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

196 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.

No. 41; PLATE XXVII.

RAYPUR COPPER-PLATE INSCRIPTION OF THE RAJA MAHA-SUDEVARAJA.

THIS inscription,—which was first brought to notice by General Cunningham, in 1884,
in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XVII. p. 55 ff., and Plates xxvi. and xxvii.; and is now
published in full for the first time,—is from some copper-plates that were obtained by
Colonel Bloomfield at **Râypur,**¹ the chief town of the Râypur District in the Central
Provinces. The original plates are now in the Provincial Museum at Nâgpur.
The plates, of which the first is inscribed on one side only, are three in number,
each measuring about 6" by 3¼" at the ends and a little less in the middle. They are
quite smooth, the edges of them being neither fashioned thicker nor raised into rims.
The inscription is in a state of perfect preservation throughout. The plates are of fair
thickness; and the letters, though fairly deep, do not shew through on the backs of them
at all. The engraving is very good; but, as usual, the interiors of some of the letters
shew marks of the working of the engraver's tool.—Towards the proper right end of
each plate, there is a hole for a ring to connect them. The ring is circular, about
¼" thick and 3¼" in diameter; it had already been cut, for the purpose of taking impres-
sions of the plates, when the grant came into my hands; but there is no reason to
suppose that it is not the ring properly belonging to the plates. The seal, in which
the ends of the ring are secured, is circular, about 3⅝" in diameter; and, like the seal of
the Ârang grant of Mahâ-Jayarâja, No. 40 above, page 191, and Plate xxvi., it has
the appearance of being made of a kind of brass, rather than of copper. It has
plainly, at some time or other, been subjected to the action of fire, which, with
the effects of wear and tear, has almost completely destroyed the upper surface of it.
But there are visible, in relief on a slightly countersunk and concave surface, faint traces
of—across the centre, a legend, in two lines, of which, as restored, the text and translation
are given below;—in the upper part, a standing figure of the goddess Lakshmî, facing
full-front; on each side of her, an elephant, standing on a waterlily, with its trunk lifted
up over her head, to pour water over her; in the proper right corner, an expanded water-
lily, on its stalk; and, in the proper left corner, a śaṅkha or conch-shell;—and, in the
lower part, there seems to have been a floral device.—The weight of the three plates
is about 1 lb. 5½ oz., and of the ring and seal, 1 lb. 7½ oz.; total, 2 lbs. 13 oz.—The average
size of the letters is about ¼". The characters belong to the southern class of
alphabets; and give another specimen of the ‘box-headed’ variety of the Central India
alphabet, on which I have commented at page 19 above. They are of almost exactly
the same type as those of the preceding inscription of Mahâ-Jayarâja, No. 40 above,
page 191, and Plate xxvi. The most noticeable difference is in the formation of the
superscript long vowel î; the stroke, similar to an anusvâra, which distinguishes it from
the short i, being placed, not in the centre of the circle, but on the right side of it, as part
of the down stroke of the circle; see, for instance, vilâsinî, line 2, and râshtrîya, line 4.
The separate sign for the lingual ḍ, as distinct from the dental d, occurs in chûḍâ, line 1.

¹ The ‘Raepoor Raipur, and Ryepoor,’ of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 91. Lat. 21°
15' N.; Long. 81° 41' E.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 41, PLATE XXVII. 197
We have the very rare initial au, in aupamanyava, line 10. And forms of the numerical
symbols¹ for 9 and 10 occur in line 27.—The language is Sanskrit. The legend on
the seal is in verse; but the inscription itself, except for the benedictive and imprecatory
verses in lines 15 to 24, is in prose throughout. From a linguistic point of view, we have
to notice, in atiṣṛishṭaka, line 11-12, the affix that I have commented on at page 69
above.—In respect of orthography, we have to notice (1) the use of the jihvāmūlīya
and upadhmanīya, in yaḥ≍kāñchanam, line 20; visarjjitaḥ≍kôṇḍinya, line 9; pradaḥ≍
parama, line 3; and dhiyaḥ≍pravadamnti, line 16; (2) the doubling of v, after the anusvāra,
in saṁvvatsara, line 24; (3) the insertion of a superfluous anusvāra, once only, in
pravadamnti, line 16; (4) the doubling of k, in conjunction with a following r, in vikkrama,
line 1; (5) the doubling of dh, in conjunction with a following y, in anuddhyāta, line 4;
and (6) the use of siṅgha for siṁha, line 28, and of tāmbra for tāmra, line 11.
The inscription is one of the Rāja Sudēvarāja or Mahā-Sudēvarāja; and the
charter recorded in it is issued, as in the case of the preceding inscription of Mahā-
Jayarāja, from the town of Śarabhapura. The occasion of its issue was the uttarāyaṇa,
or the sun's commencement of his progress to the north. The date of the engraving
of it is recorded, in numerical symbols, as the year ten of increasing victory, and the
ninth day, without any specification of the fortnight, of the month Māgha (January-
February). No era is referred to; and the tenth year must be simply that of the power
or government of Sudēvarāja. It is a non-sectarian inscription; the object of it being
only to record the assent of Sudēvarāja to the grant, to two Brāhmaṇs, of the village
of Śrīsahikā, in the Pūrvarāshṭra or Eastern Country.
TEXT.²
The Seal.³
a Prasanna⁴-hṛidayasy=aiva vikkram-ākkrānta-vidvishaḥ
b śrīmat-Sudeva⁵râjasya śāsanam ripu-śāsanam [II*]
First Plate.
1 Om Svasti Śarabhapurâd=vikkram-ôpanata-sâmanta-makuṭa-chûḍâ-maṇi-
2 prabhâ-prasêk-âmbu-dhô(dhau)ta-pâda-yugalô ripu-vilâsinî-sîmant-ôddha-
3 raṇa-hêtur=vvasu-vasudhâ-gô-pradaḥ⁶=paramabhâgavatô mâtâpitṛi-
¹ The symbol for the day might perhaps be interpreted as 30. But it seems, on the whole,
to be a transitional form of the symbol for 9, from which the modern Dêvanâgarî decimal figure 9
was developed.—Gen. Cunningham read the symbol for the year as 80, not 10; but I do not think
this can be upheld. It is evidently a square and upright variety of the second form of 10 given in
col. 5 of Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji's Table in the Ind. Ant. Vol. VI. p. 44 f.
² From the original plates.
³ With the exception of the word prasanna at the beginning of the first line, the legend is
almost entirely obliterated. But there are faint indications here and there, which, with the help of
the legend on the seal of No. 40, page 193 above, and Plate xxvi., enable us to restore it as above.
⁴ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh).
⁵ The lithograph in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XVII. Plate xxvi. shews śrī-Mahā-Sudēva.
But this reading is not legible on the seal: and, as it does not suit the metre, it cannot have been so
engraved.
⁶ Here, and in line 16 below, the jihvāmūlīya, instead of being clearly formed as in lines 3 and
14 of No. 40, Plate xxvi., is indicated, hardly perceptibly, by little more than a vertical division
of the square top of the pa.

