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No. 22.]
MADHUBAN PLATE OF HARSHA.
159
Begotten on Apsarôdevi, his son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the devout worshipper of the Sun, the Maharaja Adityavardhana. Begotten on Mahasénaguptâdevi, his son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the devout worshipper of the Sun, the Paramabhaṭṭaraka Maharajadhiraja Prabhakaravardhana, whosel fame crossed the four oceans; before whom other kings bowed down on account of his prowess and out of affection for him; who wielded his power for the due maintenance of the castes and orders of life, (and) who, like the sun,' relieved the distress of the people. Begotten on the queen of spotless fame Yasomati, his son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the devout worshipper of Sugata (Buddha)-like Sugata solely delighting in the welfare of others- the Paramabhaṭṭaraka Mahârájádhiraja Rajyavardhana [II], the tendrils of whose bright fame overspread the whole orb of the earth; who appropriated the glory of Dhanada, Varupa, Indra and the other guardian (deities) of the world; who gladdened the hearts of suppliants by many donations of wealth and land acquired in righteous ways, (and) who surpassed the conduct of former kings.
He in battle curbed Devagupta and all the other kings together, like vicious horses made3 to turn away from the lashes of the whip. Having uprooted his adversaries, having conquered the earth, having acted kindly towards the people, he through his trust in promises lost his life in the enemy's quarters.
(L. 7.) His younger brother, who meditates on his feet, the devout worshipper of Mahêsvara (Śiva)-like Mahêsvara taking compassion on all beings- the Paramabhaṭṭaraka Maharajádhiraja Harsha issues this command to the Mahásámantas, Mahárájas, Dauḥsádhasádhanikas, Pramátáras, Rajasthaniyas, Kumarámátyas, Uparikas, Vishayapatis, regular and irregular soldiers, servants and others, assembled at the village of Sômakuṇḍaka which belongs to the Kuṇḍadhani vishaya in the Śrâvasti bhukti, and to the resident people :
(L. 10.) Be it known to you! Having ascertained that this village of Sômakuṇḍaka was held by the Brahman Vâmarathya on the strength of a forged charter, I therefore have broken that charter and taken. (the village) away from him, and, for the increase of the spiritual merit and fame of my father, the Paramabhaṭṭaraka Mahárájádhirája Prabhakaravardhanadeva, of my mother, the Paramabhattárika Mahadevi, the queen Yasômatidevi, and of my revered eldest brother, the Paramabhaṭṭaraka Maharajádhirája Rajyavardhanadeva, have given it, in the nature
1 Compare Gupta Insor. p. 220, lines 1 and 2 of the text.
2 The word for sun,' employed in the original on account of the preceding -pravritta-chakra, is ékachakraratha, whose chariot has only one wheel'; compare for it e.g. in the thir act of the Batnávali the verse commencing with adhodnam n-aikachakraḥ prabhavati, and Mayûra's Suryafata a, v. 59 (where the Sun says: na hi rathó yati me n-aikachakraḥ). For the idea that the sun relieves distress, compare e.g. Gupta Inscr. p. 162, text, 1. 2.
The Gerund krited of the original text is employed, in an unusual way, to convey a passive sense; 'like vicious horses (curbed) after they have been made to turn away from the lashes of the whip.' In Prakrit we do find passive Gerunds; compare e.g. bhajjiu janti (=bhanktvd ydnti), 'they run away after having been broken,' in Prof. Pischel's Materialien zur Kenntnis des Apabhramta, p. 23. For Sanskrit I can only quote, from the Daiakumáracharita, kim upakritya pratyapakritavatt bhavéyam, where the Gerund spakritya must mean 'after having been favoured.'
According to the Harshacharita, allured to confidence by false civilities on the part of the king of Gauda? see Prof. Cowell and Mr. Thomas's Translation, p. 178.
On pramátára and mahapramátára, which occurs in line 17 of the text, see Ind. Ant. Vol. XXV. p. 182, note 70; pramátri also apparently occurs in Gupta Inser. p. 216, 1. 9.
With Kundadhdntoaishayika compare Angadtyavaishayika, above, Vol. IV. p. 211, 1. 7, Vélavivaishayika, Gupta Inser. p. 216, 1. 6, Gaydvaishayika, ibid. p. 256, 1. 7 of the text,... vaishayika, ibid. p. 50, 1. 25, etc.
7 In bhuktaka the suffix ka has been added to bhukta- as noted already by Prof. Bühler, through the influence of the Prakrit without altering the meaning of bhukta (svdrthe); compare Prof. Pischel's Grammatik der Prakrit-Sprachen, § 598. In Gupta Inser. we similarly find atisrishtaka, káritaka, dattaka, pravishṭaka, pratishthapitaka, utpannaka, utpadyamánaka.
On the subject of forged copper-plates see now Dr. Fleet in Ind. Ant. Vol. XXX. p. 201 ff.
