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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(Vol. IV.
by emptying! water-jars (at donations made) according to precept, who found a meritorions enjoyment of life in constantly bestowing land, cows, and gold, and giving girls in marriage, - the devout worshipper of Mahogvara (Siva), the Maharaja, the glorious Vikramêndravarman, the most noble, who, in childhood already embellished with all the virtues of a king, has duly taken upon himself the whole burden of government, thus issues his commands :
(L. 19.) The village named Rêgonram, in Nat[ri P]pati on the bank of the Kțishṇabenna, in a south-eastern direction of the village of R&vireva, has been given to the Sômagirisvaranatha (temple), belonging to the holy Tryambaka (Siva), the lord of all the three worlds, whose crown of matted hair is whitened and rendered bright by the rays of the young moon. Out of respect for the king's word you should execute (this) command. Whoever obeys it, enjoys the happiness of the inhabitants of heaven with the hundred-thousand billions of divine hosts in Rudra's world.
(L. 25.) In the year 10 of the reign of victory, on the 5th (day) of the 8th fortnight of summer.
[Here follow three benedictive and imprecatory verses.]
No. 26.- GANJAM PLATES OF PRITHIVIVARMADEVA.
BY F. KIELHORN, PH.D., LL.D., C.I.E.; GÖTTINGEN. This inscription is on three copper-plates, which were received by Dr. Hultzsch from Mr. C. J. Weir, I.C.S., Collector of the Gañjam district. It is not known when and where they were originally found. The size of the plates is about 7 broad by 3".high. Each plate has a ring-hole on the proper right side, but the ring and any seal that may have been attached to it are missing. The first and third plates are inscribed on one side only. The edges of the inscribed sides are raised into rims for the protection of the writing, which in consequence is in very good preservation. The size of the letters is between 1." and ". The characters are Någari, as written in Orissa and neighbouring parts of Eastern India in perhaps the 12th or 13th century A.D." They include a final form of t, which is five times employed in lines 16 and 17. The language is incorrect Sansksit; and as the text, moreover, has been written by a very ignorant writer, it abounds in errors of every description, a few of which (in lines 6 and 12) I am unable to correct. In respect of orthography, I would merely draw attention to the promiscuons use of the sibilants, and especially to the prevalence of the palatal sibilant which probably is due to the influence of the Magadhî Prakrit. Thus, & is six times employed instead of 8 (as in tamadichats for samddisati, 1. 11) and twice instead of sh in vitaé for vishaye, 1. 8, and purusui for purushaih, 1. 33); sh twice for 6 (as in shatki for fakti, 1. 3) and three times for 8 (as in shutaḥ for sutah, 1. 8); and a three times for $(as in sasárka for safárika, 1. 1) and once for sh (in manusya for manushya, 1. 32). Excepting six benedictive and imprecatory verses in lines 23-33, the inscription is in prose. In line 8 and lines 12-14 there are indications that the text, as originally engraved, may have been tampered with.
1 I find no authority for thus translating viniryd pita, but cannot suggest any other meaning for the original passage.
Compare, e.g., the Nasik inscription of Ushayadata, who gave wives to eight Brahmanas at the holy tertha of Prabhasa ; Archeol. Survey of Western India, Vol. IV. p. 99.
It has been noticed in Mr. Sewell's Lists of Antiquities, VOL. II. p. 32, No. 214.
This is doubtful, because I bave not at hand dated inscriptious with photo-lithographs from the same part of India, to compare with.
The sign of virdma is not used in the text. • Compare my remarks on the India Office plate of Vijayarajadêva, above, Vol. III. p. 312.
