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

74 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
has to be referred to the era, dating from the tribal constitution of the Mâlavas, that is
mentioned specifically in the next inscription, which gives us the year four hundred and
ninety-three for Viśvavarman’s son, Bandhuvarman, the feudatory of Kumâragupta.
This Mâlava era is the Vikrama era,¹ commencing B.C. 57; and the result for the
present inscription is A.D. 423-24 expired, or 424-25 current; which shews that
Viśvavarman, also, was a contemporary of Kumâragupta. The inscription belongs
partly to the Vaishṇava, and partly to the Śâkta or Tântrika form of religion; the object
of it being to record how a certain Mayûrâksha, a minister of Viśvavarman built a
temple of Vishṇu,—also a temple of the divine Mothers,—and also a large drinking-well.
TEXT.²
1 [— — ◡³ — ◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡ ◡ — ◡]masya Vishṇôr=bbhujas=surapati-dvipa-hasta-
[sa]rppa[— — ◡ — ◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡ ◡ — ◡ — — ◡]
2 [— ◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡ ◡ — ◡ ◡ — —] [॥] Prakkhyâta-vîryya-yaśas[âṁ] ksh[i]tip-
âdhipânâṁ vaṁś-ôdbhavô [◡]gativi[◡ ◡ — ◡ — ◡ ◡ ◡
◡ — ◡]
3 [◡ — ◡] kântaś=śrîmân=babhûva Naravarmma-nṛipaḥ prakâśaḥ ॥
Yajñais=surân=muni-gaṇâ[n]=[n]i[ya]mair=udârai[ḥ] [— — ◡ — ◡ ◡ ◡
◡ — ◡ — —]
4 [mânê]na bhṛittya-janam-a-ppratimêna lôkê yô=tôshayat=su-charitaiś=cha
jagat=samaggram ॥ Hasty-aśva-sâdhana[◡ — ◡ ◡ — ◡ — — ◡ ◡
— ◡ ◡]
5 [◡]khaḍga-marîch[i*]matsu ॥(।) saṅgrâma-mûrddhasu mukhaṁ samudîkshya
yasya nâśaṁ=prayânty=ari-gaṇâ bhaya-nashṭa-chêshṭâḥ [॥] [Tasy=âtmajaḥ]⁴
[◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡]
6 [◡ —]jau mahâtmâ buddhyâ Bṛihaspati-samas=sakalêndu-vaktraḥ ॥(।)
aupamyabhûta iva Râma-Bhagîrathâbhyâṁ râ[— ◡ — ◡ ◡]
7 [◡ —] [bhu]vi Viśvavarmmâ ॥ Dhairyyêṇa Mêrum=abhijâti-guṇêna
Vainyaṁ=induṁ prabhâ-samudayêna balêna Vishṇuṁ [।] [saṁ]-
8 [va]rttak-ânalam=a-sahyatamâñ=cha dîptyâ yô vikkramêṇa cha sur-
âdhipatiṁ vijigyê ॥ Vyâvṛitta-mârgga iva bhâ.
9 [nur=asa]hya-mûrttir=vyabbhr-ôday-âdhikatar-ôj[j]vala-ghôra-dîptiḥ ॥(।) yaś=
śakyatê na ripubhir=bbhaya-vihval-âkshair=udvî-
10 [kshituṁ ksha]ṇam=api ppragṛihîta-śastraḥ ॥ Nirbbhûshaṇair=avigat-âsra-
jal-ârdra-gaṇḍair=vvichchhinna-maṇḍanatay=ôj[j*]vala-nashṭa-
itself, the record of Śaka-Saṁvat 867 (A.D. 945-46) for the accession of the Eastern Chalukya
king Amma II. (Ind. Ant. Vol. VII. p. 16, line 31), in which the date is expressed by the (eight)
demi-gods called Vasu, the (six) flavours, and the (seven) mountains.—The supposition that the
present passage contains one of these numerical words, is certainly not tenable. And, after full con-
sideration, I can see nothing to be done, save to take the reading chaturshu; to accept the violation
of the metre; and, as we also have yâtêshu, to translate kṛitêshu by 'fully-complete.'—In the same
verse, there is also a violation of the metre (or some other mistake) in the words saumyêshu=asîta;
and, in line 11, the final long î of kâminî is shortened for metrical purposes.
¹ See the Preface.
² From the ink-impression and a paper estampage.
³ Metre, Vasantatilaka; and in the next seventeen verses.
⁴ Also tasy=ânujaḥ, “his younger brother,” will suit the metre.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 17, PLATE X. 75
11 [śôbhai]ḥ ||(|) yasy=âri-kâmini -mukhâmburuhair=bbalasya pûrvvaṁ pratâpa-
chakitaiḥ=kriyatê praṇâmaḥ || Ratn-ôdgama-dyuti-
12 [vira]ñjita-kûla-tâlair=uttrasta-nakkra-makara-kshata-ph[ê]na-mâlaiḥ ||(|) chaṇḍ-
ânil-ôddhata-taraṅga-samasta-hastair=yyassy=â-
[rṇṇavai]r=api balâni namahkriyantê || Bhûr=uddhri(ddhṛi)ta-druma-
vikampita-śaila-kîla-vittrasta-vidruta-mṛiga-dvija-śûnya(nya)-gu- ~
14 [lmâ] [|] yassy=ônnata-pravisham[î]kri(kṛi)ta-râjamârggâ ssainya²-prayâṇa-samayê
vinimajjat=îva || Prattyasta-mauli-
15 [ma]ṇi-raśmi-nakha-prabh-ândhair=abbhyudyat-âñjalitayâ śabal-âgragaṇḍaiḥ ||(|)
vidyâdharaiḥ ppriyatamâ-bhuja-pâśa-ba-
16 [ddhair=yya]ssy=âdarâd=divi yaśâ[ṁ]si namahkriyantê || Agrê=pi yâ(yô)
vayasi samparivarttamânaś=śâstr-ânusâra-pari-
17 [varddhita]-śuddha-buddhiḥ ||(|) sad-dharmma-mârggam=iva râjasu darśa-
yishyan=rakshâ-vidhiṁ Bharata-vaj=jagataḥ=karôti || Tasmin=pra-
18 [śâsa]ti mahîṁ=nṛipati-pravîrê svarggaṁ yathâ surapatâv=amita-prabhâvê ||(|)
n=âbhûd=adharmma-niratô vyasan-ânvitô
19 [vâ lôkê] kadâchana janas=sukha-varjjitô vâ || Yâtêshu chatu[r]shu³
kri(kṛi)têshu śatêshu sausyaishvâ(? shṭhâ)śîta-⁴sôttarapadêshv=iha vatsa-
20 [rêshu] ||(|) śuklê trayôdaśa-dinê bhuvi Kârttikasya mâsasya sarvva-jana-
chitta-sukh-âvahasya || Nîl-ôtpala-pra-
21 [sṛita-rê]ṇv-aruṇ-âmbu-kîrṇṇê bandhûka-bâṇa-kusum-ôj[j]vala-kânan-ântê .।(|)*
nidrâ-vyapâya-samayê Madhusûdanasya kâ-
22 [lê prabu]ddha-kumud-âgara-śuddha-târê || Vâpî-taḍâga-surasadmasabh-ôdupâna⁵-
nânâvidh-ôpavana-saṅkrama-dîrghik[â]-
23 [bhiḥ] ||(|) sê(i)shṭâm=iv=âbharaṇa-jâtibhir=aṅganâṁ svâṁ yô Garggarâ-
taṭa-puraṁ sakka(ma)laṅ-chakâra || Râjñas=tritîyam=iva chakshur=udâ-
24 [ra-vṛitti]r=ddêva-dvijâti-guru-b[â]ndhava-sâdhu(?)-bhaktaḥ ||(|) śâstrai[h] stutê*
cha vinay[ê] vyavahâra-hînê yô=pakshapâta-rahitô nidadh[au]*
25 [sva-chint]âm || Sarvvasya jîvitam=a-nityam=a-sâravach=cha dôlâ-chalâm=anu-
vichintya tathâ vibhûtim ||(|) nyây-âga[tê]-
26 [na vi]bhavêna parâñ=cha bhaktim vikkhyâpayann=upaṇ chakkra-gadâ-
dharasya || Pîna⁶-vyâyata-vṛitta-lambi-subhujaḥ=khaḍga-vraṇ[ai]-
27 [r=aṅki]taḥ ||(|) karṇṇ-ânta-pratisarppamâna(na)-nayana[h] gyâ(śyâ)m-âvadâta-*
chchhaviḥ ||(|) darpp-âvishkri(shkṛi)ta-sô(śô)ra-śattru-mathanô dushṭh(shṭ)-
âśva-
28 [--] balî ||(|) bhaktyâ ch=âsuhṛidâñ=cha bândhava-samô dharmm-ârttba-
kâm-ôditah || Prajñâ-śauryya-kul-ôdgatô diśi-
29 [diśi] prakkhyâta-vîryyô vaśî (|) puttrê Vishṇubhatê tathâ Haribhatê
sambaddha-vaṁśa-kriyaḥ ||(|) êta-
¹ The final long î of kâminî is shortened for the sake of the metre.
² Read sainya. ³ See page 73 above, note 1.
⁴ Read saumyêshv=aśîta; which, however, entails another violation of the metre, since aśîta, 'the eightieth,' gives us an amphibrach where an antibacch is required.—We might satisfy the requirements of the metre by reading saumyê=shṭ-âśîta, which would give the 'eighty-eighth (year).' But this would also give us a locative singular, saumyê, where the locative plural, saumyêshu, is required in apposition with śatêshu.
⁵ Read ôdapana, or ôdupâna. ⁶ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita; and in the next verse.
L 2.