198 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
4 pād-ānuddhyātaś-śrī-Mahā-Sudêvarājaḥ Pûrvvarâshṭriya-Srisâhi-
5 kâyâṁ prativâsi-kuṭumbinas=samâjñâpayati । Viditam=astu vô
6 yath=âsmâbhir=ayaṁ grâmas=tri(tri)daśapati-sadana-sukha-pratishṭh-âka-
Second Plate; First Side.
7 rô yâvad=ravi-śaśi-târâ-kiraṇa-pratihata-ghôr-ândhakâraṁ jagad=ava-
8 tishṭhatê tâvad=upabhôgyas=sa-nidhis=s-ôpanidhir=a-châṭa-bhaṭa-prâvêśya[h*]
9 sarvva - kara - visarjjitaḥ = Kô(kau)ṇḍinyasagôtra - Vâjasanêya - Savit[ri*] -
10 svâmina [â*]tmîya-kanyâ-pradânê[na*] Aupamanyava-[Va*]tsasagôtra yâmâ-
11 trô¹[ḥ*] Nâgavatsasvâmi-Bandhuvatsasvâminôś=tâmbra(mra)-śâsanên=âti-
12 sṛi(sri)shṭakô bhûtv=âsmâbhir=apy=uttarâyaṇê mâtâpitrôr=âtmanaś=cha
Second Plate; Second Side.
13 puṇy-ê(â)bhivṛiddhayê=numôditaḥ³ [॥] Tê yûyam=êvam=upalabhy=âsy=âjñâ⁴-śra-
14 vaṇa-vidhêyâ bhûtvâ yath-ôchitaṁ bhôga-bhâgam=upamupanayantas⁵=su-
15 khaṁ prativatsyatha [॥] Bhavishyataś=cha bhûmipâ[n=a*]nudarśayati ।
Dânâd⁶=viśishṭa-
16 m=anupâlana-jaṁ purâṇê(nâ) ddha(dha)rmmêshu niśchita-dhiyaḥ=pravadaṁnti⁷
dharmmaṁ । tasmâ-
17 d=[d*]vijâya su⁸=viśuddha-kula-śrutâya dattâṁ bhuvaṁ bhavatu vô matir=
êva gôptum [॥] Ta-
18 d=bhavadbhir=apy=êshâ dattir=anupâlayitavyâ [॥] Vyâsa-gîtâ[ṁ*]ś=ch=âtra
ślôkân=udâharanti [। ]
Third Plate; First Side.
19 Agnêr⁹=apatyaṁ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇa[ṁ] bhûr=vvaishṇavî sûryya-
sutâś=cha gâva[ḥ*] dattâ-
20 s=trayas=têna bhavanti lôkâ yaḥ=kâñchanam gâṁ=cha mahîñ=cha
dadyât [॥] Shashṭi¹⁰-va-
21 rsha-sahasrâṇi svarggê môdati bhûmi-daḥ âchchhêttâ ch=ânumantâ
cha tâny=ê-
22 va na[ra]kê vasêt [॥] Bahubhir=vvasudhâ dattâ râjabhi[ḥ] Sagar-
âdibhiḥ yasya
23 yasya yadâ bhûmis=tasya tasya tadâ phalaṁ [॥] Sva-dattâ[ṁ] para-
dattâ[ṁ] [vâ*] ya
24 tnâd=raksha Yudhishṭhira mahî¹¹ mahimatâ[ṁ*] śrêshṭha dânâch=chhrêyô-
nupâla¹².
¹ Before | this word, yâmâtrô, there is a cross, to indicate that this is not the place to which it
properly belongs. It is plain that the reading intended in lines 9 to 11 was Savitṛisvâmina
âtmîya-kanyâ-pradânêna yâmâtrôr=Aupamanyava-Vatsasagôtra-Nâgavatsasvâmi &c.
² Before this trô, mi was engraved, and then cancelled; and ba seems to have been engraved and
cancelled in the place where the trô stands.
³ Over this visarga, there is a cross, to indicate that something has to be inserted here; viz.
the passage commencing with asminn=êva grâmê, in lines 25 and 26 below.
⁴ Read upalabhy=aitayôr=âjñâ. ⁵ Read bhâgam=upanayantas.
⁶ Metre, Vasantatilaka. ⁷ Read pravadanti, or pravadaṁti.
⁸ First si was engraved, and then u was added, without the i being sufficiently cancelled.
⁹ Metre, Indravajrâ. ¹⁰ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh); and in the following two verses.
¹¹ Read mahîṁ. ¹² The proper context is lanam=iti, in line 27.

Vol. III.
CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM.
Plate xxvii.

Raipur Plates of the Raja Maha-Sudevaraja.

First Plate

[1] [Symbol] स्वस्ति शरभपुराद्विक्रमोपनतसामन्तमुकुटमणि-
[2] प्रसेकाम्बुधौतपादाम्भोरुहो विक्रमाक्रान्तसकलमहीमण्डलो
[3] रिपुविलासिनीसीमन्तोद्धरणहेतुः सुरनरपतिरिव
[4] सुहृत्सुहृज्जनोपजीव्यमानविभवः परमभागवतो
[5] मातापितृपादानुध्यातः श्रीमहा-सुदेवराजः
[6] पूर्व्वराष्ट्रीयहविष्पक्वके प्रतिवासिकुटुम्बिनः समाज्ञापयति

Second Plate: First Side (iia)

[7] विदितमस्तु वो यथायमस्माभिरेष ग्रामस्तृणपूतिक-
[8] प्रवेष्ट्यः सन्निधिश्च सोपानिधिको ऽचाटभटप्रावेश्य-
[9] स्सर्व्वकरविसर्ज्जितः सर्व्वावष्टम्भविप्रमुक्त आचन्द्रा-
[10] र्क्कक्षितिस्थितिसमकालीनः कौत्ससगोत्रवाजसनेयि-
[11] शाखिशीलदित्यपुत्रभट्टनागदत्तभट्टविशाखद-
[12] त्ताभ्यां मातापित्रोरात्मनश्च पुण्याभिवृद्धये ताम्र-

Second Plate: Second Side (iib)

[13] शासनेनानुमोदितः [।] श्रुत्वा भवद्भिरेषामज्ञा-
[14] श्रवणविधेयैर्भूत्वा सर्व्वसुखोपभोगं वासयद्भि-
[15] र्व्वस्तव्यमिति [।+] भाविनाश्च भूमिपाननुदर्शयति [।] दाना-
[16] च्छ्रेयो ऽनुपालनं [।+] पूर्व्वदत्तां द्विजातिभ्यो यत्नाद्रक्ष युधिष्ठिर [।]
[17] महीं महिमतां श्रेष्ठ दानाच्छ्रेयो ऽनुपालनं [॥] बहुभि-
[18] र्व्वसुधा दत्ता राजभिस्सगरादिभिः [।*] यस्य यस्य

Third Plate: First Side (iiia)

[19] यदा भूमिस्तस्य तस्य तदा फलं [॥] स्वदत्तां परदत्तां
[20] वा यत्नाद्रक्ष युधिष्ठिर [।] महीं महिमतां श्रेष्ठ दा-
[21] नाच्छ्रेयो ऽनुपालनं [॥] षष्टिं वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्ग्गे
[22] मोदति भूमिदः [।] आच्छेत्ता चानुमन्ता च तान्येव नर-
[23] के वसेत् [॥] अग्नेश्च तेजो प्रथमं सुवर्ण्णं भूर्व्वाष्णवी
[24] सूर्य्यसुताश्च गावः [।] दत्तास्त्रयस्तेन भवन्ति लोका

Third Plate: Second Side (iiib)

[25] यः काञ्चनं गाञ्च महीं च दद्यात् [॥] प्रवर्द्धमानविजय-
[26] सम्वत्सर १० माघ सि १० [।] उत्कीर्ण्णं अचलासिंहेन [॥]
[27] दूतको ऽत्र महासामन्त-
[28] इन्द्रबलराजः [॥]

Seal (Circular)

प्रसन्नहृदयस्यापि विक्रमाक्रान्तचेतसः [।]
श्रीमत्-सुदेवराजस्य स्थिरं जगति शासनम् [॥]

