Tasy=âtmajô hy=âtmaja-bhâva-yuktô dvidh=êva ch=âtm=âtma-vaśêna nītaḥ |
sarvvâtman=âtm=êva cha rakshaṇīyô nity-âtmavân=âtmaja-kānta-
rūpaḥ |(||) Rūp-ânurūpair=lalitair=vichitraiḥ nitya-pramôd-ânvita-sarva-
bhâvaḥ | prabuddha-padmâkara-padmavaktrô nṛiṇâṁ śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇ-
âgatânâm |(||)
11 Abhavad⁷=bhuvi Chakrapâlitô=sâv=iti nâmnâ prathitaḥ priyô janasya |
sva-guṇair-an-upaskritair=udâtt[ai]ḥ pitaraṁ yaś=cha viśêshayâṁ-chakâra |(||)
Kshamâ⁸ prabhutvaṁ vinayô nayaś=cha śauryaṁ vinâ śaurya-
mah-[â?]rchchanaṁ cha | vâ(?)kya(?)m damô dānam=adinatâ cha

Footnotes

¹ Metre, Aryâ.
² ? nirvachand.
³ Metre, Upajâti of Indravajrâ and Upêndravajrâ.
⁴ Metre, Indravajrâ; and in the next six verses.
⁵ Read âtmâ.
⁶ Metre, Upajâti of Indravajrâ and Upêndravajrâ; and in the next two verses.
⁷ Metre, Vaitâlīya-Aupachchhandasika.
⁸ Metre, Upajâti of Indravajrâ and Upêndravajrâ; and in the next three verses.

60 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
dâkshiṇyam=ânṛiṇyam=aś[û]nyatâ cha । (॥) Sauṁdaryam=âryêtara-
nigrahaś=cha a-vismayô dhairyam=udîrṇatâ cha ।
12 ity=êvam=êtê=tiśayêna yasminn=a-vipravâsêna guṇâ vasanti । (॥) Na vidyatê=sau
sakalê=pi lôkê yatr=ôpamâ tasya guṇaiḥ kriyêta । sa êva
kârtsnyêna guṇ-ânvitânâṁ babhûva nṛi(nṛi)ṇâm=upamâna-bhûtaḥ । (॥)
Ity=êvam=êtân=adhikân=atô=nyân=guṇân=par[î]kshya svayam=êva purâ ।
yaḥ saṁniyuktô nagarasya rakshâṁ viśishya pûrvân=prachakâra
samyak । (॥)
13 Âśritya¹ vî(vi)ryaṁ su(?)-bhu(?)ja(?)-dvayasya svasy=aiva n=ânyasya narasya
darpaṁ । n=ôdvêjayâm-âsa cha kaṁchid=êvam=asmin=purê ch=aiva śaśâsa
dushṭâḥ(n) । (॥) Visrambham=alpê na śaśâma yô=smin kâlê na lôkêshu
sa-nâgarêshu । yô lâlayâm-âsa cha paura-vargân [— — ◡]putrân=su-
parîkshya dôshân । (॥) Saṁraṁjayâṁ cha prakṛitîr=babhûva
pûrvasmitabhâshaṇa-mâna-dânaiḥ ।
14 niryantraṇ-ânyônya-gṛiha-pravêśa:[ḥ*] saṁvarddhita-prîti-gṛih-ôpachâraiḥ । (॥)
Brahmaṇya-bhâvêna parêṇa yuktaḥ śaklaḥ śuchir=dâna-parô yathâvat ।
prâpyân=sa kâlê vishayân=sishêvê dharm-ârthayôś=ch=â[py=a*]-
virôdhanêna । (॥) Yô [— ◡ — — ◡ ◡] Parṇadattât=sa nyâyavân=atra
kim=asti chitraṁ । muktâkalâp-âmbuja-padma-śîtâch=chandrât=kim=ushṇaṁ
bhavitâ kadâchit । (॥)
15 Athâ² kramêṇ=âmbuda-kâla âgat[ê] n[i]dâgha-kâlaṁ pravidârya tôyadaiḥ ।
vavarsha tôyaṁ bahu saṁtataṁ chiraṁ Sudarśanaṁ yêna
bibhêda ch=âtvarât । (॥) Saṁvatsarâṇâm³=adhikê śatê tu
triṁśadbhir=anyair=api shaḍbhir=êva । râtrau dinê Praushṭhapadasya
