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AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
In this way, we find that at least by the 31st year of his life, Khāravela had already been married and probably had children too. Yet the question of the actual year of his marriage and also the lineage or family to which his Queen belonged remains a problem.?
In so far as the first point, viz., the year of Khāra vela's marriage is concerned, it may be stated that there is no specific mention of the same in the present state of the inscription. Jayaswal’ at one time suggested, in regard to the seventh year's record, that apparently be (Klāravela) got married in this year, which was the 31st year of his life. Later on, however, he changed his reading as well as interpretations. But it may be expected that, as mentioned already in connection with the education of Khäravela, that according to the Arthaśāstra, a prince could be married after the beard-shaving ceremony in his sixteenth year, that Khāravela got married sometime between his fifteenth and twenty fourth years. Further, the fact that the upbringing, education and also coronation of Khāravela has been mentioned in his inscription in perfect agreement with the ancient Treatises ; the conclusion, therefore, that he wils married before his twenty fourth year when his coronation ceremoney was perfornied and his Chief Queen also took part in that ceremony, may also be taken to be quite in keeping with ancient Treatises.
1. It should, naturally, be expected of the compositer of the Hathigumphā text, who commands the honour and appreciation of enumerating practically all notable events of Kharavela's life in a chronological order, that while he takes pleasurə in mentioning his child. hood and yuvarāja-hood in most glowing manner, he cught not to omit to mention of an importont event like the marriage of his great hero.
2. JBORS, Vol. III, Tit. IV, p. 431. 3. EI, XX, pp. 7if. 4. I, 5, 2.
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