J. F. FLEET, BO. C.S.
SCALE .66
W. GRIGGS, PHOTO-LITH.

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 41, PLATE. XXVII 199
Third Plate; Second Side.
25 Asmin[n*]=êva grâmê pûrvva-taṭâkasya paryyatta(nta)-bhûmi-vapra-baddhâ Śrî-
26 vâ¹pikâ panthânaṁ yâvaj-jâ(jyê)shṭha iti kṛitvâ Nâga[va*]tsasvâminê grâm-
ârddhasy=âdhi²kâ dattâ
27 lanam³-iti || Sva-mukh-âjñayâ pravarddhamâna-vijaya-saṁvvatsara 10
Mâgha 9
28 ukti(tki)rṇṇa[ṁ*]⁴ Drôṇasiṅghâ(ṅghê)na [||*]
TRANSLATION.
The Seal.⁵
A charter of the illustrious Sudêvarâja,
—who verily has a gracious heart; (and)
who has overcome (his) enemies by (his)
prowess,—(is) a charter for (the observance
of even his) enemies!
The Plates.
Ôm! Hail! From the town of Śarabhapura, the illustrious Mahâ-Sudêvarâja,—
whose two feet are purified by the waters which are the flowing forth of the radiance
of the jewels in the locks of hair (wound) in the tiaras of the chieftains, (bowing down
before him), who have been subjugated by (his) prowess; who is the cause of the tearing
out of the parted hair of the women of (his) enemies; who is the giver of treasure and
land and cows; who is a most devout worshipper of the Divine One, (and) who meditates
on the feet of (his) parents,—issues a command to the cultivators residing at (the village
of) Śrîsâhikâ in the Eastern Country:—
(Line 5.)—“Be it known to you, that this village, the source (by this grant of it) of
(Our) ensuring the happiness of (attaining) the abode of (Indra) the lord of the gods,—
which has been conveyed by a copper-charter to Nâgavatsasvâmin and Bandhuvatsa-
svâmin, of the Aupamanyava (śâkhâ) and the Vatsa gôtra, who, by the gift in marriage of
his daughters, are the sons-in-law of Savitṛisvâmin of the Kauṇḍinya gôtra and the Vâjasa-
nêya (śâkhâ); to be enjoyed as long as the world endures, having the terrible darkness dis-
pelled by the rays of the sun and the moon and the stars; together with (its) hidden treasures
and deposits; not to be entered by the irregular or the regular troops; (and) exempted
from all taxes,—has, at the time of the sun’s commencement of his progress to the north,
¹ Before this vâ, there is a cross, to indicate that something has to be inserted here,
or, more properly, before the śrî; viz. grâm-ârddhasy=âdhikâ, from the end of the line.—
The reading intended in these two lines was—Asminn=êva grâmê pûrvva-taṭâkasya paryyanta-
bhûmi-vapra-baddhâ grâm-ârddhasy=âdhikâ Śrîvâpikâ panthânaṁ yâvaj=jyêshṭha iti kṛitvâ Nâga-
vatsasvâminê dattâ. And this passage should properly have been inserted after anumôditaḥ, in line
13 (see page 198 above, note 3.)
² Over this dhi there is a cross, to indicate that something has to be inserted hete; vis. the
syllables kâ dattâ, which are placed between the lines, below minê.
³ This is tne proper context of nupâ, at the end of line 24.
⁴ Supply śâsanam.
⁵ As restored, with the help of the few letters tnat remain, on the analogy of the legend on the
seal of the Âraṅg grant of Mahâ-Jayarâja, No. 40 above, page 194.

200 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
been assented to by Us indeed, for the increase of the religious merit of (Our) parents
and of Ourself.
(L. 13.)—" Being aware of this, you should be obedient to their commands, and
should dwell in happiness, rendering in proper manner (their) share of the enjoyment."
(L. 15.)—And he enjoins upon future kings,—" The ancients, whose minds are fixed
upon religion, say that the virtue that arises from the preservation (of a grant) is greater
than (that which arises from) making a grant; therefore your mind should verily incline to
preserve land that has been given to a Brâhmaṇ of very pure family and holy learning.
Therefore this gift should be preserved by you also."
(L. 18.)—And they cite on this point the verses that were sung by Vyâsa:—Gold is
the first offspring of fire; the earth belongs to (the god) Vishṇu; and cows are the
daughters of the sun: therefore the three worlds are given by him who gives gold, and a
cow, and land! The giver of land enjoys happiness in heaven for sixty thousand years;
(but) the confiscator (of a grant), and he who assents (to an act of confiscation), shall
dwell for the same number of years in hell! Land has been given by many kings, com-
mencing with Sagara; whosoever at any time possesses the earth, to him belongs, at that
time, the reward (of this grant that is now made, if he continue it)! O Yudhishṭhira,
best of kings, carefully preserve land that has been given, whether by thyself, or by
another; (verily) the preservation (of a grant) (is) more meritorious than making a grant!
(L. 25.)—In this same village, the irrigation-well called Śrîvâpikâ, constructed within
the mound on the land that skirts the eastern tank, (and) extending up to the road,
is given to Nâgavatsasvâmin, in excess of (his exact) half of the village, because he is
the elder.
(L. 27.)—At the command of (Mahâ-Sudêvarâja's) own mouth, (in) the year 10 of
increasing victory, (in) (the month) Mâgha, (on the day) 9, (this charter) has been
engraved by Drôṇasiṅgha.

No. 42; PLATE XXVIII.

APHSAD STONE INSCRIPTION OF ADITYASENA.

THIS inscription was discovered by Major Markham Kittoe, some time anterior to
1850; but the first notice of it, that I have been able to trace, is General Cunningham's
mention of it in 1863, in his report for the year 1861-62, which was issued as a sup-
plement to the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic Society, Vol. XXXII. p. iii ff., and was
in 1871 reprinted in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. I., where this inscription is referred to
on page 40.—In 1866, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. XXXV. p. 267 ff., Dr. Rajendra-
lala Mitra published his reading of the text, and a translation of it, from a transcript of
the original, in modern Dêvanâgarî characters, which Major Kittoe had given to General
Cunningham in 1850.—In 1882, in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XV. p. 11, General
Cunningham supplemented this translation, by notifying, from his own examination of
a rubbing of the original inscription made by Major Kittoe, which had meanwhile been
discovered by Mr. J. D. M. Beglar in a box of inscriptions in the Bengal Asiatic Society's
Library, that the name of the second king was Harshagupta; not Hashkagupta, as read
by Major Kittoe.—And in 1883, in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XVI. p. 79, he further
notified that Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji, apparently in a letter to him, had indicated that

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 42, PLATE XXVIII. 201
the name of Îśânavarman should be substituted, in line 7, for the Śântavarman of Major
Kittoe's transcript.
Aphsaḍ or Aphsaṇḍ,¹ also called Jâfarpur, is a village near the right bank of
the Sakarî river, about fifteen miles towards the north-east of Nawâdâ,² the chief
town of the Nawâdâ Sub-Division of the Gayâ District in the Bengal Presidency. The
inscription is on a stone-slab, that was found here, and was afterwards removed by Major
Kittoe, in order "to re-examine it, and to restore it as much as possible, before having
it fixed in a pedestal near the Varâha" in Aphsaḍ. According to the local statement,
Major Kittoe removed the stone to Nawâdâ; but General Cunningham failed to find
it, or to hear anything more of it, either there, or at Gayâ and Benares. The loss of
the original stone, however, is as well compensated for as is possible by the existence,
in the Library of the Bengal Asiatic Society at Calcutta, of an exceptionally good red-
chalk rubbing, made by Major Kittoe himself, from which I now edit the inscription, and
from which my lithograph has been prepared.
The writing, with its margin, covers the entire front of the stone; and is ap-
parently on a slightly countersunk surface about 2' 9" broad by 1' 5½" high, with a co-
responding rim from ¾" to 1" broad. It has suffered a great deal from the effects of
the weather, about the centre of the stone ; but, even here, nothing of a historical nature
seems to be lost, except perhaps, in line 15, a completion of the hint as to the rela-
tions between Mâdhavagupta and Harshadêva, i.e. Harshavardhana of Kanauj. The
rest of the inscription is very legible. The impression indicates that the stone has been
broken at the lower proper right corner; but, as shewn in the note to line 25 of the
Text, the stone seems to have been originally imperfect here; and not so much of the
writing has been lost, as would be expected at first sight.—The size of the letters
varies from about 5/16" to 7/16". The characters belong to the northern class of alpha-
bets, and present a very marked development as contrasted with the preceding plates
of this volume. They belong to a particular type, to which the special name of Kuṭila
has come to be attached, in consequence of the upright strokes having at the bottom
a small tail which is 'crooked, curved, or bent' (kuṭila) to the right. The term Kuṭila
actually occurs in the 'Dêwal' inscription³ of (Vikrama)-Saṁvat 1049; in the last line
of which it is recorded that "this (eulogy) has been written by the scribe Takshâditya,
—(a native of) the (country of) Gauḍa; and the son of Vishṇuhari,—who is well ac-
quainted with the curved letters." The term used here for "curved letters" is kuṭil-
âksharâṇi. It does not seem to be employed with the specific object of recording a
standing name of this style of writing; any more than the expression vikaṭ-âksharâ,
"(an eulogy) in beautiful letters," is used in that way in line 27 of the present inscription;
and ruchir-âkshara-paṅktibhiḥ, "(this eulogy has been engraved) in lines of pleasing
letters," in line 27 of an inscription in the Provincial Museum at Nâgpur; and sad-varṇâ,
"(an eulogy) in excellent letters," in line 41 of the Sâsbahû temple inscription of Mahî-
pâla.⁴ But the term Kuṭila fits this type of letters so well, that, as the name has been
¹ The 'Aphsar, Ufsund, and Ufsund-Jafurpoor,' of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 112. Lat.
25° 4' N.; Long. 85° 44' E.
² The 'Nawâda, Newadeeh, Nowada, and Nowâda,' of maps, &c.
³ Archaeol. Surv. Ind. Vol. I. p. 355, Pl. li.
⁴ Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 41.

