Epigraphia Indica Vol 34

SR No.: 032588
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sircar
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1961
Total Pages: 384
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

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No. 20] NOTE ON NESÅRIKA GRANT OF GOVINDA III, SAKA 727
Vorses 21-24 of the Nēsarika grant read as follows: Pandya-des-ūdhipān=matsyam vrishabham Pallavēsvarā[t l*] Chcho(Cho) lād=vyāghraṁ gajam Gargāch=chāpa-yashi cha Keralace ||* Andhra-Chalukya-Mauryēbhyo vā(va)rāhan Gürya(rja)rēsvaräst 1*] tpha(pha)lakan pra(prā)tipa[d*]-dhāryam urishabham Pallavēsvarā[ 11*] Kko(KO)sal-Avanti-nāthābhyam(bhyām) Simhalād=api nāma[kam(kam 1)] [7]ārā[ *n*] bhagavatin(tim) khyātāṁ Dharmād=Vangāla-bhumipāt 11 Ithya(ttha)m=ētāny=ath=ānyāni chihnany=ādāyn bhübhujām jām ) Garud-ārkām(ko) Jaga[[*]tumgð vyadhatta sakalan jagat (II*]
The passage vpishabhara Pallavēsvarāt may have been repeated unnecessarily, although it is possible that the defeat of two different Pallava rulers or of the same king on two different occasions is referred to. It may be noted that the Pallava king is mentioned twice elsewhere in verses 7 and 18.
It is stated in these stanzas that Govinda III carried away the following chihnas or insignia of his enemies : (1) the fish from the Pāņdya king (2) the bull from the Pallava king ; (3) the tiger from the Chola king ; (4) the elephant from the Western] Ganga king ; (5) the bow from the Kerala king ; (6-8) the boar from the Andhra (Eastern Chalukya), Chalukya and Maurya kings; (9) phalaka or board bearing [the figures of the pratipad or kettle-drum and the härya or snake from the Gurjara king : (10) the bull from the Pallava king ; (11-13) the nāmaka (i.e. the names of the individual rulers) from the Kösala, Avanti and Simhala kings; and (14) the celebrated goddess Tärä from Dharma, the king of Vangāla.
There are several interesting features of this list. In the first place, the banners of the kings of Kõsala, Avanti and Simbala appear to have borne the names of the rulers in question. Secondly, the fish and the tiger are found on the seals respectively of the Pūņdyas and the Chõļas, though they appear along with other symbols and it is uncertain whether the chvajas of the Pandyas and Choļas represented only the fish or tiger with the exclusion of the associate symbols on the seal. Thirdly, although the seal of the Pālas of Bengal and Bihar bore the representation of the Dharma-chakra and has been referred to in their records as the Dharmachakra-mudrā, we find from the ingcription under study that the dhvaja of king Dharma, i.e. Dharmapala, bore the figure of the goddess Tārā. Of course, as indicated above, it is difficult to say whether the figure of the goddess was fixed to the top of a pole or was painted on the flag cloth. But the idea that not the ensign but merely an image was carried away by Govinda III from Dharmapāla is unwarranted. Lastly, verse 4 of the Sāgartäl (Gwalior) inscription of Bhöja represents the Pratihāra family as Pratihära-kitana-bhrit (i.e. having the banner bearing the figure of the Pratihära, probably meaning Lakshmana, the door-keeper of Rāma), and, if it is believed that the same emblem was referred to in our record, we have to correct the passage in question as phalakan pratihar-arkam. Since, however, such an emendation would look rather arbitrary and a royal family could have more than one emblem for their banners, it is difficult to be sure on this point. The claim of the Rashtrakūta king to have defeated the kings mentioned and carried away their respective banners may be exaggerated. But his court poet, who composed the above verses of the prasasti, seems to have possessed accurate knowledge as regards the dhvajas of the different rulers.
There are some other suggestions in Mr. Gupta's paper, with which we are inclined to disagree. We are not sure about the identification of Avanti and Mälava, which he has taken for granted. In the 7th century A. D., Hiuen-tsang and Bāna-bhatta made a clear distinotion between Avanti and Mālava. According to the former, the kingdom of Wu-she-yen-na or Ujjayin (i.e. the capital