Epigraphia Indica Vol 20

SR No.: 032574
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1929
Total Pages: 188
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 40 MB

Page 56

No. 2.) NALANDA STONE INSCRIPTION OF THE REIGN OF YASOVARMMADEVA. 45
TRANSLATION (Verse 1.) Continual salutation to the Buddha who made up his mind to emancipate living beings from the strong tangles of the world and who felt exceedingly delighted after giving (his own) body to the supplicant, whose foot-lotus is rubbed by the gods, including Indra, with the fishes (engraved) in the diadems on their heads and who is conversant with the real nature of all the categories.
(V. 2.) The illustrious, prosperous and highly glorious Yasovarmmadēva has risen after placing his foot on the heads of all the kings and has completely removed the terrific darkness in the form of all of his foes by the diffusion of the rays of his sword. He is the celebrated protector of the world and the cause of the excitement of all the Padmini women of the earth. He shines above all in every quarter like the resplendent Sun, who has risen after spreading his rays on the tops of all the mountains and has torn asunder by the diffusion of severe rays the foe in the form of terrible darkness, who is the well-known protector of the world and cause of the blooming of all the lotuses of the earth.
(V. 3.) Mālāda was the illustrious and magnanimous son of the well-known Tikina (.e., Togin), who was his (Yasovarmmadēva's) minister, the Guardian of the Frontier and Ruler of the North. He (Málada), the unrivalled and quick subduer of the enemies, fulfiller of the desires of the supplicants on the earth, resolute, of stainless family and the son (literally, gladdener) of Bandhumati, was honoured by his (Yasovarmmadēva's) great tavour.
(Vy. 46.) Balāditya, the great king of irresistible valour, after having vanquished al the foes and enjoyed the entire earth, erected, as if with a view to see the Kajlása mountain surpassed, & great and extraordinary temple (prāsāda) of the illustrious son of Suddhödana (i.e., the Buddha) here at Nalandā. Nālandā had scholars, well-known for their knowledge of the) sacred texts and arts, and (was full of the) heaps of the rays of the chaityas shining and bright like white clouds. She was consequently) mocking, as it were, at all the cities of the kings who had acquired wealth by tearing asunder the temples of the great elephants surrounded by the shining black bees which were maddened by drinking the rut in the hostile lands. She had a row of vihāras, the line of whose tops touched the clouds. That (row of vihāras) was, so to say, the beautiful festoon of the earth, made by the Creator, which looked resplendent in going upwards. Nalanda had temples which were brilliant on account of the net-work of the rays of the various jewels set in them and was the pleasant abode of the learned and the virtuous Sangha and resembled Sumoru, the charming residence of the noble Vidyadharas.
And
(V. 7.) (The präsida), after having gone round the earth and on finding, as it were, that it was a useless wandering when this world had no other structure to be conquered (surpassed), stands aloft, as it'it were & column of the great fame it had won, scoffing at the lustre of the moon, disregarding the beauty of the rows of the summits of the Snow-mountain (Himalaya), soiling (s.e., throwing into the shade) the white Ganges of the sky, and thon tuming dumb the streams of disputants.
(V. 8.) Hero, Malada of the above-mentioned family and fame himself brought with great dovotion for the pure Lord Buddha the pious permanent grant, pure water as cool as nectar and mixed with the powder of four fragrant objects, as well as, the shining lamp, the offerings of clarified butter and curds.
(V. 9.) Under the order of the community of frians of bright intellect, great piety and learning, he again distributed daily, in a fitting manner, rice with various) preparations, curds and ooplous ghee, to the four monks'. He again gave to the assembly of monks the pure 'and highly fragrant water, perfumed with the four objects (scents) and distributed daily at the attre.
1 Does it mean " monks from the four quarters"? • Soo above, p. 39, L. . .