76 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
30 [t=pâpa]-path-âvarôdhî vipula-śrî-vallabhê(bhai)r=âtmajaiḥ ||[|] Vishṇô[ḥ*]
sthânam=akârayad=bhagava-
31 'taś=śrî]mân=Mayûrâkshakaḥ || Kailâsa¹-tuṅga-śikhara-ppratimasya yassya
dṛishṭv=âkri(kṛi)tiṁ pra-
32 [muditai]r=vvadan-âravindi(ndai)ḥ ||[|] vidyâdharâḥ ppriyatamâ-sahitâḥ su-
śôbham=âdarśi(rśa)-bimba-
33 [m=iva] yânty=avalôkayantaḥ || · Yân²=dṛishṭvâ sura-sundarî-kara-tala-
vyâghṛishṭa-prishṭha-kshaṇam ||[|] prattyâ
34 [vartta]na-śaṅkinô ratha-hayân=âkri(kṛi)shya chañchat-saṭân ||[|] puṇy-ôdarka-
mati-prabhâva-munibhis=saṁ
35 [stû]yamânô=mbarê (||) saṁrajy=âñjali-kuṭṭalan³=nata-śirâ bhîtaḥ prayâtty=
aṁśumân || Mâtṛi(tṝ)ṇâñ⁴=cha
36 [pramu]dita-ghan-âtyarttha-nihrâdinînâm ||[|] tântr-ôdbhûta-prabala-pavan-ôd-
varttit-âmbhônidhinâm ||[|]
37 ── ── ── ◡ ◡]gatam=idaṁ ḍâkinî-saṁprakîrṇṇam ||[|] vêśm=âtyuggraṁ
nṛipati-sachivô=kârayat=puṇya-hêtôḥ || Pâtâlê⁵ [◡ ◡ ─]
38 [◡ ─ ◡]ratibhir=gguptaṁ bhujaṅg-ô[pa*]maiḥ ||[|] śita-svâdu-viśuddha-bhûri-
salilaṁ sôpâni(na)-mâl-ôj[j*]valam ||[|] da(?)[─ ─ ◡ ◡]
39 [─ ◡ ─ ◡]gahanaṁ kshîrôdadhi-sparddhinam ||[|] kûpañ=ch=ainam=akârayad=
guṇa-nidhiḥ śrîmân=Mayûrâkshakaḥ || Yâvach⁶=ch[─ ─ ◡ ◡ ◡]
40 [◡ ◡ ─] sâgarâ ratnavantô nânâ-gulma-druma-vanavatî yâvad=urvvî sa-
śai(?)lâ ||[|] yâvach=ch=êndur=ggraha-gaṇa-chitaṁ vyôma bha[sika]-
41 [rôti tâ]vat=kîrttir=bbhavatu vipulâ śrî-Mayûrâkshakasy=êditi⁷ Siddhir=
astu [||*]
TRANSLATION.
.................................................... the arm of (the god) Vishṇu ;
......................... the serpentine movements of the trunk of (Airâvata) the
elephant of (Indra) the lord of the gods ...................................!
(Line 2.)—Born in a lineage of rulers of the earth who were possessed of renowned
prowess and fame ................................................................
beautiful ............ there was the illustrious king Naravarman, the famous one ;—
who pleased the gods with sacrifices, the saints with observances of a noble nature .....
.................................................. (his) servants with honourable
treatment that was unequalled in the world, and the whole earth with excellent achieve-
ments ;—[who] ............ the appliances of elephants and horses ...............
......... in [battle-fields] which were full of the rays of (his) sword ; (and whose)
enemies, losing the power of motion through fear, are destroyed (by simply) seeing his face
in the van of war.
(L. 5.)—[His son⁸] ........................ magnanimous ; equal to Brihaspati in
intellect ; possessed of a countenance like the full-moon ; the standard of comparison, as it
¹ Metre, vasantatilaka.
² Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita.
³ Read saṁkuchy=âñjali-kuṭmalan
⁴ Metre, Mandâkrântâ.
⁵ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita.
⁶ Metre, Mandâkrântâ.
⁷ The composer, or the writer, seems to have become confused here between Mayûrâkshakasy=
êti, which is the correct reading, and Mayûrâkshakasya syâd=iti.
⁸ Or possibly "[his younger brother]" ; see page 74 above, note 4.

Here is the complete transcription of the page, including the plate headings, the text of the Gangdhar Stone Inscription of Viśvavarman (Vikrama / Mālava Year 480 = 423–424 CE; Fleet No. 17, Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. III, Plate X), and the accompanying epigraphical apparatus.

Plate Headings & Metadata

Vol. III
Plate X
CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM.
Gangdhar Inscription of Visvavarman — The Year 480

Sanskrit Text of the Inscription (Fleet No. 17)

(Metres: vv. 1–3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14–16, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 34, 38–41, Śārdūlavikrīḍita; vv. 4, 7, 9, 12, 17, 18, 20, 25, 28, 30, 32, 35–37, Vasantatilakā; v. 5, Sragdharā; vv. 13, 19, 22, Mālinī)

[१] [सिद्धम् ॥] [य]स्य [स्मृ]ति-[मा]त्रे[ण . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[२] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[४] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[५] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[६] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[७] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[८] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[९] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१०] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[११] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१२] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१३] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१४] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१५] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१६] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[१७] [यात]ष्व् अतीतेषु कृतेषु पक्षे त्रि[षु चापि मासि] कार्तिक-[शुक्लस्य]
[१८] त्रयोदशी-दिने विहित-शुभ-कर्मणि ।
[१९] यातेषु चतुर्षु वर्ष-शतेषु व्यधिकेषु चाशीतौ
[२०] [गतेषु सम्वत्सर-गणे]षु मालवानां गणाश्रिते ।
[२१] तस्याभूत् सचिवो विपुल-मतिरमात्य-मुख्यः
[२२] मयूरक्षकाख्यः सतत-विहित-पुण्य-क्रिया-विशुद्ध-धीः ।
[२३] विष्णु-स्थानं कारितमनेन सुविशालं कैलास-शिखराकारम्
[२४] जगति विख्यातं परम-भक्त्या भगवतो विष्णोः ॥
[२५] मातृणां च प्रमुदित-घनोद्भूत-डाकिनी-सम्प्रकीर्णम्
[२६] वेइमात्युग्रं डाकिनी-सम्प्रकीर्णोदित-घोर-नादम् ।
[२७] तन्त्रोद्भूत-तन्त्र-विधि-युक्तं कारितमनेन
[२८] लोक-रक्षार्थं धर्म-कीर्ति-प्रवर्धनम् ॥
[२९] तथा च कूपः कारितो ऽनेन महा-सलिलाशयः
[३०] पुण्य-यश-विवृद्धये सर्व-सत्त्व-हितैषिणा ॥
[३१] यावत्-सूर्य-शशाङ्कौ दिवि भातो यावद्-वसुन्धरा
[३२] तावत्-कीर्ति-प्रसाद-कर्मेदं तिष्ठतु शाश्वतम् ॥
[३३] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३४] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३५] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३६] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३७] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३८] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[३९] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[४०] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]
[४१] [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ]

