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OCTOBER, 1881.]
VALABAI GRANTS.
277
VALABHI GRANTS. EDITED BY DR. G. BÜHLER, C.I.E.
(Continued from vol. IX. p. 239.) No. XVI.-A FORCED GRANT OF DHARABENA II, Gominda (i. e. Govinda) son of Bhatta DATED SAKA SAMVAT 400.
Isara (i. e. Isvara), a Chaturvedi of DasaTHE subjoined grant purporting to be issued purl, who belonged to the Kausika gotra
1 by Dharasena II, of Valabhî, in Saka and to the Chhandoga bdkhd of the Samvat 400, belongs to the Museum of the Súmaveda. The object granted is the village Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Society. It was of Nandlar or N andisar, situated in the first noticed by the late Mr. BhâQ Dajt (Jour. Bo. vishaya or zilla Kantaragrámasodasata, i.e. the Br. R. As. Soc., vol. VIII, p. 244) and later by Sixteen-hundred of Kantkrag råma. The myself (Indian Antiquary, vol. V, p. 110; boundaries of the village are stated to be to vol. VII, p. 163). In 1878 it was transmitted the east the village of Girivili, to the south by the Bombay Government to Dr. Burgess for the river Mad & vi, to the west the Ocean, and the purpose of being photožíncographed. to the north the village of Deyathali. Repeat.
The grant is incised on two plates 10 inchesed references to the Revenue Survey maps of by 77, which originally were held together by Gujarat and enquiries in Surat and Bharuch two rings. The left hand ring alone, to which regarding the whereabouts of the village of the seal is attached, has been preserved. The Nandfar or Nandisar have not led to any latter bears the representation of a standing very satisfactory results. This much only seems ball, facing the proper right and the inscription certain from the mention of the Ocean as its Sri Dharacena. The first four letters of the western boundary that it lay on the eastern shore name stand in one line below the animal and of the Gulf of Cambay. As Kantâ ragrâ. the last a little higher just opposite its face. ma, after which the vishaya or zilla is named, The letters of the grant are Gurjara, and closely was the ancient, and is still the modern Sanskrit resemble those of the Ilâo and Umetà plates of . appellation of the large village of Kattargam, Dadda II of Bharûch. In the word dodasatam north-east of Surat, it seems probable that (Pl. II, 1. 2) a peculiar form of da occurs, Nandlar must be looked for either in the which is found in a few words on Dr. Burnes' Olpad or the Chorâsî Talukas. Kheda pldtes of Dadda II, and through- The use of the Gurjara characters and of out in the Valabhi grant of SilAditya the Saka era in a grant, stated to have been V, dated 441. The execution of the engraver's issued by a Valabhi king, the close agreement work is good and the preservation of the plates of its second and chief portion with the likewise. A few letters have been slightly Gurjara Sasana of Umetà, and the obvious damaged by verdigris. The language is Sanskrit, error in the genealogy of the Valabhi kings and, as regards the spelling, throughout very induced both Mr. Bhâû Dâji and myself to incorrect. In grammar and style a difference is declare these plates to be a forgery. Though, observable between the preamble and the portion as stated formerly, my condemnation of them referring to the donation (Pl. I, l. 15- was pronounced after a cursory inspection, I PL. II, 1. 17). The former evidently has been do not find that a more careful examination composed by a Pandit, and is free from grossobliges me to alter my opinion regarding them. mistakes, while several bad ones occur in the But some facts which have been discovered latter, which in many respects closely resembles since I wrote my articles on the Kåvi and the the corresponding part of the Umetê SÅsana of Umetê Sasanas, as well as some points which Dadda II. As has been already mentioned, the the closer examination of the grant has revealgrant is dated Valabhi, full moon day of ed, make the proof of its being a forgery more Vaisakha saka-sarat 400 (478 A.D.). The difficult, and force me to alter the course of donor is stated to be Dharasenade va reasoning which I formerly adopted. son of Guhasen & and grandson of 'Bhat- | The argument drawn from the employgarka (i.e. Bhatbrka). The donee is Bhattament of the Gurjara characters and of the
Indian Ant., vol. VI, p. 16.
. The letter is very indistinct.