202 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
applied to the alphabet for so long a time, there seems no objection to continuing it.
The alphabet of the present inscription might be called the Kuṭila variety of the Maga-
dha alphabet of the seventh century A.D. It really differs but little from the modern
Dêvanâgarî. The form of the lingual ḍh, which occurs in gâḍha, line 1, and dṛiḍha,
line 2, is almost quite identical with the modern Dêvanâgarî form. The form of the
lingual ḍ, which occurs in chûḍâ, lines 3 and 16, in khaḍga, line 18, and jaḍô, line 21, is
still rather transitional, differing but little from the form of the dental d. And the
most antique remnant in the whole inscription is the form of r, in conjunction with a
following consonant, e.g. in harsha, lines 2 and 15, dhanur-bhîma, line 2, sindhur-
llakshmî, line 7, and artha, line 12; following the custom noted at several places above,
but practised in the earlier inscriptions in respect only of r in combination with a follow-
ing y, it is formed throughout on the line of writing, instead of above it; and in the
rya of śaurya, in line 7, we have an exact reproduction of the same letter as it was
written nearly two centuries before, e.g. in kuryât in line 12 of the Majhgawâṁ plates
of the Mahârâja Hastin, of the year 191, No. 23 above, Plate xiv.—The language is
Saṁskṛit; and the inscription is in verse throughout. It offers about the earliest instance
of the hyperbolical expressions and mythological allusions with which the later inscrip-
tions abound, distinguishing them so completely from the artistic, concise, dignified,
and frequently really poetical, style of the more ancient records.—In respect of ortho-
graphy, the only points that call for notice are (1) the doubling of t, in conjunction
with a following r, once, in âtapattra, line 21; where, however, it may possibly be due
to a mistaken idea as to the etymology of the word; and (2) the use throughout of
v for b, e.g. in vivuddha, lines 9 and 11; valinô, line 14-15; vabhûva, line 15; and vibhratî,
line 17.
The inscription is one of Âdityasêna, of the family of the Guptas of Magadha.
It is not dated. It is a Vaishṇava inscription; the principal object of it being to record
the building, by Âdityasêna, of a temple of the god Vishṇu. But it also records the
building of a religious college or monastery by his mother Śrîmatî, and the excavation
of a tank by his wife Kôṇadêvî.
TEXT.¹
1 Ôm [||] Âsîd²=danti-sahasra-gâḍha-kaṭakô vidyâdhar-âdhyâsitaḥ sad-
vaṁśaḥ sthira unnatô girir=iva śrî-Kṛishṇaguptô nṛipaḥ | dript-
ârâti-madândha-vâraṇa-ghaṭâ-kumbhasthalîḥ kshuṇḍatâ yasy=âsaṁkhya-
ripu-pratâpa-jayinâ dôshṇâ mṛigêndrâyitaṁ || Sakalaḥ³ kalaṅka-rahitaḥ
2 kshata-timiras=tôyadhêḥ śaśâṅka iva | tasmâd=udapâdi sutô dêvaḥ śrî-
Harshagupta iti || Yô⁴ yôgy-âkâla-hêl-âvanata-dṛiḍha-dhanur-bhîma-
vân-augha-pâtî mûrt[t]aiḥ sva-svâmi-lakshmî-vasati-vimukhitair=îkshitaḥ
s-âsru-pâtaṁ | ghôrâṇâm=â
3. havânam likhitam=iva jayaṁ ślâghyam=âvirddadhânô vakshasy=uddâma-
śastra-vraṇa-kaṭhina-kiṇa-granthi-lêkhâ-chchhalêna || Śrî⁵-Jîvitaguptô=bhût=
kshitîśa-chûḍâmaṇiḥ sutas=tasya | yô dripta-vairi-nârî-mukhanalina-van-
aika-śêsêra⁶karaḥ ||
¹ From Major Kittoe’s impression; so, also, the lithograph.
² Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita. ³ Metre, Âryâ.
⁴ Metre, Sragdharâ. ⁵ Metre, Âryâ. ⁶ Read śiśira.

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 42, PLATE XXVIII 203
4 Muktâmukta¹-payaḥ-pravâha-śiśirâs=ûttuṅga-tâlivana - bhrâmyad - danti - kar - âvalûna-
kadali-kâṇḍâsu vèlâsv=api | Śchyôtat-sphâra-tushâra-nirjhara-payaḥ-śîtê=pi
śailê sthitân=yasy=ôchchair-dvishatô mumôcha
5 na mahâ-ghôraḥ pratâpa-jvaraḥ || Yasy²-âtimânushaṁ karmma dṛiśyatê
vismayâj=jan-aughêna | adyâpi Kôśavarddhana-taṭât=plutaṁ Pavanajasy=
êva || Prakhyâta-śaktim=âjishu puraḥsaraṁ śrî-Kumâ-
6 raguptam=iti | ajanayad=êkaṁ sa nṛipô Hara iva Śikhivâhanaṁ
tanayaṁ || Utsarppad³-vâta-hêlâ-chalita-kadalika-vîchi-mâlâ-vitânaḥ prôdyad-
dhûlî-jalaugna-bhramita-guru-mahâ-matta-
7 mâtaṅga-śailaḥ | bhîmaḥ Śr-Î⁴śânavarmma-kshitipatiśaśinaḥ sainya-
dugdhôda-sindhur=llakshmî-samprâpti-hêtuḥ sapadi vimathitô Mandarî-
bhûya yêna || Śaurya⁵-satyavrata-dharô yaḥ Prayâga-gatô dha-
8 nê | ambhas=iva karîsh-âgnau magnaḥ sa pushpa-pûjitaḥ || Śrî-
Dâmôdaraguptô=bhût=tanayas=tasya bhûpatêḥ | yêna Dâmôdarêṇ=êva
Daityâ iva hatâ dvishaḥ || Yô⁶ Maukharêḥ samitish=ûddha-
9 ta-Hûna-sainyaṁ valgad-ghaṭâ vighaṭayann=uru-vâraṇânâṁ | sammûrchchhitaḥ
sura-vadhu(dhû)r=varayam(n) mam=êti tat-pâṇ[i]paṅkaja-sukha-sparśâd⁷
vivu(bu)ddhaḥ || Guṇavad⁸-[d*]vija-kanyânâ[ṁ*] nân-âlaṁkâra-yauvana-
10 vatînâm | pariṇâyitavan=sa nṛipaḥ śataṁ nisṛishṭ-âgrahârâṇâṁ || Ś[rî]⁹-
Mahâsênaguptô=bhût=tasmâd=vîr-âgraṇî[ḥ*] sutaḥ | sarvva-vîra-samâjêshu
lêbhê yô dhuri vîratâ[ṁ ||] Śr[î]mat¹⁰-Susthitavarmma-yuddha-vijaya-
11 ślâghâ-pad-âṅkaṁ muhur=yasy=âdyâpi vivu(bu)ddha-kunda-kumuda-kshuṇṇ(?)-
âchchha-hâra[˘]ta[ṁ*] | Lôhityasya taṭ[ê]shu ś[î]tala-tal[ê]sh=ûtph[u][l]a-
nâgadr[u]ma-chchhâyâ-supta-vivu(bu)ddha-s[i]ddha-m[i]thun[ai]ḥ sph[i]taṁ
yaśô gîyatê || Vasudêvâ-
12 d¹¹=iva tasmâch=Chhrî-s(ê)vana-[śô(?)]bh-[ô]dita-charaṇa-yugaḥ | śrî-Mâdhava-
guptô=bhûn=Mâdhava iva vikram-aika-rasa[ḥ ||] [— — —¹² ˘ a]nusm[ri]tô
dhuri raṇ[ê] ślâghâvatâm=agraṇ[î]ḥ sô(sau)janyasya nidhânam=
artha-nidha(cha)-
13 ya-tyâg-ô[d*]dhurâṇâṁ dha(?va)ra[ḥ] | lakshm[i]-sa[tya-sa]rasvatî-kulagṛiha[ṁ]
dharmasya sêtur=dṛiḍhaḥ pû(?)jyô(?) n=âs[t]i sa bh[û]tal[ê] [˘ ˘ ˘
— — — ˘][—] sadguṇ[aiḥ] || Chakra[ṁ] pâṇi-talêna sô=py=udavahat=
tasy=âpi śârṅga[ṁ] dhanu-
14 r=nâśây=âsuhṛidâ[ṁ] sukhâya suhṛidâm tasy=âpy=asir=nandakaḥ ! prâptê
vidvishatâṁ vadhê pratihat[—] tên=âpa[— — ˘ — ˘ ˘ ˘
— ˘ — dha(?)ri(?)ma(?)[— —]nyâḥ praṇêmur=jjanâḥ || Âjau¹³ mayâ
vinihatâ va(ba)-
¹ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita. ² Metre, Âryâ; and in the following verse. ³ Metre, Sragdharâ.
⁴ The lower part of the î, and all except the extreme end of the r, either were left unfinished or have been broken away. But enough remains to shew clearly what the akshara really is.
⁵ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh); and in the next verse. ⁶ Metre, Vasantatilaka.
⁷ The metre is faulty here; instead of two long syllables, we ought to have two short and one long.
⁸ Metre, Âryâ. ⁹ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh). ¹⁰ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita.
¹¹ Metre, Âryâ. ¹² Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita; and in the next verse.
¹³ Metre, Vasantatilaka; and in the next verse.

