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No. 12.]
TWO INSCRIPTIONS OF KRISHNARAYA.
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chiefs could not agree upon the selection of a successor. Křishnaraya resolved to make use of this state of things, and to acquire for himself the kingdom. To accomplish his designs, he sent & wily and unscrupulous Bråbman to Kondavidu. This Brahman was directed to set up and consecrate a new image in the temple of Gopinathasvâmin at the foot of the fort, and to invite the seventy-two chiefs to the celebration of these rites. They descended from their bill-fortress and were all seated in the great hall. From thence one by one the priest led them to the inner shrine to view the new image. As they stepped into the inner hall, and bowed at the threshold, two ruffians, who were concealed in the chamber, stepped forward, and before the victim had time to raise a cry, precipitated him into a deep well whose mouth it was impossible to discover amid the surrounding gloom. When all had thus found their death, Křishnaraya had no difficulty in seizing the fort. In a Telugu chronicle extracted by Mr. Sewell the name of the wicked Bråhman is given as Råmayya Bhaskarudu. It is hardly necessary to point out that the story, as it stands, is incompatible with the historical facts. Whether it is purely fictitious or based on events which occurred at a different time, cannot be decided at present. At any rate it shows once more that local traditions and local chronicles, by themselves, have no historical value, even when they refer to events of comparatively modern times.
The date of the capture of Kondavida is given several times, expressed in words, letters and figures. It took place on Saturday, the Hariv&sars of the bright half of the month Åghadha in the Saka year 1437. For Saka-Samvat 1437 expired, this corresponds to Saturday, the 23rd June, A.D. 1515, when the twelfth tithi of the bright half of Ashâdha ended 3 h. 24 m. after mean sunrise.
Vv. 16-19 give a short genealogy of the two ministers Appa and Gôps. They were the Bone of the minister Timma, who belonged to a family from Nadindia and to the gótra of Kausika, and his wife Krishnamba or Krishnamâmb& who was the sister of S&ļva-Timma, as appears from vv. 19 and 28, where Apps and Gôpa are called SAļva-Timma's sister's sons (bhaginya). Later on, however, in v. 30 Gôps is incidentally spoken of as his son-in-law (jámátrs), and in v. 27 as his younger son-in-law (jamdtary=avard), which term, if used in its strict sense, would imply that both brothers were married to daughters of S&ļva-Timma, their cousins. Of the following verses, vv. 20-23 are in praise of Nadiņdla-Appa, vv. 24-28 are glorifying Nadiņdla-Gôpa, and vv. 29-34 give a description of the latter's pious gifts. With v. 35 the text returns to Nadiņdla-Appa, the list of whose donations fills vv. 36-59. Of
Sketch of the Dynasties of Southern India, p. 48.
. Of course, this does not exclude that some of their statements may be correct. The account of the Telugu chronicle, for instance, is partly confirmed by the inscriptions and the Portuguese chronicle.
. For details I refer to the translation.
My thanks for the calculation of this and the following dates are due to Prof. Kielhorn who has also favoured me with the following additional remarks regarding the term Harindsara. According to Molesworth's Marathi Dictionary, Hariodsara is a term for the first quarter of the 12th lunar day, and a common term for the 12th lunar days of the light fortnight of the months Åsbadha, Bhadrapada, and Karttika, upon which, respectively, cecur the sakahatras Anorddha, Sravans, and Bevati. In accordance with the latter meaning we find ag. in two Bombay Panchanges for Saks 1789 and 1814 Harirdsara written opposite to Ashddha-bukla-paksha 12, with, in either case, the Anuradhd-rakshatra, but not in a Bombay Pañoldiga for Saka 1812, where the makahatra on dalddha-bukla-pakana 12 was Visakb. That in the inscription also Harindsara is used with the same meaning, is proved by the fact that on the day in question the moon was in the sakshatra Anuradba by the equal-space system and sccording to Garga for 1 h. 58 m. after wean sunrise With regard to the origin of the name, it may be pointed out here that the 12th tithi of the bright half of Åsbadba was considered to be pre-eminently auspicious for the worship of Visbņu. The Dharmaaindhu says Arddha-fukla-doddalydís Vamasa-pájanina naramddhaphalam. It is therefore also called Vaishnava-dithi (Ind. Ant. Vol. XXVI. p. 883, No. 17) and described as mahdtilki (ibid. Vol. XIIL p. 181, Plate IV. A, L. 16). Harinduara must not be confounded with Hariding which, according to Molesworth, is simply term for the elddalt or 11th day of the waxing or waning moon, and in this sense occurs 6.g. in Inscriptions in the Mysore District, Part I. p. 68 (Hariredind).
. On Nadi dia, the modern NAdendis, see below, p. 116 and vote 4. • Here called ancaya.
