Epigraphia Indica Vol 15

SR No.: 032569
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sten Konow, F W Thomas
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1919
Total Pages: 478
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 23 MB

Page 137

108
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XV.
44 . ra-samaya-prachandam nudid=ante g[andam ...... saran-āgata
vajral-pamjaram vairi-[padma]-kumjaram . .... .
This is the official prasasti of the family of Mandalēśvaras to which Gunda and Dadiga belonged; but it is impossible to say which of them is particularly referred to here as donor of this second endowment. Lines 46-50, which give details of the grant, are almost wholly illegible; they end with an admonitory formula in Kanarese. Line 51 contains the Sanskrit verse beginning Sva-dattām para-dattar vā. Lines 52-54 are illegible ; but apparently a third grant begins in them, for 1. 55 has a reference to an endowment for ariga-bhoga of the Panchalinga-dēva of the capital town Sandi, which runs on into 1. 56. L. 57 contains the Sanskrit verse beginning Na rishan visham. The remainder, 11. 58-67, records yet another endowment, but nothing material can be deciphered in it.
The chief interest of this record lies in the information which it gives regarding the Bālivamsa in general and the branch ruling over Kisukād in particular. Other sources tell us little about it. In the Ron inscription of Turagavedenga edited by Dr. Fleet above, Vol. XIII, p. 185, Taragavedenga is described as Kishkindhă-puravar-ēśvara and Bāli.vans-odbhava, " lord of Kishkindhå best of cities” and “scion of the Bāli race." Dr. Fleet there points to the legendary connection of Bālin, the brother of Sugriva, with Kishkindhā in the Rāmāyana. Our present record however seems to trace the origin of the race to another circumstance: it speaks (11. 18-19. see above, p. 106) of the birth of valiant men (adatar) from the caverns (garihara) of Mount Kisbkindha is connection with the visit of Parasu-Rāma, thus apparently indicating that after the latter's extirpation of the Kshatriyas a new branch arose, the ancestors of the Bali-vamśa, and that these derived their name from rala, or bala, "a cavern." On the other hand, we must note that the family bore on it, banner the device of an ape (1. 42), and this seems to prove their traditional descent from the hero Bālin. Possibly the two records may be reconciled by supposing that the adatar mentioned in our inscription were the forefathers of the hero Balin, and that he derived his name from their legendary birth from the mountain. This however is only speculation : the essential facts are that the Bali-vamsa claimed traditional lordship over the city of Kishkindha, and that they had on their banner the figure of an ape and as their heraldic device a turtle (1. 42). It is not clear whether the Balivamsa is connected with the Bali-vamsa mentioned in Ep. Carn. IV. ii., Yl. 25, and Ann. Report Mysore Arch. Dept., 1910-11, p. 37, or with the Mahābali-vamsa noticed in Progress Report of Asst. Arch. Supt. for Epiyr., Madras, 1913-14, p. 13; I have doubts.
The Bappura family, which according to our record was more or less the same as the Bali. vamsa, is perhaps identical with the Batpūra or Bappara race known from other sources (Ind. Ant., Vol. XIX, pp. 14, 19; J. B. B. R. A. S., Vol. X, p. 365 ; Dyn. Kan. Distr., pp. 344, S+9).
The record contains one date, that of the first grant, which is unfortunately imperfect. It reads (11. 37-38) : Srimach-Chalukya-Vikrama-küla[l. 38]da 38[new]ya Vijaya-samva. [tsarada . . .]. The epoch of the Chalukya-Vikrama era being 1075-76 A.D., its 38th year is 1119-14 A.D.; and this coincides with the cyclic year Vijaya.
Few place-names are decipherable. We have only Kuntala (1. 5), the Kisukād nad (1.17), Kishkindhā (1. 18), Sūņdi (11, 38, 55), and Achalapura (1. 39). The last is probably the residential quarter connected with the sanctuary of Achaleśvara mentioned in previous inscriptions
Cf. the cult of Tara on the same mountain ; above, Vol. XIV, p. 284. Whether the Vall vara temple at Ramagiri in Chinglepu: District (Sewell, List of Antiquarian Remains, p. 174) is connected with this culs cannot say.