204 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III
15 linô dvishan[taḥ] kṛitya[ṁ] na m[ê*]=sty=aparam=ity=avadhârya vîraḥ [I]
śrî-Harshadêva-nija-sa[ṁ]gama-vâñchhayâ cha(?) [— — ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡
◡ ◡ — — —] [II] Ś[r]îmân=va(ba)bhûva dalit-âri-karîndra-kumbha-muktâ-
rajaḥ-
16 paṭala-pâṁsula-maṇḍalâgraḥ । Âdityasêna iti tat-tanayaḥ kshitîśa-
chûḍâmaṇ[i]r=dda[◡ ◡ ◡ — ◡ ◡ — — —] [II] [— — —¹ ◡ ◡ — ◡]m-
âgatam=ari-dhvaṁs-ôttham=âptaṁ yaśaḥ ślâghyaṁ
17 sarvva-dhanushmatâṁ pura iti ślâghaṁ parâṁ vi(bi)bhratî । âśîrvvâda-
paramparâ chi(?)ra-sak;i(?)d[— — ◡ — — ◡ ◡ — ◡ — —
— — — —]yâmâsama(?) ॥ Âjau² svêda-chchhalêna dhva-
18 ja-paṭa-śikhayâ mârjjatô dâna-paṅkaṁ khaḍgaṁ kshuṇṇêna muktâ-śakala-
sikatil[î(?)]kṛi(?)tya(?) [— — ◡ — — ◡ ◡ — ◡ — — ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡
—]mat[t]a-mâta[ṁ]ga-ghâtaṁ tad-gandh-âkṛishṭa-sarppad-va(ba)-
19 hala-parimala-bhrâtta(nta)-matt-âli-jâlaṁ ॥ Âva(ba)ddha³-bhîma-vikaṭa-bhrukuṭî-
kaṭhôra-sa[ṁ]g[r]âma[— — ◡ — — ◡ ◡ — — । — — — ◡ ◡ ◡]va-
vallabha-bhṛitya-vargga-gôshṭhîshu pêśa-
20 latayâ parihâsa-śîlaḥ ॥ Satya⁴-bharttṛi-vratâ yasya mukh-ôpadh[â]na-
tâpasî । par[i]hâs[— ◡ — — ◡ — — — — ◡ — —] [II] [— — —⁵ — ◡
—]jñaḥ sakala-ripu-va(ba)la-dhvaṁsa-hêtur=ggarî-
21 yân=nistriṁś-ôtkhâta-ghâta-śrama-janita-jaḍô=py=ûrjjita-sva-pratâpaḥ । yuddhê
matt-êbha-kumbhastha[la ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡ ◡ — — — — — — ]śv[ê]t-
âtapattra-sthagita-vasumatî-maṇḍalô lô-
22 kapâlaḥ ॥ Âjau⁶ matta-gajêndra-kumbha-dalana-sphîta-sphurad-dôr-yugô
dhvast-ânê(?)ka(?)-ripu-prabhâva-v[◡ ◡ — — —] yaśô-maṇḍalaḥ । nyast-
âśêsha-narêndra-mauli-charaṇa-sphâra-pratâp-âna-
23 lô lakshmîvan=samar-âbhimâna-vimala-prakhyâta-kîrttir=nṛipaḥ ॥ Yên=êyaṁ
śarad-indu-vimva-dhavalâ prakhyâta-bhûmaṇḍalâ lakshmî-saṁgama-
kâṁkshyayâ su-mahatî kîrttiś=chiraṁ kôpitâ । yâtâ sâ-
24 gara-pâram=adbhutatamâ sâpatnya-vairâd=ahô tên=êdaṁ bhavan-ôttamaṁ
kshitibhujâ Vishṇôḥ kṛite kâritaṁ ॥ Taj⁷-jananyâ mahâdêvyâ
Śrîmatyâ kâritô maṭhaḥ । dhârmikêbhya svayaṁ-dattaḥ sura-lô-
25 ka⁸-gṛih-ôpamaḥ ॥ Śaṁkh⁹-êndu-sphaṭika-prabhâ-pratisama-sphâra-sphurach-
chhîkaraṁ nakra-krânti-chalat-taraṁga-vilasat-pakshı-praṇṛityat-timi । râjñyâ
khânitam=adbhutaṁ su-tapasâ pêpîyamânaṁ
26 janais=tasy=aiva priya-bhâryyayâ narapatêḥ śrî-Kôṇadêvyâ saraḥ ॥
Yâvach=chandra-kalâ Harasya śirasi Śrîḥ Śârṅginô vakshasi
Vra(bra)hm-âsyê cha Sarasvatî kṛita-
¹ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita. ² Metre, Sragdharâ.
³ Metre, Vasantatilaka. ⁴ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh). ⁵ Metre, Sragdharâ.
⁶ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita; and in the next verse. ⁷ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh).
⁸ The stone appears to be broken away at this corner. But there seems also to have been
some fault here when the inscription was engraved; since,—though nine aksharas are entirely lost,
and two more are partly destroyed, at the beginning of line 27, which commenced at the edge of the
stone,—the metres shew that nothing is lost at the beginning of line 26, which was commenced
at the distance of about nine aksharas from the edge of the stone, and that only four aksharas are
lost at the beginning of line 28, which was commenced at the distance of about sixteen aksharas
from the edge of the stone.
⁹ Metre, Śârdûlavikrîḍita; and in the next verse.