shashṭhê Gupta-prakâlê gaṇanâṁ vidhâya⁴ । (॥)
16 Imâś⁵=cha yâ Raivatakâd=vinirgatâ[ḥ*] Palâśin=îyaṁ sikatâ-vilâsinî । samudra-
kântâḥ chira-bandhan-ôshitâḥ punaḥ patiṁ śâstra-yathôchitaṁ yayuḥ । (॥)
Avêkshya varsh-âgama-jaṁ mah-ôdbhramaṁ mah-ôdadhêr=
Ûrjayatâ priy-êpsunâ । anêka-tîrântaja-pushpa-śôbhitô
17 nadîmayô hasta iva prasâritaḥ । (॥) Vishâdya[mânâḥ khalu sarvatô ja]nâḥ
kathaṁ-kathaṁ kâryam=iti pravâdinaḥ । mithô hi pûrv-âpara-
râtram=utthitâ vichintayâṁ ch=âpi babhûvur=utsukâḥ । (॥) Ap=îha
lôkê sakalê Sudarśanaṁ pumâṁ(n) hi durdarśanatâṁ gataṁ
kshaṇât ।
18 bhavên=nu s-âmbhô nidhi-tulya-darśanaṁ su-darśanaṁ [— ◡ ◡ — ◡ — ◡ —] । [॥]
[◡ ◡⁶ — — ◡]vanê sa bhûtvâ pituḥ parâṁ bhaktim=api pradarśya ।
dharmaṁ purô-dhâya śubh-ânubandhaṁ râjñô hit-ârthaṁ
nagarasya ch=aiva । (॥) Saṁvatsarâṇâm=adhikê śatê tu
19 triṁśadbhir=anyair=api saptabhiś=cha । pra [— ◡ — — ◡ ◡]śâstra-chêttâ
vi(?)śvê(?)=py=anu jñâta-mahâ-prabhâvaḥ । (॥) Âjya-praṇâmaiḥ vibudhân=
ath=êshṭvâ dhanair=dvijâtîn=api tarpayitvâ । paurâṁs=tath-âbhyarchya
yathârha-mânaiḥ bhṛityâṁś=cha pûjyân=suhṛidaś=cha dânaiḥ । (॥)
¹ Metre, Indravajrâ ; and in the next four verses.
² Metre, Vaṁśastha. ³ Metre, Indravajrâ.
⁴ As regards the reading here, see page 57 above, note 4.
⁵ Metre, Vaṁśastha; and in the next three verses.
⁶ Metre, Upajâti of Indravajrâ and Upêndravajrâ ; and in the next five verses.

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 14. PLATE VIII. 61
20 Graishmasya mâsasya tu pûrva-pa[kshê] [‿ ‒ ‒ ‒ pra]thamê=hni
samyak । mâsa-dvayên=âdaravân=sa bhûtvâ dhanasya kṛitvâ
vyayam=a-pramêyam ।(||) Âyamatô hasta-śataṁ samagraṁ vistârataḥ
shashṭir=ath=âpi ch=âshṭau ।
21 utsêdhatô=nyat purushâṇi sa(?)pta(?) [‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ha]sta-śata-dvayasya ।(||
Babandha yatnân=mahatâ nṛidêvân=[abhyarchya(?)] samyag-ghaṭit-
ôpalêna । a-jâti-dushṭam=prathitaṁ taṭâkaṁ Sudarśanaṁ
śâśvata-kalpa-kâlam ।(||)
22 Api¹ cha sudṛiḍha-sêtu-prânta(?)-vinyasta-śôbha-rathacharaṇa-samâhva-krauñcha-
haṁs-âsa-dhûtaṁ । vimala-salila[‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒] bhuvi ta-
[‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‒]da[‒ a]rkaḥ śaśî cha ।(||)
23 Nagaram=api cha bhûyâd=vṛiddhimat=paura-jushṭaṁ dvija-bahu-śata-gîta-
brahma-nirnashṭa-pâpaṁ । śatam=api cha samânâm=îti-durbhiksha[‒ ‒
‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒] [॥] [Iti Suda]rśana-taṭâka-
saṁskâra-grantha-rachanâ : [sa]mâptâ ॥
Second Part.
