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156
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. V.
proves that at any rate they cannot have been engraved much, if at all, after A.D. 850; while the general palæographio standard of the Talakad insoription points distinctly to a time somewhat earlier than A.D. 800, as the date of the preparation of that record. It is, thus, not impossible that the person or persons who fabricated the spurious Hosûr and Nagamangala grants, had available, or hit off, true dates for him, in A.D. 762 and 776-77, or at any rate in the latter year. But it is not possible that, in A.D. 776-77, he had already been raling for fifty years, as is claimed by the Nagamangala grant;a for, the synchronisms which are established for some of his descendants, in both lines, Bhew plainly that the long life and rule, which he undoubtedly enjoyed, were made out by continuing into the ninth century A.D. The approximate limits for him will be indicated below.
There are other records of Sripurusha-Muttarasa in Mysore, at Davalapura, Varuna, PAricali. Hemmige, Bannur, 'and Holalavadi. The first four of them belong to the earlier part of his career : for, the Parigáli record styles him "the Maharaja Sripitrusha," as also, apparently, does the Devalapars stone; the Varana record calls him the Kongani Mahardia Śripurusha;" the Hemmige record describes him as “Prithivi-Kongani-Mattarasa," without any title; and the Bannûr record probably styles him "Prithu[vi-Kongaņi-Mattarasa-Stiparasha," again without any title. All of the records which contain such a reference at all, use the same technical expression of high position and authority which is used in the case of Sivamara 1. And the Holalavadi inscription marks an epoch in his career, by also giving him the para mount titles; it styles him " the Kongaņi Maharajadhiraja and Paramåtvara Sripurusha."
As far, therefore, as individual names go, the authentic history of the Western Cangas of Talakad starts with these two persons, Sivaméra I. and his son SripurushsMuttarasa. Records giving names for earlier times may, of course, be obtained hereafter ; for,
Amoghavarba I. (A.D. 814-15 to 877-78).- were then in ou, and are found in record of A.D. 866. And record of much about the same date shaws both the forms of b, mitad (loo oit. p. 163, note 1).-The old or square form of the booonrs in also one of the Sivarpatos records of Mattaras, in the word Kadabdr, line 8; and doubt. loss also in the same word in line 3 of the other Sivarpstas record, where, however, the true appearance of the original has been much spoilt by painting the stone for photography. I do not find a 8 of either form in the Sivare record. And none of the four records appears to incinde a kb. - My attention has been drawn to the fact that cursive kl appears, in the lithograph, at the end of line 13 of the Harihar grant of VinnyAditya of A.D. 694 (od. Ant. Vol. VII. p. 800). An inspeotion, however, of the photograph, which is given with the lithograph in P. 8, and 0.-C. Insors. No. 17, will show that this is only due tu sa injudicions touching up by hand of damaged'square kh; this fras done at a time when it was thought more important to publish clear and easily legible lithographs, than to produce absolutely moobanical and faithful facsimiles which an unpractised eye might find it difficalt to deal with.
1 Just as a porihly true year may have bron available, or was hit ole, for Båtnga IT., in the spurious Sadi grant (100 Page 167 below, note 2) which refers itself to his time. But calonlations show that the details of the dates cited in the Hosdr and sudi grande are not correct for the years that are quoted; and this detracts a good deal from any value that might be attributable to them.
This would place the commencement of his role in A.D. 727-98. And, as the spurious Saradhanapur grant (nee page 160 below, note 7), which cites the Sarvajit sanatsara, Saka-Barvat 729 (expired), AD. 807-808, as the third year of sivamir II., wonl: thus place the commencement of the rule of sivamir II. in A.D. 805-806, this wond give Mattaron a total rnle of seventy-eight years.
Ep. Carn. Vol. III. My. 25, 55: MI. 87: TN. 53, 113; Nj. 33.- He is apparently also mentioned M Sriparashayys in an inscription at Belavatte (ibid. My. 6). And a Mattarass in another inscription at Bannar (ibid. TX. 115), from which Mr. Rice has inferred (ibid. Totrod. paxe 8) that Banndr wan bis birth-place. This Banndr inscription mentions also the name of Broyappe, and therefore seems to be, not of Muttarnas's own time, but about a century Inter.
Prithiol.ndiyan gey, or keys; sep 154 above, note 4.
* Mr. Rice (Bp. Carn. Vol. III. Introd. pp. 8, 7) hos pinned between them Mirasiha I., whom he identifies with the alleged and unnamed son of the first SiVAT ra and father of Sripurush8-(Mottaron) who is mentioned in some of the spurious geanta (une page 154 above, t.ote ); quoting "the Salem granto his anthority for doing so. Bat there is no foundation in fact, of any kind, for this. The alleged renerntion between Sivamira I. and Srpuraba-Mattara na has now been disposed by the Vallimalel record (page 164 above).
