Epigraphia Indica Vol 01

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 68

RATNAPUR INSCRIPTION OF PRITHVIDEVA.
45 (V. 20.)-Having reflected that the life of man is unsteady like a tuft of grass which moves when struck by the wind, and that fortune is fickle, he, the wise, set his mind on religion.
(V. 21.)-Possessed of intelligence, he caused to be built at the town of Mallala a charming temple of the god Kedara, resplendent like the accumulation of his own fame.
(V. 22.)-Having first embraced the earth, which derived pleasure from the close embrace of his heavy thighs, the surrounding sky, having as it were the heart filled with love, void of bashfulness within sight of the beautiful damsels of the city of the gods eagerly kisses, as if it were the face of Fortune, this (temple) fit to be embraced on all sides by the encircling banner-like arms of the women of the regions.
(Verses 23 and 24.)-This pleasing eulogy has been composed by the son of Mame, the intelligent Ratnasimha, who knows the established truths of the doctrines of Kaśyapa and of AkshapAda, (and is) a lion to opponent disputants; who owes his elevation, as a tree with wide-spread branches does its growth to showers from clouds, to the lotus-feet of the illustrious Raghava; (and who is) to the Vastavya race (what) the sun (is) to a group of lotuses.
(V. 25.)-This eulogy, charming like a woman who is pleasing by her good qualities, has been eagerly written by the excellent Kshatriya Kumarapala, born in the Sahasrårjuna race.
(V. 26.)-Engraved it has been with care by the sculptor Sampula, who has seen the opposite bank of the ocean of various mechanical arts.
The year 919.
VII.-RATNAPUR INSCRIPTION OF PRITHVIDEVA,
OF THE (VIKRAMA)YEAR 1247 (P).
BY PROF. F. KIELHORN, Ph.D., C.I.E., GÖTTINGEN, This inscription is on a black stone, which was discovered within the fort of Ratnapur in the Central Provinces,' and is now in the Nagpur Museum.
The inscription consists of 24 lines. The writing originally covered & space of about 2' 31' broad by 1' 1' high; at present, a portion of the proper left side, all the way down, and the lower right corner of the stone, are broken away, so that altogether about ninety aksharas are missing. The stone evidently was less injured when Dr. Rajendralal's rubbing was taken. What remains of the insoription is well preserved. The size of the letters is about ".-The charaoters are Devanagart.-The language is Sanskrit, and, excepting the introductory blessing and the date at the end. the inscription is in verse. The verses are numbered, and their total number is 30 They were composed by Dévagana, son of Ratnasimha; written by Kumarapala, or, 88 he is called here, Kumarapala; and engraved by Sampula (verses 26-28).-In respect of orthography we have to note the employment of the dental for the palatal sibilant in sunda, line 2, saurya, line 6, Sacht, line 10, adboats, line 18, and wikhara, line 19;
It will appear from the next inscription, that Raghava was the younger brother of Mamd, and therefore the paternal unole of Ratnasimba.
Cunningham's Arch. Bur. Reporte, Vol. VII, p. 316. It has been edited before, by Dr. Rajendral Mitrs, in the Journal 45. Soc. Bongal, Vol. XXXII, pp. 377-979, 280-987.