24 Dṛipt²-âri-darpa-praṇudaḥ pṛithu-śriyaḥ sva-vaṁśa-kêtôḥ sakal-âvani-patêḥ ।
râjâdhirâjy-âdbhuta-puṇya-[karmaṇaḥ] [‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‿] [॥]
[‒ ‒ ‿³ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‒] [।] dvîpasya
gôptâ mahatâṁ cha nêtâ daṇḍa-dvi(?)[‒]nâṁ
25 dvishatâṁ damâya ।(||) Tasy=âtmajên=âtma-guṇ-ânvitêna Gôvinda-pâd-ârpita-
jîvitêna । [‒ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒] [॥]
[‒ ‒ ‿⁴ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒]gdhaṁ Vishṇôś=cha pâda-kamalê
samavâpya tatra । artha-vyayêna
26 mahatâ mahatâ cha kâlên=âtma-prabhâva-nata-paurajanêna têna ।(||)
Chakraṁ bibharti ripu[‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒
‿ ‿ ‒] [।] [‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‒] tasya sva-taṁtra-vidhi-
kâraṇa-mânushashya ।(||)
27 Kâritam⁵=avakra-matinâ Chakrabhṛitaḥ Chakrapâlitêna gṛihaṁ । varsha-
śatê=shṭâ-triṁśê Guptânâṁ kâla . . . . . . . [॥] [‒ ‒ ‿⁶ ‒ ‿ ‿
â]rtham=utthitam=iv=Ôrjayatô=chalasya
28 kurvat=prabhutvam=iva bhâti purasya mûrdhni ॥ Anyach=cha mûrddhani
su [‒ ‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‿]
29 ruddha-vihaṁga-mârgaṁ vibhrâjatê [‿ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‿ ‿ ‒ ‒] [॥]
TRANSLATION.
First Part.
Perfection has been attained! Victorious is he, (the god) Vishṇu,—the perpetual
abode of the (goddess) Lakshmî, whose dwelling is the waterlily ; the conqueror of distress ;
¹ Metre, Mâlinî ; and in the next verse.
² Metre, Vaṁśastha.—The metre is faulty in the first akshara of the first and third pâdas, which should be short, not long.
³ Metre, Indravajrâ ; and in the next verse. ⁴ Metre, Vasantatilaka ; and in the next verse.
⁵ Metre, Âryâ ; or of this class. ⁶ Metre, Vasantatilaka : and in the following verse.

62 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
the completely victorious one,—who, for the sake of the happiness of (Indra) the lord of
the gods, seized back from (the demon) Bali the goddess of wealth and splendour, who is
admitted to be worthy of enjoyment, (and) who had been kept away from him for a very
long time!¹
(Line 2.)—And next, victorious for ever is the supreme king of kings over kings, whose
breast is embraced by the goddess of wealth and splendour; who has developed heroism
by (the strength of his) arms; and who plucked (and utilised) the authority of (his local)
representatives, who were so many Garuḍas, (and used it as) an antidote against the (hostile)
kings, who were so many serpents, lifting up their hoods in pride and arrogance;²—
Skandagupta, of great glory, the abode of kingly qualities, who, when (his) father by his
own power had attained the position of being a friend of the gods,³ bowed down his enemies,
and made subject to himself the (whole) earth, bounded by the waters of the four
oceans, (and) full of thriving countries round the borders of it;—whose fame, moreover,
even (his) enemies, in the countries of the Mlêchchhas ............ having (their)
pride broken down to the very root, announce with the words—"verily the victory has
been achieved by him;"—(and) whom the goddess of fortune and splendour of her own
accord selected as her husband, having in succession (and) with judgment skilfully taken
into consideration and thought over all the causes of virtues and faults, (and) having dis-
carded all (the other) sons of kings (as not coming up to her standard.)