Bottom Margin Labels

J. F. FLEET, BO. C.S.
SCALE .28
W. GRIGGS, PHOTO-LITH.

Historical and Epigraphical Summary

• Find-spot: Gangdhār (गंगधार), Jhalawar district, Rajasthan.
• Dynasty / King: Aulikara dynasty of Western Malwa; King Viśvavarman (Śrī-Viśvavarman), son of King Naravarman.
• Date: Mālava / Kṛta / Vikrama Samvat 480 (यातेषु चतुर्षु वर्षशतेषु व्यधिकेषु चाशीतौ = 480 expired), month of Kārttika, bright fortnight, 13th day (śukla trayodaśī) = c. October/November 423 CE.
• Sponsor / Officer: King Viśvavarman's prime minister, Mayūrākṣaka (Mayūrākṣa).
• Purport:
  1. Erection of an imposing temple of Viṣṇu resembling the peak of Mount Kailāsa.
  2. Construction of an esoteric shrine/temple dedicated to the Mātṛs (Divine Mothers / Sapta Mātṛkās), accompanied by Ḍākinīs and constructed according to Tantric rites (Tantrodbhūta / Tantra-vidhi). This is historically one of the earliest epigraphical mentions of Tantra and Ḍākinīs in ancient India.
  3. Excavation of a deep well (vāpī) with abundant water for public welfare and merit.

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 17, PLATE X. 77
were, for (even) Râma and Bhagîratha; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on the earth,
(was) Viśvavarman;—who surpassed (the mountain) Mêru in firmness, Vainya in here-
ditary virtue, the moon in development of lustre, (the god) Vishṇu in strength, and the
most unendurable fire of universal destruction in brilliance, and (Indra) the lord of the
gods in prowess;—who, when he grasps (his) weapon, cannot be gazed upon even
for a moment by (his) enemies, whose eyes are blinded by fear, just like a sun, which,
turning back upon (its) course, has an unendurable form and a brilliant and terrible lustre
that is heightened by rising in a cloudless sky;—to whom obeisance is performed by the
waterlilies which are the faces of the lovely women of (his) enemies, frightened before-
hand by (hearing of) the prowess of (his) strength, (and now) destitute of ornaments,
moist on the cheeks with the water of the tears that cling there, (and) deprived of beauty by
having their wearing of adornments stopped;—whose forces, moreover, have reverence done
to them by [the oceans], the palmyra-trees on the shores of which are beautified by the
lustre of the production of jewels (from the waters); the rows of the foam on which are
broken through by the terrified sharks and marine monsters; (and) all of whose hands,
which are their waves, are shaken about by a fierce wind;—at the time of the journeying
forth of whose army, the earth has (its) thickets emptied of the beasts and birds which
flee away from fear of the lances that uproot the trees and make the mountains tremble,
and, having (its) highways made uneven by protuberances, sinks down as it were (under
the tread of his troops);—whose reputation has respect paid to it in a reverential manner
in the sky by the Vidyâdharas, bound in the fetters of the arms of (their) mistresses, who
are blinded by the radiance, directed towards (them), of the rays of the jewels in (his)
diadem, (and) the upper parts of whose cheeks are shaded by the lifting up of (their)
joined hands in the act of respectful salutation;—and who, even when he was still in early
youth, nourished (his) pure intellect by following the sacred writings, and now effects the
protection of the world like Bharata, pointing out, as it were, the path of the true religion
among kings. While he, the king, the bravest among kings, is governing the earth, just
as (Indra) the lord of the gods, of unmeasured majesty, (governs) the heavens, there is
never any one [among mankind] who delights in wickedness, [or] is beset by misfortune, or
is destitute of happiness
(L. 19.)—And when four hundred fully-complete auspicious years,¹ together with the
eightieth (year), had here gone by; on the bright thirteenth day of the month Kârttika
which brings happiness to the thoughts of all mankind;—in the season² which abounds
with waters that are of a reddish-brown colour with the pollen that is discharged from the
blue waterlilies; when the skirts of the groves are radiant with the flowers of the bandhûka³
and bâṇa⁴-trees; when there is the time of the awakening from sleep of (the god)
Madhusûdana;⁵ (and) when the stars are as pure as a bed of waterlilies in full bloom;—
(L. 22.)—He who has adorned (this) city on the banks of the Gargarâ with irrigation
wells, tanks, and temples and halls of the gods, drinking-wells, and pleasure-gardens of

¹ See page 73 above, note 1; and page 75, note 4.
² i.e. Śarad, the autumn, consisting of the two months Âśvayuja (September-October) and Kârt-
tika (October-November).
³ bandhûka; 'a shrub bearing a red flower; Pentapetes Phœnicea; Terminalia Tomentosa.'
⁴ bâṇa; 'the blue-flowering Barleria.'
⁵ Vishṇu, who sleeps during the four months of the rainy season. His slumber commences on
the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of the month Âshâḍha (June-July), and ends on the eleventh
day of the bright fortnight of Kârttika (October-November).

78 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
various kinds, and causeways, and long pools, just as if (he were adorning his own) beloved
wife with different sorts of ornaments ; he who is, as it were, the third eye of the king ; who
is of noble behaviour ; who is devoted to gods, Brâhmans, spiritual preceptors, relations,
and holy men ; and who, (by nature) not free from partiality (for this particular virtue),
has (always) applied (his) thoughts to courteous behaviour, destitute of litigation, which
is applauded by the sacred writings ;—he who, having reflected that the life of every man
lasts not for ever and is full of feebleness, and that prosperity is as unstable as a swing, is
displaying, by means of (his) lawfully acquired riches, the most extreme devotion towards
(the god Vishṇu) who bears the discus and the club ;¹—he who has two handsome arms
that are muscular and long and round and pendulous ; who is [marked] with the wounds of
swords ; whose eyes stretch to the tips of (his) ears ; who is possessed of a clear skin like
that of a young woman of tender age ; who destroys (his) enemies when they display
energy through pride ; who is powerful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; who through devo-
tion behaves like a relation towards (his) enemies ; who is experienced in (the combined
pursuit, without mutual conflict, of) religion and wealth and pleasure :—
(L. 28.)—He, the illustrious Mayûrâkshaka,—who is sprung from a family possessed
of wisdom and prowess ; whose heroism is renowned in every region ; who holds himself
under control ; (and) who has accomplished, in his son Vishṇubhaṭa and also Haribhaṭa,
the duty of (continuing his) lineage,—caused to be built by his sons, the favourites of great
good fortune, this shrine of the divine (god) Vishṇu, which blocks up the path of sin,—
seeing the aspect of which, resembling the lofty peak of (the mountain) Kailâsa, the
Vidyâdharas, accompanied by their mistresses, come and gaze into it with happy faces
that are like waterlilies, as if it were the very lustrous surface of a mirror ;—(and) seeing
which (aspect), at the moment when the surface (of the roof) has been polished by the
palms of the hands of the lovely women of the gods, the sun, who in the sky is praised in
chorus by the saints possessed of superhuman power of mind resulting from religious merit,
reins in his chariot-horses with (their) tossing manes, which think (from the reflection)
that they are returning towards (themselves), and, joining (his hands) together (so that
they resemble) an expanding bud in respectful salutation, runs away in fear with bent-down
head.
(L. 35.)—Also, for the sake of religious merit, the counsellor of the king caused to
be built this very terrible abode, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (and) filled full of
female ghouls, of the divine Mothers, who utter loud and tremendous shouts in joy, (and)
who stir up the (very) oceans with the mighty wind rising from the magic rites of their
religion.
(L. 37.)—And the illustrious Mayûrâkshaka, the receptacle of virtuous qualities,
caused to be made this well, which is protected by . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the
lower regions, resembling serpents ; which possesses much water, cool, and sweet, and
pure ; (and) which rivals the ocean.
(L. 39.)—As long as the oceans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . are full of jewels ; as
long as the earth, with (its) mountains, abounds with many thickets and trees and woods ;
and as long as the moon lights up the sky that is inlaid with the host of the planets ;—so
long let the fame of the illustrious Mayûrâkshaka remain abundant ! Let there be
success !
¹ This compound combines two well-known names of Vishṇu,—Chakradhara, and Gadâdhara.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 18, PLATE XI. 79
No. 18; PLATE XI.
MANDASOR STONE INSCRIPTION OF KUMARAGUPTA
AND BANDHUVARMAN.
THE MALAVA YEARS 493 AND 529.
THIS inscription, which I published, for the first time, in 1886, in the Ind. Ant. Vol.
XV. p. 194 ff., was discovered through information given by the late Mr. Arthur
Sulivan, who, in 1879, sent to General Cunningham, from Mandasôr, a hand-copy of the
fragmentary pillar inscription of Yaśôdharman, No. 34 below, Plate xxiC. I saw this
copy in 1883, and, recognising in it the name of Mihirakula, sent my copyists, in March
1884, to take impressions of this fragment and of any other inscriptions that they might
find. In the search made by them, they discovered the present inscription, and also the
entire duplicate copy of the pillar inscription of Yaśôdharman, No. 33 below, Plate xxiB.,
which had escaped the notice of Mr. Sulivan.
**Mandasôr,**¹ or more properly Daśôr, the ancient **Daśapura,**² on the north or left