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THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS ; No. 42, PLATE XXVIII. 205
27 [ ⏑ – – – – – – – ⏑ ] | [bhôgê] bhûr=bhujag-âdhipasya cha taḍid=
yâvad=ghanasy=ôdarê tâvat=kîrttim=ih=âtanôti dhavalâm=Âdityasênô
nṛipaḥ || Sûkshmaśivêna¹ Gauḍêna praśastir=vvikaṭ-âksharâ ||(।)
28 [– – –]mâ(?)mitâ samyag-dhârmmikêna sudhîmatâ |'
TRANSLATION.
Ôm ! There was a king, the illustrious Krishṇagupta, who was like a mountain, in
that (his) cities, like the slopes of a mountain, were crowded with thousands of elephants ;
in that he was attended by men of learning, as a mountain is inhabited by Vidyâdharas ; in
that he was of good descent, as a mountain is possessed of excellent bamboos ; (and) in
that he was firm (and) lofty ; (and) whose arm played the part of a lion, in bruising the
foreheads of the array of the rutting elephants of (his) haughty enemies, (and) in being
victorious by (its) prowess over countless foes.
(Line 1.)—Just as the full-moon, destitute of spots, the destroyer of the darkness, was
produced from the ocean, so from him there was born a son, the majestic one, named the
illustrious Harshagupta, who,—raining down a terrible flight of arrows from (his) firm
bow that was bent with ease at the befitting proper time, (and) being gazed upon with
copious tears by (his enemies) who, averse to the abode of the goddess of fortune being
with (him, her) own lord, were stupified (at being unable to prevent it),—was (always) dis-
playing a glorious triumph, the written record as it were of terrible contests, in the guise
of the rows of the knots of hard callous places, caused by wounds from many weapons, on
(his) chest.
(L. 3.)—His son was the illustrious Jîvitagupta (I.), the best among kings, who
was a very cold-rayed (moon) to (wither) the waterlilies that were the countenances of the
women of (his) proud enemies. The very terrible scorching fever (of fear) left not (his)
haughty foes, even though they stood on seaside shores that were cool with the
flowing and ebbing currents of water, (and) were covered with the branches of plantain-
trees severed by the trunks of elephants roaming through the lofty groves of palmyra-
palms ; (or) even though they stood on (that) mountain (Himâlaya) which is cold with
the water of the rushing and waving torrents full of snow. Even still his superhuman
deeds are regarded with astonishment by all mankind, like the leap of (the monkey
Hanumat) the son of the Wind² from the side of (the mountain) Kôśavardhana.³
¹ Metre, Ślôka (Anushṭubh).
² Hanumat was one of the most celebrated of a host of semi-divine apes, who were created to
become the allies of Râmachandra in his war with Râvaṇa. The leaders of this army of monkeys
were supposed to be the offspring of various gods ; and Hanumat was the son of Pavana or Mâruta,
the Wind. One famous leap taken by Hanumat was from the mainland, over the sea, onto
Ceylon, in order to discover the whereabouts of Sîtâ. Another was his leap back from Ceylon to
the mainland, after setting Râvaṇa's city on fire, on which occasion he sprang from a mountain
which sank into the ground under the shock. A third leap, or flight through the air, was when he
went to the mountain Gandhamâdana, to procure a medicinal herb to cure the wounded Lakshmaṇa.
Which of these leaps is alluded to here, is difficult to say, as Kôśavardhana does not seem to be given
in the epic as the name of a mountain at all; and I cannot find the names of the mountains from
which his leaps were taken.
³ The only other mention that we have of a mountain Kôśavardhana, is in line 17 of the Shêr-
gaḍh (Kôṭâ) Buddhist inscription (Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV. p. 46), where it seems to denote the hill on
which the Fort of Shêrgaḍh now stands. This may, or may not, be one of the mountains from which
Hanumat took one of his flights through the air.

206 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM. VOL. III.
(L. 5.)—That king begat one son, by name the illustrious Kumâragupta, of
renowned strength, a leader in battle ; just as (the god) Hara begat a son, (Kârtti-
kêya) who rides upon the peacock ;¹—by whom, playing the part of (the mountain)
'Mandara,'² there was quickly churned that formidable milk-ocean, the cause of the
attainment of fortune, which was the army of the glorious Îsânavarman, a very moon
among kings, (and) which had for (its) spreading rows of waves the plantain-trees that
were wantonly shaken to and fro by the roaring wind (caused by the marching of the
troops), (and) had (its) rocks, that were the ponderous and mighty rutting elephants (of
the forces), whirled round and round by the masses of water that were the rising dust
(stirred up by the soldiers). Cherishing heroism and adherence to the truth, (even) in
(the possession of) wealth, he went to Prayâga; (and there), honourably decorated
with flowers, plunged into a fire (kindled) with dry cow-dung cakes, as if (simply
plunging to bathe) in water.³
(L. 8.)—The son of that king was the illustrious Dâmôdaragupta, by whom (his)
enemies were slain, just like the demons by (the god) Dâmôdara. Breaking up the
proudly stepping array of mighty elephants, belonging to the Maukhari, which had
thrown aloft in battle the troops of the Hûṇas (in order to trample them to death), he
became unconscious (and expired in the fight); (and then, waking again in heaven,
and) making a choice among the women of the gods, saying "(this one or that) belongs
to me," he was revived by the pleasing touch of the waterlilies that were their hands.
He, (while he was) king, gave away in marriage a hundred daughters of virtuous Brâhmaṇs
endowed with many ornaments and with youth, (and) dowered with agrahâra-grants.
(L. 10.)—From him there was a son, the illustrious Mahâsênagupta, the leader,
among brave men ; who in all the assemblages of heroes acquired a (reputation for)
valour (that stood) in the foremost rank ;—whose mighty fame, marked with the honour
of victory in war over the illustrious Susthitavarman, (and) [white] as a full-blown
jasmine-flower or waterlily, or as a pure necklace of pearls pounded into little bits (?), is
still constantly sung on the banks of (the river) Lôhitya, the surfaces of which are (so)
cool, by the Siddhas in pairs, when they wake up after sleeping in the shade of the
betel-plants that are in full bloom.
(L. 11.)—As (the god) Mâdhava, whose feet are graced by the attentions of (the
goddess) Śrî, (was born) from Vasudêva, so from him there was (a son), the illustrious
Mâdhavagupta, finding pleasure only in prowess, whose feet were graced by the
attentions of the goddess of fortune. He being remembered in the foremost rank
. . . . . . . . . . . ; being the leader of those who acquire renown in war ; (and) being a
very store-house of goodness, the best of those who excel in the collection and bestowal
of riches, the natural home of wealth, truth, and learning, (and) a firm bridge of religion,
—there is no one on the earth . . . . . . . . . . . . who is (as) worthy to be praised by vir-
¹ One of the names of Kârttikêya was Kumâra; hence the comparison between him and
Kumâragupta.
² The allusion in this verse is to the churning of the ocean by the gods and demons, for the
recovery of the nectar and other precious things that had been lost. The mountain Mandara was
utilised as the churning stick. And, during the process, Lakshmî, the goddess of fortune and wealth,
sprang from the froth of the sea.
³ This verse seems to indicate that Kumâragupta's funeral rites took place at Allahâbâd; but
not necessarily that he placed himself on the funeral pyre while still alive.

tuous people, (as he was). He also (like the god), carried a discus in the palm of (his)
hand ;¹ to him also belonged a bow made of horn, and a pleasing sword (which was em-
ployed) for the destruction of (his) enemies (and) the happiness of his friends ;² (and),
when the slaughter of (his) foes had been achieved, . . . . . . . . . . . . was averted by him ;
. . . . . . . . . . . . people did obeisance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "(My) mighty enemies have been
slain by me in battle ; there remains nothing more for me to do,"—thus he, the hero,
determined in his mind ; (and then) with the desire to associate himself with the glorious
Harshadêva³ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(L. 15.)—His son was the illustrious one, named Âdityasêna, the best among kings,
whose scimetar was sullied with a thick coating of dust in the shape of the pearls from the
temples of the lordly elephants⁴ of (his) enemies that were split open (by it), . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maintaining the supreme renown, that (his)
perfect praise, coming from . . . . . . . . . . (and) rising from the destruction of (his)
enemies, is worthy to be lauded in the presence of all wielders of the bow,—a continuous
line of blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning with the edge of
the silken cloth of a banner, (used) under the excuse of (wiping away) sweat in battle, (his)
sword that was stained with the rut (of the elephants slain by him), and was covered with
sand in the shape of the minute fragments of the pearls (from their foreheads) through
. . . . . . . . . . . . that was broken to pieces, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the
destruction of rutting elephants, in the course of which many swarms of bees, led into a
mistake by the copious fragrant juice that trickled forth, were attracted by their perfume.
. . . . . . . . . . . in battle which is full of terrible and repulsive frownings . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . (he) is accustomed to laugh in a charming manner in the gatherings of
(his) favourites and servants. His [wife], truthfully constant to (her) lord ; performing
penance with the excellent qualities of (her) mouth (?) ; . . . . . . . . . . . laughter . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . Being . . . . . . . . . . (and) being the greatest cause of the destruction of the
power of all (his) enemies, (and) being possessed of his own mighty prowess, even when
he is full of weariness produced by the fatigue of drawing (his) sword forth (from its
scabbard) and (dealing) blows (with it),— . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the foreheads
of rutting elephants in battle, [he is verily] a guardian of the world, by whose white um-
brella the whole circuit of the earth is covered. He, the king, has had both (his) gleam-
ing arms increased in bulk by splitting open the temples of rutting elephants in war ; he

¹ The god carries an actual discus ; the king had the mark of a discus (see page 183 above,
note 4).
² The allusions here are to the discus of Vishṇu (Mâdhava), to his bow of horn named Śârṅga,
and to his sword called Nandaka.
³ Harshavardhana of Kanauj.—The present form of his name occurs also in the Harshacharita
(Kaśmîr edition), p. 119, line 5.—I notice that he is often called Śrîharsha, and Śrîharshavardhana ; as
if śrî were a component part of his name, instead of being only the honorific prefix. But I cannot find
any authority whatever for this. I cannot trace a single instance in which the reading of any inscription
or book is śrî-Śrîharsha (see page 8 above, note 3) ; while, in line 26 of the Kauthêm grant of
Vikramâditya V. (Ind. Ant. Vol. XVI. p. 22), he is distinctly called Harsha-mahânṛipa, "the great
king Harsha." So, also, Bâṇa's book about him and his history is always called simply Harshacharita,
not Śrîharshacharita, in the colophon of each division of it ; and the śrî, which is prefixed on the
title-page of the Kaśmîr edition, only qualifies Harshacharita, as the name of the book, in the sense
of "the famous history of Harsha."
⁴ The belief, to which there are constant allusions in Sanskrit poetry, was, that there are pearls
to be found inside the foreheads of elephants.

