Epigraphia Indica Vol 33

SR No.: 032587
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sircar
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1959
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 29 MB

Page 426

No. 56)
TWO INSCRIPTIONS OF GUPTA AGE
307
Linos 1-8 introduce the reigning monarch, during whose rule the pillar was raised by one of his subjects. Mention is first made of Ghatotkacha, and Maharaja Samudragupta is the stated to have belonged to the former's family. Samudragupta was actusiy tale sou oi Chandragut I and the grandson of Ghatotkacha. The inscription then' mentions Vikramaditya, the son of Samudragupta, and Vikramaditya's son Mahārāja Mahēndraditya. There is no reference to the qualities or achievements of any of these rulers, and Ghatotkacha and Vikramaditya are mentioned even without the epithet Mahārāja. It may be mentioned in this connection taat the genealogy of the Guptas in the records of the family generally begins with Mahārija Gupta, father of Maharäja Ghatotkacha. But the mention of Ghatotkacha as the head of the Gupta gouealogy is found in the copper-plate grants of the Vākāțaka queen Prabhāvatiguptă, daughter of Chandragupta II Vikramāditya, which represent Ghatotkacha as the first king of the Gupta family. Another interesting feature of this part of the record under study is that Chandragupta II, son of Samudragupta, and the former's son Kumāragupta I have been mentioned in it by their titles as Vikramaditya and Mahendräditya respectively. These titles are found in the legends of some of the coins issued by these monarchs and not in the inscriptions of the family. We have also to note that the Gupta records generally mention Gupta and his son Ghatotkacha with the title Mahārāja, while Ghatotkacha's son Chandragupta I and the latter's successors are endowed with the more dignified title Mahārājādhirāja. But inaccuracy in such details is not unexpected in a private record like the one under study.'
Lines 4-8 describe the reigning monarch Skandagupta, also called a Maharaja rather inaoourately. He is stated to have been equal to the Chakravarlins: in prowess and valour, to Rāma (probably meaning Rāma, son of Dabaratha) in righteousness and to Yudhishthira in the matter of speaking the truth as well as of good conduct and modesty. These are of course vague praises which do not offer any historical information.
The next three lines (lines 10-12) introduce the person who was responsible for erecting the pillar. First is mentioned a freshthin or banker named Kaivarti-brēshthin. Kaivarti-grēshthin's son is stated to have been Hari-brēshthin whose son was Sridatta. This Sridatta seems to be described as a kutumbika, i.e. a husbandman, residing at the locality called Avadara. The language of the section may also be taken to mean that it was Kaivarti-arēshthin who was a kutum bika of Avadara. But it is doubtful whether the same person should have been called both a frēsh thin and a kutumnbika.
Next Varga is introduced as the brother of Sridatta and Chandaka as the brother of Varga. Thus Hari-śrēshthin had three sons, viz. Sridatta, Varga and Chhandaka, of whom Sridatta seems to have been the eldest and Chhandaka the youngest. It is interesting to note that, while the father and grandfather were freshthins or bankers by profession, none of the three brothers is called
freshthin. On the other hand, as already indicated above, the elder brother appears to be described as a kutumbika or husbandman while the second brother Varga is called a grāmika or village headman in the latter part of the document. This probably suggests that the cognomen was not yet stereotyped in the family.
Lines 13-15, recording the object of the inscription, state that Varga-grāmika, for the purpose of acquiring merit for himself, erected the bala-yashi which was a götra-sailikā meant for the
1 Cf. Select Inscriptions, p. 412, note 3.
See, e.g., the Mankuwar image inscription mentioning Kumăragupta I a . Maharaja (ibid., p. 288, noto 2).
• Twelve ancient imperial rulers of Indian tradition, beginning with Bharata, are specially called Cakravartins. Cf. Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, s.v:
The words breah thin and kufumbilu as found in inscriptions have been generally understood in the abovo
. Seo Liders' List, Nos. 976, atc. Nos. 24, sto. Cf. R. Fick, The Social Organisation in North-East India. Eng. trans.. pp. 256-57.