¹ The 'Mandesar, Mandesor, Mandesur, Mandisore, Mandosar, Mandsaur, Mundesor, and
Mundesoor,' of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 35. Lat. 24° 3' N.; Long. 75° 8' E.
² Daśôr is the name by which, in preference to Mandasôr, the town is habitually spoken of by the
villagers and agriculturists of the locality and neighbourhood, and even as far as Indôr. And in some
bilingual sanads or warrants, of about a century and a half ago, I found this form, Daśôr, used in the
vernacular passages, while the Persian passages of the same documents give the form Mandasôr. So
also, Paṇḍits still habitually use the form Daśapura in their correspondence; a practice with which
we may compare the use, also by Paṇḍits, of Ahipura and Nakhapura for respectively Sampgaum and
Ugargôl in the Belgaum District; except that it is doubtful whether these are original Saṁskṛit names,
or only pedantic Saṁskṛit translations of original vernacular names.—The local explanation of the
name is, that the place was originally a city of the Purâṇic king Daśaratha. But, on this view, the
modern name should be Dasrathôr. The true explanation evidently is that,—just as now the town-
ship includes from twelve to fifteen outlying hamlets or divisions; Khilchîpur, Jankûpurâ, Râmpuriyâ,
Chandrapurâ, Bâlâgañj, &c.,—so, when it was originally constituted, it included exactly ten (daśa)
such hamlets (pura).—As regards the fuller form of Mandasôr, by which alone the town is known
officially and is entered in maps, I cannot at present explain the origin of it. But Dr. Bhagwanlal
Indraji suggested to me that it may perhaps represent Manda-Daśapura, "the distressed or afflicted
Daśapura," in commemoration of the overthrow of the town, and the destruction of the Hindu tem-
ples in it, by the Musalmâns, in memory of which, even to the present day, the Nâgar Brâhmaṇs of
the place will not drink the water there. And, as tending to support this suggestion, I would mention
that one of the Paṇḍits whom I questioned on the spot, gave me Mannadasôr as another form of the
name. Another suggestion, by Mr. F. S. Growse, is that the name combines the two names of Maḍ
and Daśapura; the former of them (see Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 195) being the name of a village, also
called Afzalpur, about eleven miles south-east of Mandasôr, from which, it is said, were brought, from
ruined Hindu temples, the stones that were used in the construction of the Musalmân fort at Manda-
sôr. The true explanation, whatever it may be, would probably be found in the Daśapura-Mâhât-
mya, which is extant, but which I did not succeed in obtaining for examination.—In addition to the
present inscription, the ancient Saṁskṛit name, Daśapura, occurs also in line 2 of an early Nâsik in-
scription of Ushavadâta (Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 99, and Plate lii. No. 5); and in
another inscription at Mandasôr itself, dated (Vikrama)-Saṁvat 1321 (A.D. 1264-65) Guru(vâra) or
Thursday, the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month Bhâdrapada, which is on a white stone
built into the wall on the left hand inside the inner gate of the eastern entrance of the Fort.—Under
the same name, the place is also mentioned, in connection with Avanti (Ujjain), in the Bṛihat-
Saṁhitâ, xiv. vv. 11-16 (Kern's Translation, Jour. R. As. Soc. N. S. Vol. V. p. 83).

80 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
bank of the river Śiwanâ,¹ is the chief town of the Mandasôr District of Scindia's Domi-
nions in the Western Mâlwa division of Central India. The inscription is on a stone
slab, apparently rather good and dark sand-stone, built into the wall on the right hand
half-way down a small flight of steps leading to the river in front of a mediæval temple of
the god Śiva, under the name of Mahâdêva, at the Mahâdêva-Ghâṭ, which is on the south
bank of the river, just opposite the Fort, and, I think, in the limits of the hamlet of
Chandrapurâ.
The writing covers, except for a margin of about half an inch, the whole front of the
stone, about 2' 7½" broad by 1' 4½" high. It has been a good deal worn away about the
centre of the stone; and also the stone is chipped at several places round the edges; but
only a few letters here and there are really illegible, and these can in each case be easily
supplied.—The average size of the letters is about ⅛". The characters belong to the
southern class of alphabets; but they include two letters borrowed from the northern
alphabets; viz. the separate form of the lingual ḍ, as distinct from the dental d, e.g. in
taḍit, line 6, and chûḍâ, line 17; and also the rare lingual ḍh, e.g. in dṛiḍha, lines 9 and 11.
They give a very good specimen of what may be called the Western Mâlwa alphabet of
the fifth century A.D.—The language is Sanskrit; and, with the exception of the
opening siddham and the concluding words in line 24, the entire inscription is in
verse.—In respect of orthography we have to notice (1) the occasional use of the
jihvâmûlîya and upadhmânîya; e.g. in jagatak=kshaya, line 1; gaṇaik=kham, line 8,
pravisṛitaiḥ=pushṇâti, line 2; and abhitâmraḥ=pâyât, line 3; but not, for instance, in
avabhugnaiḥ kvachit, line 5; paraḥ kṛipaṇê, line 14; rajaḥ-piñjaritaiḥ, line 5; and
pratimânitâḥ pramuditâ, line 9; (2) the occasional doubling of t, dh, and bh, in con-
junction with a following r; e.g. in chittrêṇa, line 12; rôddhra, line 18; and abbhra, line 6;
(3) the same of th and dh, with a following y; e.g. in patthya, line 9; and svâddhyâya,
line 8; and (4) the same of dh, with a following v; e.g. in addhvâdi, line 3.
The inscription refers itself to the reign of a king named Kumâragupta, who, from
the description of him in line 13 as sovereign of the whole earth, can be no other than the
well-known Kumâragupta of the Early Gupta dynasty. Under him, the governor at
Daśapura was Bandhuvarman, the son of Viśvavarman. The inscription belongs
throughout to the solar form of worship. It narrates, in the first place, how a number of
silk-weavers immigrated from the Lâṭa vishaya, or central and southern Gujarât, into
the city of Daśapura; and how some of the band took up other occupations, while those
who adhered to their original pursuit constituted themselves into a separate and flourish-
ing guild. And it then proceeds to record that, while Bandhuvarman was governing at
Daśapura, the guild of silk-weavers built at that city a temple of the Sun, which was
completed when, in words, four hundred and ninety-three years had elapsed, “by (the
reckoning from) the tribal constitution of the Mâlavas,”² and therefore when the four
hundred and ninety-fourth year (A.D. 437-38) was current, on the thirteenth day of the
bright fortnight of the month Sahasya (December-January). Afterwards, under other
kings, part of this temple fell into disrepair. And then it was restored by the same guild,
when, in words, five hundred and twenty-nine years had elapsed, and therefore when
the five hundred and thirtieth year (A.D. 473-74) was current, on the second lunar day
of the bright fortnight of the month Tapasya (February-March). This second date is, of
¹ The ‘Sau, and Seu,’ of maps. ² See the Preface.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 18, PLATE XI. 81
course, the year in which the inscription was actually composed and engraved; since we
are told at the end that it was all composed by Vatsabhaṭṭi, and the engraving throughout
is obviously the work of one and the same hand.
TEXT.¹
1 [Sid]dh[a]m [||] Y[ô² v]ṛit[t*]y-a[r]ttham=upâsyatê sura-gaṇais=siddhaiś=cha
siddhy=artthibhir=ddhyân-aik-âgra-parair=vvidhêya-vishayair=mmôksh-ârtthibhir
=yyôgibhiḥ | bhaktyâ tîvra-tapôdhanaiś=cha munibhiś=śâpa-prasâda-
kshamair=hêtur=yyô jagataḥ=kshay-âbhyudayayôḥ=pâyât=sa vô bhâskaraḥ |(II)
Tat[t*]va-jñâna-vidô=pi yasya na vidur=brahmarsha-
[L

