________________
(SECTION V) CORONATION OF KHĀRAVEL A In the second and third lines of the Hāthi. gumphā inscription, there occurs the statemenė saipunan chatuvisati-vaso tadāni vadhamānasesayo Venâb hivijiyo tatiye Kalinga-rāja-vase puris.yuge mahārāja abhi sechanam pāpunāti:, which has been translated by Jayaswal and Banerji, as according to their own reading---"Having completed the twenty-fourth year, at that time, (he) who had been prosperous (vardhamāna) since his infancy (?), and who (was destined) to have wide conquests as those of Vena, then in the state of manhood, obtained the Imperial (mahārājya) coronation in the third dynasty of Kalinga."
Hence, in the twenty fourth year, Khāravela was crowned king with complete powers to rule. Jayaswal4 opines that Khāravela, in his sixteenth year (that is when he came of age)," began to rule from the office of the Yuvarāja. It seems that the throne had been already vacant. This is further confirmed by the fact that his coronation had been waiting for the completion of his
1. Select Ings, Vol. I, p. 207. 2. The Sanskrit rendering, as offered by Dr. Sircar (SI, p. 2:1) is
"Sampurna chaturvimsati varshah tadiniin varddhamūnasaisavavainyābhivijayah tritiye kalingara ja-vamsa-purushayuge mahūrāja.
abhishechanam prāpnoti (prāpņota)." 3. EI, Vol. XX, pp. 71f, 4, JBORS, Vol. III, Pt. IV, p. 433.
5. According to Hindu Law. one attoins aga in the sixteenth year, as quoted by Jayaswal (JBORS, Vol. III, p. 438).
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