208 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
has a halo of fame, [acquired] by destroying the power of many enemies; the darting
fire of the prowess of (his) feet has had thrown into it (to feed it) the locks of hair on the
tops of the heads of all (other) kings; he is possessed of fortune; (and) he has a pure
and celebrated reputation (acquired) by honourable behaviour in war.
(L. 23.)—This best of temples has been caused to be made, on account of (the god)
Vishṇu, by him, the king, whose very great fame, (of) this (kind that has been described),
white as the orb of the autumn moon (and) conferring renown on the (whole) circle of
the world, was for a long time made angry by him through (his) desire for (her) associa-
tion with (his) wealth, and then, becoming more wonderful than ever, went, forsooth,
through the enmity natural to the condition of rival wives, to the other side of the ocean
(in order to dwell there far away).¹
(L. 24.)—By his mother, the Mahâdêvî Śrîmatî, a religious college has been
caused to be built, resembling a house in the world of the gods, (and) has been given by
herself in person to religious people.
(L. 25.)—By the queen, the illustrious Kôṇadêvî, the dear wife of that same king,
in the performance of an excellent penance, there has been caused to be excavated a
wonderful tank, the waters of which are eagerly drunk by people; which is full of drifting
and glistening spray, resembling in lustre a śaṅkha-shell, or the moon, or crystal; (and) in
the waves of which, driven to and fro by the motion of the alligators, the birds disport
themselves and the large fishes play about.
(L. 26.)—As long as a digit of the moon [remains] on the head of (the god) Hara,
(and) (the goddess) Śrî on the breast of Vishṇu, (and) (the goddess) Sarasvatî . . . . .
. . . . . in the mouth of Brahman; as long as the earth [remains] on a hood of (Śêsha)
the king of serpents; and as long as there is lightning in the interior of a cloud,—so
long shall the king Âdityasêna display here (in these works) (his) dazzling fame!
(L. 27.)—(This) eulogy, (written in) beautiful letters, . . . . . . . . . . [has been
composed, or engraved] by Sûkshmaśiva, (a native of) the Gauḍa (country), who is
thoroughly religious (and) very intelligent.

No. 43; PLATE XXIXA.
SHÂHPUR STONE IMAGE INSCRIPTION OF ÂDITYASENA.
THIS inscription was discovered, apparently in 1879-80, by Mr. J. D. M. Beglar,
Assistant to the Director General of Archæological Surveys; and was first brought to
notice, in 1882, in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XV. p. 12, where General Cunningham
published his reading of the text, and a translation of it, accompanied by a lithograph
(id. Plate xi. No. 1).
Shâhpur,² also known as Shâhpur-Têtarâwâṅ, is a village on the right bank of

¹ Kîrtti, 'fame,' and Lakshmî, 'fortune or wealth,' are here regarded as the two co-wives of the
king. The idea is that his fame became at length so great as to extend to the uttermost ends of
the world, beyond even the oceans; and this is indicated by Kîrtti becoming at length jealous of
Lakshmî, and leaving her husband's house in order to dwell far away from her rival wife.
² The 'Shahpur, Shahpoor, Shahpoor-Tetranwan, and Shahpoor-Titarawa.' of maps, &c Indian
Atlas, Sheet No. 112. Lat. 25° 6' N.; Long. 85° 43' E.

the Sakarî river, about nine miles to the south-east of Bihâr, the chief town of the Bihâr
Sub-Division of the Paṭna District in the Bengal Presidency. The inscription is on the
pedestal of a standing image of the sun,—represented as a man, 2′ 10″ high, holding a
waterlily in each hand; and with, on each side, a small standing figure, that on the right
being armed with a club,—which was found on a mound in the lands of this village.
When I sent my copyists to Shâhpur in 1884, they could not find the image, and could
obtain no information as to what had become of it; my lithograph, therefore, has been
prepared from Mr. Beglar's pencil-rubbing, which suffices for practical purposes, though
perhaps the date is not quite as clear as it might be.
The writing, which covers a space of about 1′ 4½″ broad by 4″ high, has suffered
a good deal of injury towards the proper right side of the stone; the rest, however, is very
well preserved.—The average size of the letters is about ½″. The characters belong
to the northern class of alphabets, and are of almost precisely the same Kuṭila type as
those of the preceding Aphsaḍ inscription of Âdityasêna, No. 42, Plate xxviii. They
include, in line 2, forms of the numerical symbols¹ for 6, 7 (?), and 60.—The language
is Saṁskṛit; and the inscription is in prose throughout.—In respect of orthography, the
only point that calls for notice is the use of v for b in valâdhikṛita, line 3.
The inscription refers itself to the time of Âdityasêna, of the family of the
Guptas of Magadha. Its date, in numerical symbols, is the year sixty-six, on the
¹ The symbol for the day is a little doubtful; but it seems to be 7.—Gen. Cunningham inter-
preted these symbols as decimal figures, and read the year as 55, and the day as 1. At the same time
he notified that Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji, interpreting them in the same way, read the year as 88. And
the date certainly has the appearance, in Gen. Cunningham's published lithograph, of either 55 or
88.—But this is too early a period for the occurrence of decimal figures; and, though the symbols
are rather damaged, I think quite enough of them remains to shew very clearly a 60, followed by a
6.—So far as definite dates are available, the system of numerical symbols was preserved in this part
of the country as late as Harsha-Saṁvat 188 (A.D. 794-95) as shewn by the Bengal Asiatic Society's
grant of the Mahârâja Vinâyakapâla (Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 138 ff.); and in the neighbouring coun-
try of Nêpâl, as late as Harsha-Saṁvat 153 (A.D. 659-60), as shewn by the inscription of Jayadêva
II. (Ind. Ant. Vol. IX. p. 178 ff., and Vol. XIV. p. 345), and Gupta-Saṁvat 535 (A.D. 854-55), as
shewn by another Nêpâl inscription (id. Vol. IX. p. 168 ff., and Vol. XIV. p. 345). In the west of
India, it continued, in Gujarât, as late as Śaka-Saṁvat 679 (A.D. 757-58), as shewn by the Kârêlî
grant of Kakka of Gujarât (Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. XVI. p. 105 ff). In Central India, as
late as Vikrama-Saṁvat 879 (A.D. 822-23), as shewn by the Shêrgaḍh (Kôṭâ) inscription of the
Sâmanta Dêvadatta (Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV. pp. 45 ff., 351). And in the South, as late as about Śaka-
Saṁvat 549 (A.D. 627-28), as shewn by the Vizagapatam grant of the Eastern Chalukya Mahârâja
Vishṇuvardhana I. (Burnell's South-Indian Palæography, p. 137 f. and Pl. xxvii.; see also Ind. Ant.
Vol. VII. p. 186, where I gave the date as the sixteenth year, instead of the eighteenth, which it
really appears to be.)—As regards the introduction of decimal figures (setting aside the question
of the first invention of them, which was probably by the astronomers of Ujjain in the fifth or sixth
century A.D.), the earliest epigraphical instances of the use of them that I can quote, are, in the
north, the Gwâlior inscription of Bhôjadêva dated Vikrama-Saṁvat 933 or A.D. 876-77 (Jour Beng.
As. Soc. Vol. XXXI. p. 407 f.; see also Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 108, note 25); and the ‘Pêhewâ’ in-
scription of the same king, dated Harsha-Saṁvat 276 or A.D. 882-83 (Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol.
XXII. p. 673 ff., and Vol. XXXIII. p. 223 ff.; see also Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 109, note 27); in Central
India, the ‘Deogarh’ inscription of the same king, dated Vikrama-Saṁvat 919 and Śaka-Saṁvat
784 or A.D. 862-63 (Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. X. p. 100 ff.; see also Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 110, note
32); in Gujarât, the ‘Bagumra’ grant of the Râshṭrakûṭa chieftain Dhruva III., dated Śaka-Saṁvat
789 or A.D. 732-33 (Ind. Ant. Vol. XII. p. 185); in Kâṭhiâwâḍ the Môrbî grant of Jâïnka, dated
(irrespective of the actual reading in line 17) Gupta-Saṁvat 585 (A.D. 804-5); and in the Dekkan,
the Sâmâṅgaḍ grant of Dantidurga, dated Śaka-Saṁvat 675 or A.D. 753-54 (Ind. Ant. Vol. X
p. 108 ff.).