82 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
8 rahasi kucha-śâlinîbhyâṁ Prîti-Ratibhyâṁ Smar-âṅgam=iva || Satya¹-
kshamâ-dama-śama-vrata-śaucha-dhairyya-svâddhyâya-vritta-vinaya-sthiti-bud-
dhy-upêtaiḥ | vidyâ-tapô-nidhibhir=a-smayitaiś=cha viprair=yyad=bhrâjatê
graha-gaṇaiḥ=kham=iva pradîptaiḥ || Atha² samêtya nirantara-saṅgatair=
aharahah-pravijṛimbhita-
9 sauhṛidaḥ [l*] nṛipatibhis=suta-vat=pratim[â]nitâḥ pramuditâ nyavasanta
sukhaṁ purê || Śravaṇa³-[su]bhaga[ṁ] dh[â]nurvvaidya[ṁ] dṛiḍhaṁ
parinishṭhitâḥ sucharita-śat-âsaṅgâḥ=kêchid=vichittra-kathâ-vidaḥ | vinaya-
nibhṛitâs = samyag - dharmma - prasaṅga - parāyaṇāḥ = priyam = a - parushaṁ
pathyaṁ ch=ânyê kshamâ bahu bhâshitum ||
10 Kêchit⁴=sva-karmmaṇy=adhikâs=tath=ânyair=vvijñâyatê jyôtisham=âtmavadbhiḥ |
adyâpi ch=ânyê samara-pragalbhâḥ=kurvvanty=arîṇâm=a-hitaṁ pra-
sahya |(||) Prâjñâ⁵ manôjña-vadhavah prathit-ôru-vaṁśâ vaṁś-ânurûpa-
charit-âbharaṇâs=tath=ânyê | satya-vratâḥ praṇayinâm=upakâra-dakshâ
visrambha-
11 [pûrvva]m=aparê dṛiḍha-sauhṛidâś=cha || Vijita⁶-vishaya-saṅgair=ddharmma-
śîlais=tath=ânyair=m[ri]dubhir=adhika-sat[t*]vair=llôkayâtr-âmaraiś=cha | sva-
kula-tilaka-bhûtair=mukta-râgair=udârair=adhikam=abhivibhâti śrêṇir=êvaṁ-
prakâraiḥ || Târuṇya⁷-kânty-upachitô=pi suvarṇṇahâra-tâmbûla-pushpa-
vidhinâ sama-
12 [laṁkṛi]tô=pi | nârî-janaḥ priyam=upaiti na tâvad=agryâ(śryâ)ṁ yâvan=na
paṭṭamaya-vastra-y[u]gâni dhattê || Sparśa[va]tâ⁸ varṇṇântara-
vibhâga-chittrêṇa nêtra-subhagêna | yais=sakalam=idaṁ kshititalam=alaṁ-
kṛitaṁ paṭṭa-vastrêṇa || Vidyâdharî⁹-ruchira-pallava-karṇṇapûra-vât-êrit-
âsthirataraṁ pravichintya
13 [lô]kaṁ | mânushyam=artha-nichayâṁś=cha tathâ viśâlâṁs=têshâṁ śubhâ
matir=abhûd=achalâ tatas=tu || Chatus¹⁰-samudr-ân[t]a-vilôla-mêkhalâṁ
Sumêru-Kailâsa-bṛihat-payôdharâm | van-ânta-vânta-sphuṭa-pushpa-hâsinîṁ
Kumâraguptê pṛithivîṁ praśâsati || Samâna¹¹-dhîś=Śukra-Bṛihas-
patibhyâṁ lalâma-bhûtô bhuvi
14 pârtthivânâṁ | raṇêshu yaḥ Pârttha-samâna-karmmâ babhûva gôptâ
nṛipa-Viśvavarmmâ || Dîn¹²-ânukampana-paraḥ kṛipaṇ-ârtta-vargga-
sandh[â]-pradô=dhika-dayâlur=anâtha-nâthaḥ | kalpa-drumaḥ praṇayinâm=
abhayaṁ pradaś=cha bhîtasya yô janapadasya cha bandhur=âsît ||
Tasy¹³-âtmajaḥ sthairyya-nay-ôpapannô bandhu-priyô
15 bandhur=iva prajânâṁ | bandhv-artti-harttâ nṛipa-Bandhuvarmmâ dvid-
dṛipta-paksha-kshapaṇ-aika-dakshaḥ || Kântô ¹⁴ yuvâ raṇa-paṭur=vvinay-
ânvitaś=cha râj=âpi sann=upasṛitô na madaiḥ smay-âdyaiḥ | śṛiṅgâra
¹ Metre, Vasantatilaka.                                          ² Metre, Drutavilambita.
³ Metre, Hariṇî.                                                  ⁴ Metre, Indravajrâ.
⁵ Metre, Vasantatilaka.                                          ⁶ Metre, Mâlinî.
⁷ Metre, Vasantatilaka.                                          ⁸ Metre, Âryâ.
⁹ Metre, Vasantatilaka.                                          ¹⁰ Metre, Vaṁśastha.
¹¹ Metre, Upêndravajrâ.                                         ¹² Metre, Vasantatilaka.
¹³ Metre, Indravajrâ.                                            ¹⁴ Metre, Vasantatilaka.

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[Years 493 & 529] [Plate xi]

Mandasor Stone Inscription of Kumāragupta I and Bandhuvarman

(Mālava Years 493 and 529 / A.D. 436 and 473)
(Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. III, No. 18, Plate XI)

Text (Inscriptional Sanskrit in Devanagari)

सिद्धम् [] यो भावयत्यतितरामथ संहरत्युर्वीं धारयत्यपि समस्तमिदं प्रपञ्चम् [।] यश्चात्मनः प्रभवसंयमयोः प्रवृत्तो लोकेश्वरः स जयति स्फुरदंशुमाली [॥ १*] तस्मै प्रणम्य वि-

धिवत्सुकृताय हेतुं दिग्व्यामपि प्रथितमद्भुतविस्तृतार्थम् [।] लाटाह्वयाद्विषयतो बहुवित्तपूर्णायूनां सुरासुरगुरोः प्रथितं यदङ्गैः [॥ २] तारागणाकुलनभःप्रतिमैः शिरोभि-

र्दीप्रैश्च कान्तिभिरनल्पमयं मनोज्ञैः [।] प्रासादमाल्यमभिशोभि मनोभिरामैर्यत्त्रासितं दिवि विमानसहस्ररूपैः [॥ ३] कुसुमभरनतानन्दनानां लताभिर्दिशि दिशि परिशोभी

मण्डपैर्द्वन्द्वभाजाम् [।] जलदविभवमुक्तैर्हर्म्यजालैरजस्रं सुरपतिभवनाभा यस्य साक्षाद्विभाति [॥ ४] कुसुमभरनम्रेषु द्रुमेषु विहगविरुतेषु वापीषु [।*] मत्तद्विरेफ-

भृङ्गाङ्गनाभिरुपगीतेषु विकचकमलोत्पलेषु वनेषु [॥ ५*] मालिन्यमपगतमाशु यत्त्र वापीषु शीतममलं जलमुद्वहन्ती [।*] भाति स्वच्छाङ्गरागवदना वनराजिरुच्चैरुत्फुल्ल-

पद्मरजसा विरजीकृताङ्गी [॥ ६*] तस्यामुदीरितविकत्थनदीप्तभावैरन्योन्यसङ्गमरतोन्मथितप्रहर्षैः [।*] उद्दामदर्पदलिताहितदपिकैश्च संसेविते बहुविधेन विलास-

गेहे [॥ ७*] तस्यां पुरे दशपुरे क्षितिभृद्दिवाप्य मान्ये च पालयति भूमिमभिपन्नकामे [।] गोप्तरि नृपान्वयजे विजितातिवीर्ये श्रीबन्धुवर्मणि यशःप्रथितावदाते [॥ ८]

