Epigraphia Indica Vol 28

SR No.: 032582
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1949
Total Pages: 526
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

Page 378

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No. 423
JABALPUR PLATES OF MAHARAJA HASTIN; G. E. 170
G. E. 178. The other known dates of Hastin range from the G. E. 156 to the G. E. 198.1 The present inscription supplies only an intermediary date (the year 170 G. E.) during the rule of Hastin. The genealogy of the Parivrājaka kings as given in this inscription can be constructed as follows:
(1) Mahārāja Dēvāḍhya (c. G.E. 96-116).
(2) Mahārāja Prabhañjana (c. G.E. 116-136).
(3) Mahārāja Damodara (c. G.E. 136-156).
(4) Mahārāja Hastin (G.E. 156-198).
The first known date of Hastin is G.E. 156. He ruled for an unusually long time, and, therefore, the same number of reign years cannot be assigned to his predecessors. We may, however, tentatively assign to them twenty years each. Thus for Mahārāja Dāmōdara we get c. G.E. 136-156, for Maharaja Prabhañjana c. G.E. 116-136 and for Maharaja Devadhya c. G.E. 96-116 In this way, the foundation of the dynasty can be traced back to c. G.E. 96-415 A.C., that is, the beginning of the reign of the Gupta emperor Kumaragupta I, who ascended the throne in about 413 A.C. The fourth king of the Parivrajaka dynasty started his reign in e. 475 A.C., when the Gupta empire was suffering from internal chaos and the threat of a foreign invasion, and he continued to rule at least up to c. 517 A.C. He saw the eclipse of the Gupta empire in Madhya Bharat by the Huņas in c. 500 A.C. and its liberation by Bhanugupta Baladitya in 510 A.C. As indicated by the political titles of the Parivrajaka kings, Maharaja, it is evident that they were feudatory chiefs owing allegiance to the Gupta emperors. Except Hastin no other member of the dynasty is credited in the inscription with any military achievements. Hastin is hailed as 'the victor in hundreds of battles' (naika-samara-sata-vijayi) (line 6). Perhaps he took an active part on the side of the Gupta emperor in the war of liberation against the Hūpas.
The list of the Brahmana grantees is a long one and consists of the following persons: Kōdravasarman, Nagasarman, Matṛidatta, Gangabhadrasvamin, Dhanadatta, Kapilasvamin, Agnisarman, Vishņudēva, Visakhadeva, Gandasvamin, Paritoshasarman, Krishnasvamin, Dēvasarman, [Ro]hasarman, Devasarman, Devadhyadattaéarman, Manoratha, Agnidatte, Rudradatta, Visakhadatta, Vishnusvāmin, Vishnudēva (II?), Svätiganga and three more whose names are not legible in the inscription. The name of the village granted is also not legible. Its assets were as given below: ghosha (cattle-pound), udyāna (garden), madhuka (mahua trees), palli (hamlets), vithika (roads). The following taxes accrued to it: udranga (land-tax) and uparikara (additional taxes); it was immune from police and military interference (a-chata-bhata-prāvēśya). The boundaries of the village are fully demarcated. The village was given away according to the rules and rites of an agrahara by Mahārāja Hastin for the attainment of religious merits.
The charter was drafted by Suryyadatta, who was the minister in charge of peace and war (foreign minister). Suryyadatta was a son of Bhogika (provincial governor) Ravidatta, a grandson of Bhogika (provincial governor) Naradatta and a great-grandson of a Amatya Vakra Suryyadatta was the writer also of some other grants of Mahārāja Hastin. He drafted the Khoh inscription of Hastin, dated G.E. 156, but there he was not yet a minister in charge of peace and war. In the G.E. 163 he drafted another Khoh inscription of Hastin. In G.E. 163 he was already promoted to the post of a Mahasamdhivigrahika (foreign minister). It appears that in the G.E. 191 either Süryyadatta was dead or he was not in charge of drafting the charters, as the Majhagawan charter of Hastin was drafted by his son Vibhudatta, who was yet a Samdhivigrahika. The Dutaka or the representative of the king at the time of drafting the charter was Nagasirhe.
1 Fleet, C. I. I., Vol. III; above, Vol. XXI. pp. 124 ff.
It is already known from other inscriptions of Hastin. Fleet, C. I. I., Vol. III. p. 92 f.
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