Epigraphia Indica Vol 04

Author(s): E Hultzsch
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 45

EPIGRAPHIA IN DICA.
(Vol. IV.
10 chas-tadga-rang&s=turaágå yåvat=kråmarti(nti) prithvi-talam=atula-jald nôl sa
mudra[h] samudra[h 1] yavan=Merör=anamēruprasava-sura bhayo bhanti bhågåh
subh-Aga[ho] Saurêr-[dh]ám=&stu t&vat=ksitaniyama-namad-vipra11 siddhar prasiddha[m] l1 [1011*] Damodarasya pauttrêņa sûnuna
Vra(brahmachårinah [1] nämnå Dåmodårên=aiva krita kávya-vidambana il [111] 3 Balen=Âjita-panttrêņa sphuţa Vatsasys sûnung [1] Yasôbhaténa *pûrvadyam=
atkir na 12 vikat-Akshara Il [1218] Samvatsara-satëshu saptasu(sv=) ashtadas
niko (hu) Magrargazkirsna-guddha-pañohami pratishtha Vaand vasya [11] Namaḥ Purusotamayaḥ? 11
No. 4.- PITHAPURAM PILLAR INSCRIPTION OF PRITHVISVARA;
SAKA-SAMVAT 1108.
By E. HULTZBCH, PH.D. Pithapuram, the residence of a Zamindar in the Godavari district, contains a Vaishņa va temple, named Kunti-Madhave. At the eastern entrance of this temple, in front of the shrine itself, stands a quadrangular stone pillar which bears four inscriptions of different dates. The three first of these are specially interesting on account of their references to the Eastern Chalukya dynasty. In his Lists of Antiquities (Vol. I. p. 24), Mr. Sewell has briefly noticed these three inscriptions; and Dr. Fleet has given occasional extracts from them according to a written copy which had been prepared for the late Sir Walter Elliot.8
The earliest of the four inscriptions is engraved on the whole of the west face and on the upper portion of the south face of the Pithápuram pillar. It is in a state of fair preservation almost throughout. The alphabet is Telugu. As in other inscriptions from the Telugu country, no perceptible difference is maintained between the secondary forms of i and ; th is rarely distinguished from dh; and consonants are frequently doubled after an anusvdra. The languages of the inscription are Sanskrit and Telugu. It opens with 66 Sanskrit verses, interrupted by two short clauses in Sanskřit prose (lines 18 f. and 30 f.). Lines 139 ff. are in Telugu prose; lines 145 ff. in Sanskřit prose; lines 155 ff. in a mixture of Sanskrit and Telugu prose; and lines 159 ff. again in Telugu prose. The Sanskřit verses 67 to 70 are interrupted by two short sentences in Sanskrit prose (11. 164 f. and 166 f.) The whole ends with a short sentence in a mixture of Telugu and Sanskrit prose (1. 168 f.) and a three-fold repetition of the auspicious monosyllable fri.
This reading is quite clear in the original. I would translate : 80 long as the enclosed sens with their unequalled water do not sweep over the surface of the earth.'
• Metre of verses 11 and 12: S10ka (Anushtabh).
3 Originally bdlenojita- was engraved; but in the third akahara (6) the superscript line, which turned into 6, appears to have been struck out again.
4 Compare Dr. Floet's Gupta Inoriptions, p. 84, line 2; the last line of the Jhålr&patan inscription, Ind. Ant. Vol. V. p. 180, where the original also has pürood; Ind. Ant. Vol. IX. p. 180, v. 88; and Vol. XV. p. 203, v. 28.
Her again, this sign of punctuation is followed by two dota like the sign of risarga, 6 Read-panchamd or -panchamydi. 7 Read Purushottamdya.
. Ind. Ant. Vol. XIX. p. 427, and Vol. XX. passim.