यस्योदारस्य नृपतेर्गुणैः श्लाघ्यैरनारतम् [।] आक्रान्ताः पृथिवीपालाः प्रणेमुश्चरणद्वये [॥ ९] तस्मिन्नेव क्षितिपतौ कुमारगुप्ते पृथिवीं प्रशासति [।*] तस्यां पुरे दशपुरे

पट्टवायैः कृतं महत् [॥ १०*] देशान्तरादुपगतैर्बहुवित्तपूर्णैर्वित्तैः स्वकैः समुदितैः स्वभुजोपनीतैः [।*] तैः पट्टवायभवनानि कृतानि रम्याण्यादित्यदीप्तिकिरण-

प्रतिमानि नैकैः [॥ ११*] श्रेण्या चकार रुचिरं कृतयत्नपूरैः स्निग्धैर्गभीररचितं सुसमाहितार्थैः [।*] श्रीसूर्यभानुरिह भानुरिवावभासि प्रासादमुन्नतमुदारतरं

व्यधुस्तैः [॥ १२*] शिखरिदशनचारु व्योम विस्तृत्य दीप्रैः स्फुरदंशुजालैः [।] शशिधवलनखाभ्रव्यामलोत्तानहस्तैर्नभसि विरचिताभ्रं भाति कैलासकल्पम् [॥ १३]

शरदमलसुधाधौतं तुङ्गं कैलासगौरम् [।] शिखरमिव नभःस्थं भानोर्भवनमुदारम् [॥ १४] प्रासादं स्फुरितमरीचिजालदीप्रं गगनतलमलं प्रावृषि व्योम-

भासि [।] कैलासाद्रिप्रतिभटमिवोच्चैस्तरां दधानम् [॥ १५] वत्सरशतेषु पञ्चसु व्यतीतेषु त्रिनवत्यधिकेषु [।] मालवगणस्थितेः प्रशस्ते लिखिते कालविधौ प्रवृत्ते [॥ १६]

सहस्यमासस्य शुक्लपक्षे त्रयोदश्याम् [।] प्रतिष्ठापितमेतद्भवनाधिपतेः प्रसादात् [॥ १७] बहुना समतीतेन कालेनान्यैश्च पार्थिवैः [।*] व्यशीर्यतैकदेशो ऽस्य

भवनस्य ततो ऽधुना [॥ १८*] स्वयशोवृद्धये सर्व्वैरुदारमतिभिः पुनः [।] संस्कारितमिदं भूयः श्रेण्या भानुमतो गृहम् [॥ १९] अत्युन्नतमवदातम्

नभो ऽभिलङ्घ्यैव मूर्ध्निरोचिष्णु [।] चन्द्रमयूखैरवदातैः प्रियदर्शनं सर्व्वलोकानाम् [॥ २०] वत्सरशतेषु पञ्चसु व्यतीतेषु षट्त्रिंशदधिकेषु [।*] मालवगण-

स्थितेः प्रशस्ते लिखिते कालविधौ प्रवृत्ते [॥ २१*] तपस्यमासस्य शुक्लपक्षे द्वितीयायाम् [।] पुनः संस्कारितमिदं सूर्यभानोर्गृहं महत् [॥ २२] यावत्स्थास्यति

पृथिवी पर्व्वतनद्यर्णवैः सपरिकरा [।] तावत्प्रासादो ऽयं तिष्ठतु विख्यातो दशपुरे [॥ २३] वत्सभट्टिना रचितमिदं सर्व्वम् [॥ २४*]

सिद्धिरस्तु [*]

Translation Summary

• Lines 1–7: Invocation to the Sun-god (Sūrya), followed by an elaborate poetic description of the town of Daśapura (modern Mandasor), its buildings, lakes, gardens, and flourishing prosperity.
• Lines 7–10: Mention of the local ruler Bandhuvarman, ruling at Daśapura under the sovereign paramount Gupta monarch Kumāragupta I (tasminn-eva kṣitipatau Kumāragupte pṛthivīṁ praśāsati).
• Lines 10–13: The guild of silk-weavers (paṭṭavāya-śreṇī), having migrated from the Lāṭa country, built an excellent and lofty temple dedicated to the Sun.
• Lines 13–14: The temple was originally consecrated in the expired Mālava Year 493 (A.D. 436–37), on the 13th lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Sahasya (Mārgaśīrṣa/Pauṣa).
• Lines 14–17: In course of time, under other kings, part of the temple fell into decay and disrepair. It was thoroughly repaired and restored by the same guild in the expired Mālava Year 529 (A.D. 473–74), on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month Tapasya (Phālguna).
• Lines 17–19: Benediction wishing that the noble temple of the Sun endure as long as the earth, mountains, and oceans exist. Composed by the poet Vatsabhaṭṭi.

COR 83
dvitīyaḥ ||
Vol. III. Mandasor Inscription
chanānāṁ
vri(vṛi)shê
pâlayaty=
ûr=udâraṁ
2
dgat-êndv-
4 nivishṭa-
-[ra]chanê
[ch]andrâṁśu-
6
Rôddhra-
abhirâmê |
8 [..]ikasâkhê ||
âlavânâm¹
10 m=ri(ṛi)tau
trayôdaśê |
itêna
12 ya tatô=
saṁskâ-
14 '-unnatam=
śi-bhânvôr=
16 vasu ch=
Spashṭair²=
pushp-
18 rê Hara-
20 | kâlê
va nabhô
vana-varêṇa
22
jaṭânâṁ |
am=udâraṁ
24
in apposition
¹ emendation
M 2.

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 18, PLATE XI. 83
mûrt-tir=abhibhâty=an-alaṁkṛitô=pi rûpêṇa yaḥ=kusumachâpa iva dvitîyaḥ ||
Vaidhavya¹-tîvra-vyasana-kshatânâṁ
16 smri(smṛi)tvâ yam=adyâpy=ari-sundarîṇâṁ | bhayâd=bhavaty=âyata-lôchanânâṁ
ghana-stan-âyâsa-karaḥ prakampaḥ || Tasminn²=êva kshitipati-vri(vṛi)shê
Barhdhuvarmmaṇy=udârê samyak-sphîtaṁ Daśapuram=idaṁ pâlayaty=
unnat-âṁśê | śilp-âvâptair=ddhana-samudayaiḥ paṭṭavâyair=udâraṁ
śrêṇîbhûtair=bbhavanam=atulaṁ kâritaṁ
17 dîpta-raśmêḥ || Vistîrṇṇa³-tuṅga-śikharaṁ śikhari-prakâśam=abhyudgat-êndv-
amala-raśmi-kalâpa-gauraṁ | yad=bhâti paśchima-purasya nivishṭa-
kânta-chûḍâmaṇi-pratisaman=nayan-âbhiramaṁ || Râmâ-sanâtha-[ra]chanê
dara-bhâskar-âṁśu-vahni-pratâpa-subhagê jala-lîna-mînê | chandrâṁśu-
harmyatala-
18 chandana-tâlavṛinta-hâr-ôpabhôdha(ga)-rahitê hima-dagdha-padmê || Rôddhra-
priyaṅgu-taru-kuṇḍalatâ-vikôśa-pushp - âsava - pramud[i]t - âli - kal - âbhirâmê |
kâlê tushâra-kaṇa-karkkaśa-śîta-vâta-vêga-praṇṛitta-lavalî-nagan-aikaśâkhê ||
Smara⁴-vaśaga-taruṇajana-vallabhâṅganâ-vipula-kânta-pîn-ôru-
19 stana-jaghana-ghan-âliṅgana-nirbhartsita-tuhina-hima-pâtê || Mâlavânâṁ⁵
gaṇa-sthityâ yât[ê] śata-chatushṭayê | tri-navaty-adhikê=bdânâm=ri(ṛi)tau
sêvya-ghana-svanê || Sahasya-mâsa-śuklasya praśastê=hni trayôdaśê |
maṅgal-âchâra-vidhinâ prâsâdô=yaṁ nivêśitaḥ || Bahunâ samatîtêna
20 kâlên=ânyaiś=cha pârtthivaiḥ | vyaśîryyat=aika-dêśô=sya bhavanasya tatô=
dhunâ || Sva-yaśô-v[r]i(vṛi)ddhayê sarvvam=aty-udâram=udârayâ saṁskâ-
ritam=idaṁ bhûyaḥ śrêṇyâ bhânumatô gṛihaṁ || Aty⁶-unnatam=
avadâtaṁ nabha[ḥ]-spriśann=iva⁷ manôharaiḥ śikharaiḥ | śaśi-bhânvôr=
abhyudayêshv=amala-mayûkh-âyatana-
21 bhûtaṁ || Vatsara-śatêshu pañchasu viśaṁty⁸-adhikêshu navasu ch=
âbdêshu | yâtêshv=abhiramya-Tapasya-mâsa-śukla-dvitîyâyâṁ || Spashtair⁹=
aśôkataru-kêtaka-sinduvâra-lôlâtimuktakalatâ-madayantikânâṁ | pushp-
ôdgamair=abhinavair=adhigamya nûnam=aikyaṁ vijṛimbhita-śarê Hara-
pû(dhû)ta-dêhê ||
22 Madhu¹⁰-pâna-mudita-madhukara-kul-ôpagîta-nagan(ṇ)-aika-pṛithu-śâkhê | kâlê
nava-kusum-ôdgama-dantura-kâmta-prachura-rôddhrê || Śaśin=êva nabhô
vimalaṁ kaus[t]ubha-maṇin=êva Śârṅgiṇô vakshaḥ | bhavana-varêṇa
tath=êdaṁ puram=akhilam=alaṁkṛitam=udâram || Amalina¹¹-śaśi-
23 lêkhâ-danturaṁ piṅgalânâṁ parivahati samûhaṁ yâvad=Îśô jaṭânâṁ |
vikaṭa-kamala-mâlâm=aṁsa-saktâṁ cha Śârṅgî bhavanam=idam=udâraṁ

