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No. 18.]
SRAVANA-BELGOLA EPITAPH OF MARASIMHA II.
179
the great lustre of moonlight for the water-lily that is the Ganga family, standing up very high on the surface of the whole earth; (who had the appellation of) Satyavákya-Konguņivarman, the pious Mahardjddhiraja ; who became known as "the king of the Gurjaras," by conquering the northern region for Krishnaraja (III.); who displayed prowess in destroying the pride of the mighty Alla who set himself in opposition to Vanagajamalla-(Krishna III); who by (his) might preserved the throne and all the other insignia of royalty for Glandamårtanda(Kfishņa III.); who dispersed the bands of the .......... Kiratas who dwell on the skirts of the forests of the Vindhya mountains; who by the strength of (his) arm (protected] the encampment of the emperor, when it was located at the city of) Mânyakhêţa; who by (his) prowess [accomplished] the festival of the binding on of the fillet (of sovereignty) of the glorious Indraraja (IV.); who by ............. ... prevailed against .................. of Vajjala who was (ever) prepared for war; who came to be greatly extolled for capturing the ............ and the jewelled earrings and the rutting elephants and all the other possessions of the lord of the Vanavâsi country who bowed down in fear; who made those who belonged to the Mâțura lineage do obeisance (to him); who destroyed in war all the kings of the Nolambas who misconducted themselves through self-conceit in consequence of the arrogance of the strength of arm of hundreds of princes and the pride of troops of elephants; who eradicated the thorn-like troubles of (his) kingdom; who ground to powder the hill-fort of Uchchangi; who destroyed the leader of the Sabaras named Naraga; who by (his) prowess made the Chêras, the Cholas, the Pandyas, and the Pallavas to bow down (before him); who preserved the doctrine of Jina; who .... the great banner ....; who [acquired the means for making] great gifts by appropriating the wealth of powerful hostile kings; (and) who protected the surface of the (whole) earth by building bridges and ............,-travel abroad throughout all countries to the end of time, as long as the moon and stars shall endure ! Om ! Om! Om !
Lines 28 to 47 mention the person who is the subject of enlogy as the crest-jewel of the Gangas, the Ganga king, Nolamb,Antaka, and Marasimha, and speak of victories over the Pallavas. And then the record continues ]
(L. 50) - H.e, the glorious crest-jewel of the Gangas, became a very forest-fire for (the destruction of the lion Rajaditya, the crest-jewel of the Châļukyas, who in these words! had made a brave declaration of war. When the world as wasting away with a feverish apprehension that Madhu and Kaitabha and other leaders of the demons, slain by the god Vishnu) the foe of the demon) Mura, had thus risen Again, (old) foes in (fresh) illusory disguises, he, Nolamb-Antaka, made the whole circuit of the earth happy with the .... ... (lamentations] of the demon-like Narage, which intermingled with the tears of joy of the earth.
[Lines 56 to 83 contain a further description of the prowess and conquests of the same person, who is mentioned again as the crest-jewel of the Gangas in line 74. But no connected passages can be made out here. The record then continues] -
(L. 84)- Shall I praise the valiance which pat to flight and conquered Alla, who was possessed of strength that was too great to be realised ? ; shall I praise the magnificence which brought shame to Vajjala, who was famous in the world ?; shall I praise the bravery which atterly slew the ........ of the Pallava kings P: say, how shall I praise him, the lintel of firmness of character P; I know not how! Glorious was the array of him
* Referring to an illegible passage in lines 48, 49.
Mr. Rice has in his text given offaje, which means 'a heap, mass, company, abundance, a row,' but in his translation has given tribute,' for which the proper Kauarese word is offaja. The actual reading is offaji wbich is probably to be taken as a variant of otfaje.
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