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No. 4]
TWO INSCRIPTIONS FROM NAGARJUNIKONDA
It is well known that all the ladies of the royal household of the Ikshvaku family had leanings towards the Buddhist faith. But Chantamula I, who performed a number of Vedic sacrifices, was apparently not a Buddhist while the religious persuasion of his son Virapurushadatta and grandson Chantamula II is unknown. The suggestion that they were followers of the Brahmanical faith is possibly supported by the present epigraph recording the construction of a temple for the god Siva by a son of Chantamula II. This is the first direct proof of the Saivite leanings of the Ikshvaku family. Another Nagarjunikonda inscription' records the construction of a temple for Sarva (Siva) by Eliári, called a Talavara-vara (probably the same as Mahatalavara) and said to be a devotee of the god Kärttikeya, in the 11th regnal year of Ehavala Chantamula. But Eliár, no doubt a subordinate of the Ikshvāku king, does not appear to have belonged to his master's family.
The only geographical name mentioned in this record is the village of Pudokeḍam which is not identifiable.
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1 Siddham (ddham) i Namo bhagavate Mahadevasya Puppa (shpa)bhaddrasvaminaḥ [*] Mahārājasya Vasishthi-puttrasya
2 śry-E3havala- Chamtamülasya samva 10 6 gi pa 2 diva 5 [*] rājño Vāsishṭhiputrasya agnishtoRma
4
3 vajave(pe)y-āśvamedha-bahusuvarppaka-yajinaḥ naika-hirampya-koti-pradatuḥ go-ŝatasahasra-hala-satasahasra-pradātu[b]
4 ava-viryy-ärjjita-vijaya-kirtteḥ Ikshvākūņām śri-Chamtamülasya prapautrena(pa) maharajya(ja)sya Mathariputtrasya Ikshvākūnām(nam) śri-Virapurushadattasya
5 pauttrena mahārājasya
Sagara-Dilip-Ambarisha-Yudhishthira-[t]ulya-dhermoms-vijayasya
áry-Iiry-E)bavala-Charitamalasya puttresa Pushyakadtyänim mahātalavarasya Skamdagopasya naptryāḥ mahātalavarasya
7 Khaṁdahalasya duhituh Sesebamāgūruka-daubitryāḥ rajñaḥ éry-Ebavala-Chamtamlaya
8 mahishyaḥ mahādevyäḥ Kupapairyäḥ(áriyah) puttreņa mahārājakumāre[ua] mahāsenäpatină Haritipatrena Ikshväköh
9éri-Virapurushadattena mahārājasya mahādevyā gottrasya cha [v]ijaya-vaijayike ayurvvarddhane dvayor-api cha mata-putrayo[*]
Rāmasy-eva sarvva-jan-abhiramasya Ikshväkünāṁ(ņām)
1 Above, Vol. XXXIII, pp. 147 ff.
From impressions.
The double danda is followed by a slanting curved stroke.
Utara-mahatalavara-bhagineyyaḥ
O dharmma-phalam bhagavato(taḥ) Pushpabhadrasvaminaḥ devakulam karitan dhvajastamba(bha) cha pratishthipitaḥ grūmai-cha Pudokeḍarı(dam) akshaya-ni(n)vi
Read Mahadevaya Pushpabhadrasvamine.
The additional mark above the letter may be ignored or the vowel-mark may be regarded as an imperfoot siga for medial ai.
There is an unnecessary risarga sign after the letter #hfo.
| SR No. | 032588 |
| Book Title | Epigraphia Indica Vol 34 |
| 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 |