(L. 5.)—While he, the king, is reigning, verily no man among his subjects falls away
from religion; (and) there is no one who is distressed, (or) in poverty, (or) in misery, (or)
avaricious, or who, worthy of punishment, is over-much put to torture.
(L. 6.)—Thus having conquered the whole earth, (and) having destroyed the height
of the pride of (his) enemies, (and) having appointed protectors in all the countries,
he cogitated in many ways,—"Among all my servants put together, who is there, who—
suitable; endowed with intellect; modest; possessed of a disposition that is not destitute
of wisdom and memory; endowed with truth, straightforwardness, nobility, and prudent
behaviour; and possessed of sweetness, civility, and fame;—loyal; affectionate; endowed
with manly characteristics; and possessed of a mind that (has been tried and) is (found to
be) pure by all the tests of honesty; possessed of an inner soul pervaded by (the inclina-
tion for) the acquittance of debts and obligations; occupied with the welfare of all
mankind;—capable both in the lawful acquisition of wealth, and also in the preservation
of it, when acquired, and further in causing the increase of it, when protected, (and able)
to dispense it on worthy objects, when it has been increased,—shall govern all my
(countries of the) Surâshṭras? I have it; (there is) just one man, Parṇadatta,
competent to bear this burden."

¹ The legend is that the demon Bali, or Mahâbali, by his austerities acquired the dominion over
the three worlds, and caused annoyance and anxiety to the gods. Vishṇu then became incarnate as a
dwarf, appeared before Bali, and asked for as much land as he could cover with three strides. Bali
assented to his request, and Vishṇu with two strides recovered the heavens and the earth, but, in
commiseration for Bali, who then humbled himself, left him the dominion over the lower regions
below the earth.
² Garuḍa, the servant and vehicle of Vishṇu, half man and half bird, was the special enemy
and destroyer of the serpent-race.—There is possibly a secondary allusion to Skandagupta having
overthrown some kings of the well-known Nâga or serpent-lineage.
³ i.e. "had died."

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.

64 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
also six more, at night, on the sixth day of (the month) Praushṭhapada. And these
(other rivers) which take their source from (the mountain) Raivataka,¹ (and also) this
Palâśinî, beautiful with (its) sandy stretches,—(all of them) the mistresses of the ocean,—
having dwelt so long in captivity, went again, in due accordance with the scriptures, to
their lord (the sea). (And) having noticed the great bewilderment, caused by the excess
of rain, (the mountain) Ûrjayat, desirous of appropriating the wives of the mighty ocean,
stretched forth as it were a hand, consisting of the river (Palâśinî), decorated with the
numerous flowers that grew on the edges of (its) banks.
(L. 17.)—[Then on all sides] the people fell into despair, discussing how they should
act; and, spending the whole night awake in vain, in great anxiety they reflected,—“Here
in a moment, (the lake) Sudarśana has (by the overflowing of its waters) assumed an
unpleasing appearance² towards all the people, (as if it were) a man (?); having
the appearance of the ocean, quite full of water, can it ever (again) become pleasing of
aspect, ................?”
(L. 18.)— ............he³ having become ............ and displaying the height
of devotion towards his father, (and) holding in full view, for the welfare of the king and
of the city also, religion, which has such auspicious results,—in a century of years, in-
creased by thirty and seven others also, .............. attentive to the sacred
writings ................. whose majesty is well known. Then, having sacrificed to
the gods with oblations of clarified butter and with obeisances; and having gratified the
twice-born with (presents of) riches; and having paid respect to the citizens with such
honours as they deserved, and to such of (his) servants as were worthy of notice, and to
(his) friends with presents,—in the first fortnight of the month ...... belonging to
the hot season,⁴ on the first day, he, having practised (all the above) respectful
observances for two months, made an immeasurable expenditure of wealth, and, [built
an embankment] a hundred cubits in all in length, and sixty and eight in breadth, and
seven (?) men's height in elevation, .......... of two hundred cubits. (Thus), having
done honour to the kings, he laboriously built up, with a great masonry work, properly
constructed, the lake Sudarśana, which is renowned as not being evil by nature, so that
it should last for all eternity,—agitated by the defiances of the ruddy-geese which display
(their) beauty along the edges of the firmly-built embankment, and by the settling down
(in its waters) of the herons and the swans ................ pure waters; on the
earth .............. the sun and the moon.