¹ Metre, Upajâti of Indravajrâ and Upêndravajrâ.
² Metre, Mandâkrântâ.
³ Metre, Vasantatilaka; and in the next two verses. ⁴ Metre, Âryâ.
⁵ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh); and in the next three verses.
⁶ Metre, Âryâ; and in the next verse.
⁷ spriśan is the nominative singular of the masculine; whereas the neuter spriśat, in apposition
with gṛihaṁ, is what is required. This, however, would not suit the metre. The only emendation
that suits the metre, is to alter the construction and read nabhaḥ spriśat=iva.
⁸ Read viṁśaty. ⁹ Metre, Vasantatilaka.
¹⁰ Metre, Âryâ; and in the next verse. ¹¹ Metre, Mâlinî.
M 2.

84 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
śâśvatan=tâvad=astu ॥ Śrêṇy¹-âdêśêna bhaktyâ cha kâritaṁ
bhavanaṁ ravêḥ । pûrvvâ ch=êyaṁ² prayatnêna rachitâ
Vatsabhaṭṭinâ ॥
24 Svasti kartṛi-lêkhaka-vâchaka-śrôtṛibhyaḥ ॥ Siddhir=astu ॥
TRANSLATION.
Perfection has been attained ! May that Sun protect you,—who is worshipped by the
hosts of the gods for the sake of existence, and by the Siddhas³ who wish for super-
natural powers, (and) by ascetics, entirely given over to abstract meditation (and) having
worldly attractions well under control, who wish for the final liberation of the soul, and,
with devotion, by saints, practising strict penances, (who wish to become) able to coun-
teract curses ; (and) who is the cause of the destruction and the commencing (again) of
the universe ! Reverence to that Sun,—whom (even) the Brâhmaṇical sages, though they
knew the knowledge of the truth (and) exerted themselves, failed to comprehend ; and
who nourishes the whole of the three worlds with (his) rays diffused in all directions ; who,
when he is risen, is praised by Gandharvas,⁴ gods, Siddhas, Kinnaras,⁵ and Naras ;⁶
and who grants (their) desires to those who worship (him) ! May that Sun, decorated
with glorious beams, protect you,—who shines, day after day, with the mass of (his) rays
flowing down over the wide and lofty summit of the lordly mountain of dawn, (and) who
is of a dark-red colour like the cheeks of intoxicated women !
(Line 3)—From the district of Lâṭa, which is pleasing with choice trees that are
bowed down by the weight of (their) flowers, and with temples and assembly-halls of the
gods, and with vihâras, (and) the mountains of which are covered over with vegetation, to
(this) city of Daśapura there came, full of respect,—first, in thought ; and afterwards
(in person) in a band, together with (their) children and kinsmen,—men who were
renowned in the world for (skill in their) craft (of silk-weaving), and who, being mani-
festly attracted by the virtues of the kings of the country, gave no thought to the
continuous discomforts produced by the journey and its accompaniments. And in course
(of time) this (city) became the forehead-decoration of the earth, which is adorned with
a thousand mountains whose rocks are besprinkled with the drops of rut that trickle down
from the sides of the temples of rutting elephants, (and) which has for (its) decorative
ear-ornaments the trees weighed down with flowers. Here⁷ the lakes, crowded with
kâraṇḍava-ducks, are beautiful,—having the waters close to (their) shores made variegated
with the many flowers that fall down from the trees growing on the banks, (and) being
adorned with full-blown waterlilies. The lakes are beautiful (in some places) with the
¹ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh).
² Supply praśastiḥ.—See page 87 below, note 10.
³ Siddhas ; semi-divine beings, supposed to be of great purity and holiness, and said to be
specially characterised by the possession of the eight supernatural faculties. Their habitation is in
the sky, or in the middle region between the earth and the sky.
⁴ Gandharvas ; the celestial musicians.
⁵ Kinnaras ; mythical beings, with a human figure and the head of a horse, reckoned among the
Gandharvas, and celebrated as musicians.
⁶ Naras ; mythical beings, allied to the Gandharvas and Kinnaras.
⁷ The original has, as far as line 8, the relative construction, which I have changed, for con-
venience of translation, into the absolute.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 18, PLATE XI. 85
swans that are encaged in the pollen that falls from the waterlilies shaken by the tremu-
lous waves; and in other places with the waterlilies bent down by the great burden of
their filaments. Here the woods are adorned with lordly trees, that are bowed down by
the weight of their flowers and are full of the sounds of the flights of bees that hum loudly
through intoxication (caused by the juices of the flowers that they suck), and with the
women from the city who are perpetually singing. Here the houses have waving flags,
(and) are full of tender women, (and) are very white (and) extremely lofty, resembling
the peaks of white clouds lit up with forked lightning. And other long buildings on the
roofs of the houses, with arbours in them, are beautiful,—being like the lofty summits of (the
mountain) Kailâsa; being vocal with songs (like those) of the Gandharvas; having pictured
representations arranged (in them); (and) being adorned with groves of waving plantain-
trees. Here, cleaving asunder the earth, there rise up houses which are decorated with
successions of storeys; which are like rows of aerial chariots; (and) which are as pure
as the rays of the full-moon. This (city) is beautiful (through) being embraced by two
charming rivers,¹ with tremulous waves, as if it were the body of (the god) Smara
(embraced) in secrecy by (his wives) Prîti and Rati, possessed of (heaving) breasts. Like
the sky with the brilliant multitudes of planets, it shines with Brâhmaṇs endowed with truth,
patience, self-control, tranquillity, religious vows, purity, fortitude, private study, good con-
duct, refinement, and steadfastness, (and) abounding in learning and penances, and free
from the excitement of surprise.
(L. 8.)—So assembling together, (and) day by day received into greater friendship
by (their) constant associates, (and) honourably treated like sons by the kings, in joy and
happiness they settled in (this) city. Some of them (became) excessively well acquainted
with the science of archery, (in which the twanging of the bow is) pleasing to the ear;
others, devoting themselves to hundreds of excellent achievements, (became) acquainted
with wonderful tales; and others, unassuming in (their) modesty (and) devoted to dis-
courses of the true religion, (became) able to say much that was free from harshness
(and yet was) salutary. Some excelled in their own business (of silk-weaving); and by
others, possessed of high aims, the science of astrology was mastered; and even to-day
others of them, valorous in battle, effect by force the destruction of (their) enemies. So
also others, wise, possessed of charming wives, (and) belonging to a famous and mighty
lineage, are decorated with achievements that befit (their) birth; and others, true to
(their) promises (and) firm in friendship with the accompaniment of confidence, are skilled
in conferring favours upon (their) intimates. (And so) the guild shines gloriously all
around, through those who are of this sort, and through others who,—overcoming the
attachment for worldly objects; being characterised by piety; (and) possessing most
abundant goodness,—(are) very gods in an earthly habitation.
(L. 11.)—(Just as) a woman, though endowed with youth and beauty (and) adorned
with the arrangement of golden necklaces and betel-leaves and flowers, goes not to meet
(her) lover in a secret place, until she has put on a pair of coloured silken cloths,—(so)
the whole of this region of the earth, is (almost superfluously) adorned through them,
(as if) with a silken garment, agreeable to the touch, variegated with the arrangement of
different colours, (and) pleasing to the eye.
¹ Of these rivers, one, of course, is the Śiwanâ, on the north bank of which the town stands.
The other must be the ‘Sumli,’ which now flows into the Śiwanâ about three miles to the north-east
of the town.

