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336
AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
The readings, however, as offered by Dr. Barua are not free from controversy.
A small inscription* found in the Tiger cave, on the Udayagiri, records that the cave was got excavated by Subhūti, who was holding the position of a 'Nagara. akhadamasa' or City Magistrate. In all probability, Nagara-akhada masa is the same official designation as Nagala-viyohālaka or Mahāmātā-Nāgalaka in the First Separate Rock Edict of Asoka Maurya or the Nāgarikamahāmātra of the Arthaśāstra of Kautilya.!
Another brief inscription found in the Jambeśvara cave on the Udayagiri records its excavation by Nākīya, wife of Mahāmada. Dr. B. M. Baruasuggests that this Mahāmada was the same official designation as the Pali Mahāmatta or the Sanskrit Mahāmātra. But Prof. Luders, as well as Prof. R. D. Banerji, took Mahämada to be the personal name of a man whose wife Näkī or Nākiya dedicated the cave in question. The latter interpretation appears to be nearer the truth. Because were Nākiya the wife of a Mahāmātra, then like the inscription in the Tiger cave, the name of the husband would have been mentioned in the inscription along with his official desig. nation. Hence Mahāmada my be taken to be the personal name of the husband of Nākiya.
A third brief inscription appears in the Parrot Cave No. II, on the Khaņdagiri. It states that the cave was got excavated by Kusuma of Pāda mūlika." Prof. R. D. Banerji has explained the word 'Pādamūlika' as signifying
Original: "Nagara-akhadamasa sabhūtino lenam". 1. Book II, Ch. 36; Bk. IV, Ch. 6. 2. Original : "Mahamadasa vāriyāya nākiyası lenam". 3. OBI, p. 257. 4. Original: "Püdamülikasa kusumasa lewam," 5. E.I., Vol. XIII,
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