Epigraphia Indica Vol 31

SR No.: 032585
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1955
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

Page 165

110 EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXXI Anangabhima III, which have been fully discussed above. The consonants p and y are undistinguishable. Similar is the case with superscript - and superscript I, with subscript v and subscript dh, and sometimes with v and n and r and ch. The conjunct ndh is in some cases written like rth (cf. lines 209-10) and run is often like rln. The final forms of t and n occur many times in the record. In many cases such half consonants have been used instead of joining them with the following consonants in oonjuncts. V and b are indicated by the same sign. In a number of Cages, medial e has been written as in Nagari and not in the usual Bengali or Oriya fashion. Of initial vowels, au occurs once in line 198; but a, a, i, u and 2 occur in a number of cases. As already noticed, the inscription employs the numerical figures from 1 to 5. It is interesting to note that the figure 2 resembles the shape of an English or Telugu 3, while 3 is written almost like the present Nagari and Bengali 2. This is also the case with other medieval Orissan records such as the Kendupatna plates of Narasimha II (Saka 1217), the Puri plates of Bhānu II (Saka 1234) and the Polsara plates of Arkesvara (Kaliyugăbda 4248). The letter occurs in line 192.
The language of the inscription is Sanskrit. It is written in both prose and verse. The rules of sandhi often remain unobserved even in verses. There are a few cases of sandhi where a sibilant has been preferred to a visarga (cf. surais=saha in line 135). Often the last consonants of the vargas have been changed to anusvāra in sandhi. The reduplication of some consonants after r is found occasionally (cf. both rua and roua in line 138). Final m has in all cases been changed to anusvāra at the end of the second and fourth feet of verses.
The inscription is dated in the saka year 1225 and in the Anka year 31 corresponding to the 25th regnal year (omitting, according to rule, the first, sixth, sixteenth, twentieth, twentysixth and thirtieth years) of the Ganga king Narasimha II (circa Saka 1200-27, i.e. 1278-1305 A. D.). The actual date was Mēsha (i. e. Vaibakha)-badi 6, Tuesday. The date is irregular. If the Saka year is taken as current, Vaisakha-badi 6 would fall on Wednesday, the 24th April 1302 A.D., but, if it was an expired year, the date would fall on Monday, the 8th April 1303 A.D.
The introductory portion of the charter sonsists of 105 verses with a number of stray names between verses 6 and 7. This part is also found, with slight variations, in the other records of king Narasimha II who issued the charter under discussion. It has been shown that the later monarchs of the Imperial Ganga family copied the introductory part of the records of their predecessors and added to it a few verses about their own reigns composed by their court poets. Thus, of the introductory portion of the charters of Narasimha II, the earlier part down to verse 79 is also found in the Nagari plates of Anangabhima III, great-grandfather of Narasimha II. It has been fully discussed above and need not be dealt with here. Verse 80 of our record says that king Anangabhima III died after & reign of 34 years. According to the Anka reckoning, adopted by the later rulers of the Imperial Ganga dynasty, 34 Anka years would correspond to 28 actual years, The king is usually believed to have ascended the throne in Saka 1133 (1211-12 A.D.) and ended his rule in circa Saka 1160 (1238-39 A. D.). Verse 81 introduces king Narasimha I, son of Anangabhima III from the queen Kasturädēvi. Verse 84 says that, as a result of the exploite of Narasimha I, the waters of the river Gangā became as black as that of the Yamunā owing to the collyrium in the eyes of the Javana or Yavana women of Rādha and Varēndra being washed by their tears and mixed into the waters. This refers to the success of the Ganga king against the Muhammadans of Bengal. According to the Tabagāt-i-Nasirit of Minhāj-uddin Siraji, the Rai of Jājnagar (i.e. the Ganga king of Orissa) commenced molesting the Lakhanavati territory (i.e. the Muslim
1 Ibid., pp. 236-37. . Cf. ibid., p. 64. • Ibid., PP. 240 ff. • Boe Reverty's translation, Vol. 1. pp. 736-40, 783 : JABB, 1908, PP. 266-67.
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