(L. 23.)—And may the city become prosperous; full of inhabitants; cleansed from
sin by prayers sung by many hundreds of Brâhmaṇs; [and free from] drought and famine
for a hundred years .............................. [Thus] ends the composition
of the description of the restoration of (the lake) Sudarśana.
Second Part.
(L. 24.)— ............ of him (Skandagupta), who destroyed the pride of (his)
haughty enemies; who is of great glory; who is the banner of his lineage; who is the lord

¹ Raivataka is the hill opposite to Ûrjayat or Girnâr.
² There is a play on the words su-darśana ‘having a good appearance,’ and dur-darśana
‘having a bad appearance.’
³ i.e. Chakrapâlita.
⁴ Grîshma, the hot season, consists of the two months Jyeshṭha (May-June) and Âshâḍha (June-
July). The name of one or the other of them is now illegible in this line.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 15, PLATE IX A 65
of the whole earth; whose pious deeds are even more wonderful than his supreme
sovereignty over kings; . . . . . . . . . .
(L. 24.)— . . . . . . . . . . . (Parṇadatta), the protector of the island, and the leader
of great . . . . . . . . of armies for the subjugation of (his) enemies.
(L. 25.)—By his son, who is endowed with his own good qualities, (and) whose life
is devoted to (the worship of) the feet of (the god) Gôvinda, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .;
—by him, who causes the citizens to bow down by his own prowess, having there
attained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and the feet, which are like waterlilies, of
(the god) Vishṇu, with a great expenditure of wealth and time [there was built a
temple] of that famous (god Vishṇu) who carries the discus, . . . . . . . . . . . enemies, (and)
who became (incarnate and) human by the exercise of his own free will. (Thus) by
Chakrapâlita, who is of a straightforward mind, there has been caused to be built a
temple of (the god) Chakrabhṛit, in a century of years, together with the thirty-eighth
(year), . . . . . . . . . . . the time of the Guptas.¹
(L. 27.)— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uprisen, as it were, of the mountain
Ûrjayat, shines as if displaying (its) lordship on the forehead of the city.
(L. 28.)—And another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on the forehead . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
obstructing the path of the birds, is resplendent . . . . . . . . . . . .
No. 15; PLATE IXA.
KAHAUM STONE PILLAR INSCRIPTION OF SKANDAGUPTA.
THE YEAR 141.
THIS inscription appears to have been discovered by Dr. Francis Buchanan (Hamil-
ton),—whose Survey of the Provinces, subject to the Presidency of Bengal, was com-
menced in 1807 and was continued during seven years, and whose manuscript results were
transmitted in 1816 to the Court of Directors of the East India Company,—and to have
been first brought to notice in his reports, from which Mr. Montgomery Martin compiled,
and in 1838 published, the book entitled Eastern India, in which the inscription is noticed
in Vol. II. p. 366 f., with a reduced lithograph (id. Plate v. No. 2).—In the same year, in
the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. VII. p. 37 f., Mr. James Prinsep published his reading
of the text, and a translation of it,² accompanied by a lithograph (id. Plate i.) reduced
from a copy made by Mr. D. Liston.—In 1860, in the Jour. Amer. Or. Soc. Vol. VI.
p. 530, Dr. FitzEdward Hall published his reading of the first verse of the inscription,
and a translation, which was subsequently revised and reprinted in the Jour. Beng. As.
