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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
XX.-THE TWO INSCRIPTIONS OF THE VAILLABHATTASVAMIN TEMPLE
AT GWALIOR.
By E. HULTZSCH, PH.D.; BANGALORE. The two subjoined inscriptions' are engraved on a small monolithic temple, which is situated on a turn of the road leading up to the Gwalior Fort. The temple was described by General Cunningham, according to whom it is now called the Chatur. bhuja Temple. The first inscription, which is engraved over the front door of the temple, seems to have hitherto remained unnoticed. A rough transcript and translation of the second inscription, which is found inside the temple on the left wall, was published by Dr. Rajendralala Mitra. My transcripts of the two inscriptions were made from mechanical copies taken during a visit to Gwalior in 1885.
The first inscription consists of 27 Sanskrit verses and must have been composed by an ingenious pandit, who was well versed in alankára. His extravagant hyperboles will appear startling and amusing even to one accustomed to the usual kávya style. We learn from the inscription that the Vishnu temple containing it was built by a certain Alla, the son of Vâïllabhatta and grandson of Nagarabhatta, and that it was con. secrated in the year 932 (in words). Någarabhatta belonged to the Varjâra family and had immigrated from Anandapura in Latamandala, i.e. Vanagar in Gujaråt. Vailla bhatta had been chief of the boundaries (maryáda-dhurya) or margrave in the service of (king) Ramadeva (verse 7). Alla succeeded his father in office (v. 11), and was appointed to the guardianship of Gopadri, i.e. of the Gwalior Fort, by (king) Srimad-Adivarà ha (v. 22).
The second inscription is written in incorrect Sanskrit prose and dated in the year 983 (in words and figures), at Sri.Gopagiri (i.e. the Gwalior Fort) and during the reign of the parametara Bhojadeva. Alla is here directly called the guardian of the fort (kottapála) of Gopagiri. The inscription records four donations to two temples, which had been built by Alla, the son of Vaïllabhatta. The donee of the first grant was the Navadurga Temple situated beyond the Vrischikâlâ river; this is probably another name of the river Subanrikh (Suvarnarekhá ?) at Gwalior. The two donees of the three remaining grants were the same Navadurga Temple and "the Vishnu temple called Vailla bhatta-svamin, which Alla had likewise caused to be built on the descent of the road of the illustrious Bhojadeva." By this we have to understand the temple, at which both inscriptions are found. It had evidently received its name in commemoration of Vaillabhatta, the father of its founder. The four donations were made by the inhabitants of "the place" (sthána), i.e. the ancient town of Gwalior, which lies on the eastern side of the fort. They consisted of a piece of land for a flower-garden, two fields, a monthly supply of lamp-oil to be made by the guild of oil. millers, and a monthly supply of flower-garlands to be made by the guild of the gardeners,
This paper is a revised version of one which I published in the Zeitschrift der Deutsch. Murgenland. Gesellach. vol. XI, p. 26.
• Cunningham's Archäological Survey of India, vol. II, p. 356. * Ibid. p. 335. • Jour. As. doc. Bengal, vol. XXXI, p. 407.
Cuoningham's Archeol. Sur. Indie, vol. II, p.332.