210 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
seventh (?). day of the bright fortnight of the month Mârga, i.e. Mârgaśira or Mârgaśirsha
(November-December). The era is not specified ; but, from the known facts of Âditya-
sêna's history, it is that of Harshavardhana of Kanauj, commencing¹ A.D. 606 or 607 ;
and the result for this date, therefore, is A.D. 672-73. The inscription is one of solar
worship ; and the object of it is to record, in the first place, some grant, the details of
which are illegible in line 1 ; and, in the second place, the installation of the image by
the Balâdhikṛita² Sâlapaksha, in, apparently, the agrahâra of Nâlanda.
The name of Nâlanda is rather doubtful in this inscription ; but there is no special
objection to reading it, since Nâlanda was a famous place, originally Buddhist, in the
neighbourhood of Shâhpur, being in fact identified by General Cunningham³ with the
modern ' Baragaon,'⁴ seven miles due north of Râjgîr, and about fifteen miles nearly due
west of Shâhpur. The image, being fairly small and portable, may easily have been
originally set up at Nâlanda, and then removed at some time or other to Shâhpur.
TEXT.⁵
1 ...... kh . l . ḍh . g ... chandra-kshiti-kâlaṁ yâvat=p[r]atipâditaṁ [||*]
2 Ôm Samvat 60 6 Mârgga śu di 7(?) asyân=divasa-mâsa-
samvatsar-ânupûrvvyâṁ⁶ śrî-Âditya’sêna-
3 [dêva]-râj[y]ê **Nâ(?)landa(?)-mah-âgrahârê sâdh[un]â va(ba)lâdhikṛita-
Sâlapakshêṇa dê[ya]-dharmmô=yaṁ pratishṭhitaṁ(ḥ)
4 [mâtâpitrôr=â]tmanaś=cha puṇy-âbhivṛiddhayê [||]
TRANSLATION.
.................. has been granted, to endure for the same time with
............ and the moon and the earth.
(Line 2.)—Ôm! The year 60 (and) 6 ; (the month) Mârga ; the bright fortnight ;⁸
the day 7 (?),—on this (lunar day), (specified) as above by the day and month and
year,⁹—in the reign of the illustrious Âdityasênadêva, this appropriate religious gift
has been installed by the virtuous Sâlapaksha, the Balâdhikṛita, in the great agrahâra
of Nâlanda (?), for the purpose of increasing the religious merit of (his) parents and of
himself.
¹ See Ind. Ant. Vol. XIII. p. 420, note 37.
² Balâdhikṛita is a technical military title, meaning literally 'one who is appointed to (a com-
mand of) the troops.' The superior of the Balâdhikṛitas was the Mahâbalâdhikṛita; see page 109
above, note 2.
³ Anc. Geog. Ind. Vol. I. p. 468 ff.
⁴ Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 103. Lat. 25° 8' N. ; Long. 85° 29' E.—In the map, the name is written
' Burgaon.' The correct form of the name would therefore seem to be Baḍgaum.
⁵ From Mr. Beglar's pencil-rubbing ; so also the lithograph.
⁶ Supply tithau ⁷ Read śry-Âditya.
⁸ The text here has the abbreviation śu, which represents śuddha, or śukla, in composition with
paksha or pakshê; see page 92 above, note 1.
⁹ See page 97 above, note 1.

Vol. III. CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM. Plate [XLI.]
A.—Shahpur Image Inscription of Adityasena.
Scale .40.
Text (Shahpur Stone Image Inscription):
[Line 1] ॐ संवत् ६० ६ मार्ग शुदि सप्तम्यां [॥*] अङ्गोक्षजाते सालोपक्षातायां राज्ञां ध्यातायां महाप्रतिहार-
[Line 2] वालधिकृत-श्रीमद्-दामसेन-भार्य्या-श्रीमती-कोशदेवी-पुत्रेण परमभागवत-
[Line 3] नालन्दाया-विहार-प्रशस्त-प्रतिष्ठितेयम् प्रतिमा भगवतः सूर्य्यस्य महासामन्त-
[Line 4] श्री-शालपक्षेण ॥ महाराज-श्रीमद्-आदित्यसेन-राज्ये ॥

B.—Deo-Baranark Inscription of Jivitagupta II.
Text (Deo-Baranark Inscription):
[1] ॐ स्वस्ति [॥] जयत्युदित-मण्डल-रुचिर-रञ्जिताशेष-दिङ्मुखः [।]
[2] तमः-समूह-निहन्ता वर-कुवलय-दीप्त-किरण-दीधितिः सूर्य्यः ॥
[3] गोमतीशतं-प्रादुर्भव-विजयासन-स्कन्धावारात् श्रीमन्-महाराजाधिराज-श्रीमद्-माधवगुप्तस्तस्य
[4] पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः परममाहेश्वरो महाराजाधिराज-श्री-आदित्यसेनदेवस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानु-
[5] ध्यातः परममाहेश्वरो महाराजाधिराज-श्री-देवगुप्तदेवस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः
[6] परममाहेश्वरो महाराजाधिराज-श्री-विष्णुगुप्तदेवस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः परम-
[7] माहेश्वरो महाराजाधिराज-श्री-जीवितगुप्तदेवः कुशली [॥] नागराहारे वरुणिका-ग्रामे
[8] ब्राह्मणांस्तथैवान्यानपि समुपगतांश्चोर-दण्डिक-दण्डपाशिक-दण्डोद्धरणिक-शौल्किक-
[9] गौल्मिक-दूत-प्रेषणिक-हस्त्यश्वोष्ट्र-नौबल-व्यापृतक-राजपुत्र-कुमारामात्य-
[10] राजानक-राजपुत्र-महाप्रतिहार-महादण्डनायक-महाकर्त्ताकृतिक-
[11] महासामन्त-प्रमातृ-धर्म्माधिकरणिक-तदायुक-विनियुक्तकादीन् सम्पूजयति
[12] समाज्ञापयति च [।] विदितमस्तु वो यथायं ग्रामो मया मातापित्रोरात्मनश्च पुण्याभिवृद्धये
[13] पूर्व्व-दत्तानुमतेन वरुणवासिनः भगवतः सूर्य्यस्य पूजा-संस्कार-वलि-चरु-सत्र-प्रवर्त्तनाय
[14] खण्ड-स्फुटित-संस्कार-करणाय च बालार्क-देव-कुले भोजकानां शूर्पकार-प्रभृतीनां
[15] शर्व्वानी-भोजकाधिष्ठित-भोजकान्तरेभ्य आ-चन्द्रार्क-क्षिति-सम-कालं यावत्
[16] सर्व्व-कर-समेतोऽचाट-भट-प्रावेश्यः प्रतिपादितः [।] यत एतद्-धर्म्म-गौरवाद्-भवद्भिः
[17] परिपालनीयः [।] आज्ञा-प्रवर्त्तकोऽत्र श्रीमद्-विष्णुगुप्त-पाद-प्रसादावाप्त-राज्य-विभवः
[18] सामन्त-सुर्य्यदत्तो भोजक-शूर्पकारस्य भोजक-शर्व्वानी-सन्ततेर्-अव्याहत-पालने
[19] नियुक्तः [।] दूतकश्चात्र महाप्रतिहार-श्रीमत्-सुर्य्यदत्तः [॥]
[20] संवत् ...