Epigraphia Indica Vol 13

SR No.: 032567
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sten Konow, F W Thomas
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1915
Total Pages: 430
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

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[VOL. XIII.
conquered city of Sripura by the victor, from the fabulous animal of that name (i.e. sarabha), who is believed to be a match for a lion, with reference to the claim of the Sirpar dynasty to be Kesarins (lions)." I do not think that he has succeeded in making this latter supposition likely, because the Sirpur stone inscription of Mahasivaguptal seems to belong to about 800 A.D., i.e. it is not much later than the grants of the Sarabhapura kings, and Mahasivagupta's father and grandfather and probably also more of his ancestors seem to have ruled in Sirpur.
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
Other identifications of Sarabhapura have been suggested by Cunningham, who thought that it might be either Arvi in the Wardha District or Sambalpur in the Sambalpur District. None of these identifications are however likely, and the exact position of Sarabhapura has still
to be found.
Now the only inscription which has so far been found in an alphabet almost identical with that of the Sarablapura grants has been found in a place called Sarabhavaram. It has been issued, not by a king, bat by a vishayadhipati; it is dated in the same way as the Sarabhapura grants, with mention of a regnal year, a month and a day, and the seal shows the representation. of a conch, as is also the case in the Sarabhapura grants. It is tempting to infer that the Sara. bhavaram grant was issued by a dependent of the Sarabhapura kings, and that Sarabhapura is the present Sarabhavaram.
With regard to the modern village of Sarabhavaram I have consulted the Collector of the Godavari District, who has been good enough to inform me that the village Sarabhavaram is situated in the Chodavaram Division, ten miles east from the bank of the Godavari and twenty miles north-west from Rajahmandry. Its popular name is Sarabaram. A ruined temple is said to have been in existence near the village some fifty years ago.
According to information kindly furnished by Rao Sahib Krishna Sastri similar village names occur in other places in the neighbourhood. Thus there is a village Sarabhavaram in the Peddapuram taluka of the Godavari District, a Sarabhapuram in the Ellore taluka (now joined to the Kistna District), a Sarabhavaram in the Golgonda taluk of the Vizagapatam in Raipur or its immediate neighbourhood, but Iartner to the sout
To return to the Sarabhavaram plates, they do not appear to have been issued by a ruling prince, but by a governor of a district, a vishayadhipati. I suppose that this title is nothing more than the usual vishayapati. The year given in 1. 16 is then probably the regnal year of the overlord of the vishayadhipati.
in purortisanal from Chikürappra. 1. 1. by the adhipati of the Chikura-vishaya
To return to the Sarabhavaram plates, they do not appear to have been issued by a ruling prince, but by a governor of a district, a vishayadhipati. I suppose that this title is nothing more than the usual vishayapati. The year given in 1. 16 is then probably the regnal year of the overlord of the vishayadhipati.
The grant was issued from Chikarapura, 1. 1, by the adhipati of the Chiküra-vishaya. Mr. Gopinatha Rao corrects the latter to Chikara-vishaya. We cannot, however, make any positive statement about the correct form of the name. There is an uninhabited village Chiduguru ten miles north-west of Chodavaram. It seems however difficult to identify it with Chikara, if the form given in the District Gazetteer is the correct one.
The village granted was Pulaka, 1. 9, or Puloks, 1. 14, which should be looked for in the