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 454

No. 60]
BRITISH MUSEUM PLATES OF GOVINDA III, SAKA 726
329
So it has to be understood in the sense of' in front of' or' opposite to'. The whole sentence appears to mean that there was a sort of a game-sanctuary located on the opposite side of Rāmēśvaratirtha (i.e. on the other side of the river) where boars were grazed and preserved for hunting purposes. Thus the words modalol and bandalli do not support the view that the king had visited the same place on two occasions, as supposed by Fleet. But this does not preclude the possibility of an earlier invasion of the Pallava capital by Govinda III. The fact that the king was on his march in order to levy tribute from the Pallava king may possibly suggest that the latter had failed to pay the tribute levied on a previous occasion. This view may gain support from the statement, that from Sribhavana, Govinda III went to the banks of Tungabhadra with his forces and captured the fortune of the Pallavas, though it was already in his hands."
The object of the inscription (lines 11-12) is to register the renewal of a grant, by the king, to the priest (gorava) Šivadhari. It is stated that the former grant was made by Kirtivarmarāja-paramēśvara who was most probably Kirtivarman II (744-45-757), the last imperial Chalukya ruler of Bādāmi. The meaning of the expression mudumbeyaman untu used in this connection is not clear but it appears to refer to the name of a locality or to the former privileges attached to the grant which was renewed by Govinda III.
Thus lines 7-12 of the inscription may be rendered as: "When (Govinda III) was on his march, in order to levy tribute, against Dantiga who was ruling over Kañchi, and when he had fixed his encampments on the bank of the river Tungabhadra, and when he had come to spear the boars that had been grazed and preserved (for his sport) on the opposite side of the tirtha called Rāmēsvara (i.c. on the other side of the river), seeing the beauty of the tirtha, he (i.e. the king) gave to the priest named Sivadhari the grant of Mudumbeyam which was (formerly) given by Kirtivarmaraja-parameśvara." Lines 13-17 contain the imprecatory portion and a sentence in lines 17-18 refers to a stream called Kunda or Kundu as lying on the boundary of the gift land. This is followed in lines 18-19 by the mention of Mahasandhivigrahin Sridhara as the writer of the grant. This officer is not known from the other grants of Govinda III.
The chronoglogy of the campaigns of Rashtrakuta Govinda III has been discussed by many scholars. As pointed out by Prof. Mirashi, the copper-plate charters of Govinda III fall into two groups. The first one gives the draft of the introductory part which mostly follows that of the earlier charters of the Rashtrakuta family. To this group belong the Paithan plates (Šaka 716), Añjanavati plates (Saka 722) and the Jharika grant (Saka 725). To the second group, which gives a new draft describing the victories of Govinda III, belong all his other charters including the Manne plates (first set) of Saka 724 and the Badaneguppe plates of Saka 730 which were issued by the king's brother Stambha. Prof. Mirashi has tried to show that all the important victories of Govinda III (including the submission of Dharmapala and Chakrayudha) were attained before
1 It may, however, be pointed out that though Fleet seems to have rectified this mistake later (Bom. Gaz., Vol. I, Part ii, p. 397; above, Vol. XXXII, p. 159 and note 5), other scholars have followed it. Cf. above, Vol. XXIII, p. 216 and note 7.
Cf. above, Vol. VI, p. 244, verse 18: sva-kara-sthitam-api punar-niséeshamakrishṭavän...... Pallavǎnām ériyam. Cf. also, above, Vol. XXIII, p. 216 and K.V.8. Aiyar, Three Lectures, p. 82.
* Fleet takes Paramesvara as the name of the god to whom Kirtivarman made the grant previously. But it seems better to take it as an epithet of Kirtivarmaraja.
For other meanings suggested by Fleet, see Ind. Ant., Vol. XI, p. 127 and note 20.
s Above, Vol. III, pp. 103 ff.
Ibid., Vol. XXIII, pp. 8 ff.
'Ibid., Vol. XXXII, pp. 157 ff. Ep. Carn., Vol. IX, N1. 61. Mys. Arch. Rep., 1927, pp. 112 ff.