Soc. Vol. XXX. p 3, note. — In 1871, in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. I. p. 93 f. and
Plate xxx., General Cunningham published another lithograph, reduced from his own ink-
impression. — And finally, in 1881, in the Ind. Ant. Vol. X. p. 125 f., Dr. Bhagwanlal
Indraji published his revised reading of the text, and a translation of it, accompanied by a
lithograph reduced from an impression made by him when he visited Kahâum in 1873.
¹ See page 57 above, note 4.
² The translation is reprinted in Thomas' edition of Prinsep's Essays, Vol. I. p. 250.

66 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
Kahâum or **Kahâwaṁ,**¹ the ancient Kakubha or Kakubhagrâma of this in-
scription, is a village about five miles to the west by south of Salampur-Majhaulî,² the
chief town of the Salampur-Majhaulî Pargaṇâ in the Dêôriyâ or Dêwariyâ³ Tahsîl or Sub-
Division of the Gôrakhpur District in the North-West Provinces. The grey-sandstone
column on which the inscription is, stands a short distance on the north of the village.⁴
Of the sculptures on the column, the most important are five standing naked figures,
—one in a niche on the western face of the square base; and one in a niche on each side of
the square block immediately below the circular stone with an iron spike in it, which, the
original pinnacle having been lost, now forms the top of the column. As appears to have
been first fully recognised by Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji, these are distinctly Jain images.
He suggested that they represent the five favourite Tîrthaṁkaras,—Âdinâtha, Śântinâtha,
Nêminâtha, Pârśva, and Mahâvîra. And they are in all probability the five images of
Âdikartṛis, or Jain Tîrthaṁkaras, referred to in the inscription itself.
The writing, which covers a space of about 2′ 2½″ broad by 1′ 8″ high, is on the
three northern faces of the octagonal portion of the column; and the bottom line appears to
be about 7′ 6″ above the level of the ground. It is evidently in a state of excellent preservation
throughout.—The size of the letters varies from ⅜″ to ⅞″. The characters belong to the
northern class of alphabets, and are of the same type with those of the Allahâbâd posthu-
mous pillar inscription of Samudragupta, No. 1, p. 1 ff. above, Plate i.—The language is
Saṁskṛit; and, except for the opening word siddham, the inscription is in verse through-
out.—In respect of orthography, the only points that call for notice are (1) the use of
the dental nasal, instead of the anusvâra, before ś, in vanśa, line 2, and ttrinśat, line 4;
and (2) the usual doubling of k and t, in conjunction with a following r, e.g. in chakkrê,
line 9 (but not in śakrô, line 3), and puttrô, line 6.—My lithograph has been prepared
from a lithograph of the same kind, handed to me by Dr. Burgess, from which was
prepared the opposite lithograph, with the letters in black on a white ground, publish-
ed with Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji’s paper. One or two letters, imperfect in that litho-
graph, have been cleared out on the authority of General Cunningham's ink-impressions,
which, though not adapted for complete reproduction, sufficed for this purpose.
The inscription refers itself to the reign of the Early Gupta king Skandagupta.
It is dated, in words, in the year one hundred and forty-one (A.D. 460-61); and in the
month Jyêshṭha (May-June); but without any specification of the day of the month or fort-
night. As is shewn by the images in the niches of the column, as well as by the tenour of the
record itself, this is distinctly a Jain inscription. And the object of it is, to record that a
certain Madra set up five stone images of Âdikartṛis or Tîrthaṁkaras,—i.e. apparently
the five images in the niches of the column,—and the column itself, at the village of
Kakubha or Kakubhagrâma, i.e. Kahâum.
¹ The ‘Kahaon, Kahong, Kangho, and Kuhaon, of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 103.
Lat. 26° 16′ N.; Long. 83° 55′ E.
² The ‘Sullempoor-Mujhowlee’ of maps.
³ The ‘Deorya’ of maps.
⁴ For a full description, with drawings, of the column and other remains at Kahâum, see Archæol.
Surv. Ind. Vol. I. p. 91 ff. and Plate xxix., and id. Vol. XVI. p. 129 f. and Plate xxix.