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INSCRIPTION FROM RANOD.
351
when it was overwhelming (him), having fought on foot, when there was no room left for (his) battle-horn, he mounted an elephant, and there was pierced and died.
(L. 5) — Having heard that, Ereyapa was pleased; and, having bound on Iruga the fillet called Nagattara-vaṭṭa," he gave him the Kalnâd district, secured by (this) charter, (consisting of) the Bempar Twelve (villages)."
(L. 6) They are as follows:-Bempuru and Tovagûru, Pâvina-Pullamu..ngala, Katanidu-Nallara, Nalluru-Komarangunta, Iggaláru, Dugmonelmalli and Galan. javägilu, Sarahva, Elkuppe, Paravara, (and) Kidal.
(L. 15)-This much, with (a specification of) the boundaries of the fields, gave Ereyapa to (his) follower, the Nagara." (May there be) felicity and great good for tune!
XLI.-A STONE INSCRIPTION FROM RANOD (NAROD).
BY PROFESSOR F. KIELHORN, PH. D., C.I.E., GÖTTINGEN.
In my account of the Bilbari inscription of the rulers of Chedi, ante, pages 253 and 267, I had occasion to mention an inscription at Ranod, published in the Jour. As. Soc. Beng., vol. XVI, pages 1080-88, which, I said, might, when properly edited, serve to elucidate certain passages of the Bilhari inscription, and which, I hoped, would also otherwise prove of historical value. I now have to state that, in the midst of the last hot season, Dr. Führer proceeded to Ranod, and, under considerable difficulties, took two impressions of the inscription thus referred to, which have rendered the preparation of a trustworthy text of it an easy task. Unfortunately, the importance of the inscription has not turned out to be at all proportionate to the trouble which Dr. Führer has taken about it; but my thanks to him are none the less sincere.
Ranod, or, as it is more commonly called in the neighbourhood, Narod (Narvad), is described as an old, decayed town of some size, in the state of Gwalior, about half way between Jhansi and Guna, and 45 miles due south of Narwar, Indian Atlas, quartersheet No. 51, S.E., Long. 77° 56′ E., Lat. 25° 5' N. The most remarkable building of the place is reported to be an old Hindu palace, of the main part of which a photozincograph is given in Sir A. Cunningham's Archeol. Surv. of India, vol. II, Plate lxxxv. In front of it is an open cloister, with suites of rooms at each end, which form three sides of a court-yard; and outside the court-yard is a deep square tank with steps leading down to the water's edge, while close by there is a second tank. Judging from the contents of the inscription, I have no doubt that the building thus described by Sir
14 lit. ' on its swelling, or becoming very numerous.'
1 lit. on the road.'
16 See note 9, above.
17 Compare the mume-perjerepu-patta, which, with the title of Tribhavanachari, Vikramaditya II. presented to the architect of his temple at Pattadakal; see Ind. Ant. vol. X, p. 164.
The absence of any copulative suffix with the word kaladd, prevents our translating "the Bempâr Twelve and the Kalnad district ;" and shewn that the Kalnad district consisted of the Bempår Twelve.
19 This is the only expression in the whole record, the meaning of which has remained at all doubtful. Savuchara, or more properly savuchara, must be a corruption of the Sanskrit sahachara, 'a companion, a follower. Aud sdgarange is I should think, a mistake for nagattarange, 'to the Nagattara."