86 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
(L. 12.)—Having reflected that the world is very unsteady, being blown about by
the wind like the charming ear-ornaments, (made of) sprigs, of the women of the Vidyâ-
dharas; (and similarly) the estate of man; and also accumulations of wealth, large
(though they may be),—they became possessed of a virtuous (and) stable understanding;
and then;¹—
(L. 13.)—While Kumâragupta was reigning over the (whole) earth, whose
pendulous marriage-string is the verge of the four oceans; whose large breasts are (the
mountains) Sumêru and Kailâsa;² (and) whose laughter is the full-blown flowers
showered forth from the borders of the woods;—
(L. 13.)—There was a ruler, king Viśvavarman,³ who was equal in intellect
to Śukra and Bṛihaspati, who became the most eminent of princes on the earth; (and)
whose deeds in war were equal to (those of) Pârtha;—who was very compassionate to the
unhappy; who fulfilled his promises to the miserable and the distressed; who was exces-
sively full of tenderness; (and) who was a very tree of plenty to (his) friends, and the
giver of security to the frightened, and the friend of (his) country;—
(L. 14.)—His son (was) king Bandhuvarman, possessed of firmness and states-
manship; beloved by (his) kinsmen; the relative, as it were, of (his) subjects; the
remover of the afflictions of (his) connections; pre-eminently skilful in destroying the
ranks of (his) proud enemies. Handsome, youthful, dexterous in war, and endowed with
humility, king though he was, yet was he never carried away by passion, astonishment,
and other (evil sentiments); being the very incarnation of erotic passion, he resembled in
beauty, even though he was not adorned with ornaments, a second (Kâmadêva) armed
with the bow that is made of flowers. Even to-day, when the long-eyed lovely women of
(his) enemies, pained with the fierce pangs of widowhood, think of him, they stagger
about through fear, in such a way as to fatigue (their) firm and compact breasts.
(L. 16.)—While he, the noble Bandhuvarman, the best of kings, the strong-
shouldered one,⁴ was governing this city of Daśapura, which had been brought to a
state of great prosperity,—a noble (and) unequalled temple of the bright-rayed (Sun), was
caused to be built by the silk-cloth weavers, as a guild, with the stores of wealth acquired
by (the exercise of their) craft;—(a temple) which, having broad and lofty spires, (and)
resembling a mountain, (and) white as the mass of the rays of the risen moon, shines,
charming to the eye, having the similarity of (being) the lovely crest-jewel, fixed (in its
proper place), of (this) city of the west.
(L. 17.)—In that season⁵ which unites men with (their) lovely mistresses; which is
agreeable with the warmth of the fire of the rays of the sun (shining) in the glens; in
¹ The context is "a noble (and) unequalled temple of the bright-rayed (Sun) was caused to be
built" &c., in line 16; all that intervenes, is by way of a parenthesis.
² Conf. Bṛihat-Saṁhitâ, xliii. 35, where the earth is described as having the mountains of
sunrise and sunset for lips, and the Himâlaya and Vindhya for breasts.—Compare also line 34 of the
Alînâ grant of Śîlâditya VII. of the year 447, No. 39 below, Plate xxv., where the Sahya and Vindhya
mountains are called the breasts of the earth.—Similes of this kind doubtless varied in accordance
with the extent of the kingdoms in which the inventors of them resided.
³ This, again, is a second parenthesis, the real context of the preceding verse being the descrip-
tion of Bandhuvarman in line 14 ff.
⁴ lit. 'high-shouldered.'
⁵ i.e. Hêmanta, the cold weather, consisting of the months Mârgaśîrsha (November-December)
and Pausha or Sahasya (December-January).

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 18, PLATE XI. 87
which the fishes lie low down in the water ; which (on accoun. of the cold) is destitute of
the enjoyment of the beams of the moon, and (sitting in the open air on) the flat roofs of
houses, and sandal-wood perfumes, and palmleaf-fans, and necklaces ;—in which the
waterlilies are bitten by the frost ; which is charming with the humming of the bees that
are made happy by the juice of the full-blown flowers of the rôdhra¹ and priyaṁgu-
plants² and the jasmine-creepers ; in which the lavalî-trees³ a d the solitary branches
of the nagaṇâ-bushes⁴ are made to dance with the force of the wind that is harsh and
cold with particles of frost ;—(and) in which (the cold induced by) the falling of frost and
snow is derided by the close embraces of the large and beautiful and plump and bulky
breasts and thighs of young men and (their) mistresses, completely under the influence
of love ;—when, by (the reckoning from) the tribal constitution of the Mâlavas, four
centuries of years, increased by ninety-three, had elapsed ; in that season when the low
thunder of the muttering of clouds is to be welcomed (as indicating the approach of
warmth again) ;—on the excellent thirteenth day of the bright fortnight of the month
Sahasya,—this temple was established, with the ceremony of auspicious benediction.
(L. 19.)—And, in the course of a long time, under other kings, part of this temple fell
into disrepair ; so now, in order to increase their own fame, the whole of this most noble
house of the Sun has been repaired again by the munificent corporation ;—(this temple)
which is very lofty (and) pure ; which touches the sky, as it were, with (its) charming spires;
(and) which is the resting-place of the spotless rays of the moon and the sun at (their)
times of rising. Thus, when five centuries of years, increased by twenty, and nine years
had elapsed ; on the charming second lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month
Tapasya ;—in the season⁵ when (Kâmadêva), whose body was destroyed by Hara, develops
(his number of five) arrows by attaining unity with the fresh bursting-forth of the flowers of
the aśôka⁶ and kêtaka⁷ and sinduvâra-trees,⁸ and the pendulous atimuktaka-creeper,⁹ and
the wild-jasmine ;—when the solitary large branches of the nagaṇâ-bushes are full of the
songs of the bees that are delighted by drinking the nectar ; (and) when the beautiful and
luxuriant rôdhra-trees swing to and fro with the fresh bursting forth of (their) flowers,—
the whole of this noble city was decorated with (this) best of temples ; just as the pure sky
is decorated with the moon, and the breast of (the god) Śârṅgin with the kaustubha-jewel.
As long as (the god) Îśa wears a mass of tawny matted locks, undulating with the spotless
rays of the moon (on his forehead) ; and (as long as) (the god) Śârṅgin (carries) a garland
of lovely waterlilies on his shoulder ;—so long may this noble temple endure for ever !
(L. 23.)—By the command of the guild, and from devotion, (this) temple of the Sun
was caused to be built ; and this (eulogy)¹⁰ that precedes was, with particular care, compos-
¹ rôdhra, also lôdhra ; the tree Symplocos Racemosa.
² priyaṁgu ; a medicinal plant and perfume ; Panicum Italicum ; Sinapis Ramosa ; saffron.
³ lavalî ; the Averrhoa Acida.
⁴ nagaṇâ ; the Cardiospermum Halicacabum.
⁵ i.e. Śiśira, the cool or dewy season, consisting of the months Mâgha (January-February) and
Phâlguna or Tapasya (February-March).
⁶ aśôka ; the tree or shrub Jonesia Aśôka.
⁷ kêtaka ; the tree Pandanus Odoratissimus.
⁸ sinduvâra ; the tree or shrub Vitex Negundo.
⁹ atimuktaka ; a certain creeper, tree, or shrub, with apparently white flowers.
¹⁰ praśasti.—This was the customary technical term applied to inscriptions on stone. It has to
be supplied here; but it is of constant occurrence ; e.g. in line 27 of the Aphsaḍ inscription of