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SECTION II.
KHẤRAVELA'S ADMINISTRATION
The soundness of administrative policy and method is a test for determining the status of a king overlord. In the opinion of Dr. B. M. Barua,' the Hāthigumphā inscription bears a clear testimony to the fact that it was a declared policy of king Kbāravela to govern his kingdom in accordance with established customs and not departing from the traditional methods of his forefathers. And, in order that his subjects might have no misgivings on this point, he did not forget to remind them of the fact that whatever he did, he did in consonance with the noble tradition of the former kings of Kalinga.?
In the very opening paragraph of the inscription, Khāravela has been represented as an increaser of the fame and prosperity of the royal house of king Chedi.3 While, in the concluding paragraph, he figures as a king who descended from a family of the dynasty of royal sage Vasu. All this goes to prove that Khāravela felt much pride in declaring his connection with the reigning dynasty of Kalinga.
It is clear from the evidence of the Hāthigumphā Inscription that Khāravela followed all the traditional
1. OBI, pp.256f.
2. Here, Dr. Barua bas quoted a few instances in support of his theory, but the readings and interpretations of the passages quoted are not acceptable by other scholars. Compare, for instance, readings offered by Dr. D. C. Sircar in Select Inss, I, No. 91, pp. 206f; Jayaswal & Banerji, EJ, XX, pp. Tif.
3. Line 1. "Chetirāja Vamga vadhanena.” 4. Line 17. "Räjasiva&u-kula vinisrito."
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