Epigraphia Indica Vol 08

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

Page 45

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. VIII.
(V. 4.) There was a high family of twice-born, the circle of whose virtues, resembling the moon's rays, was (ever) expanding; in which the sons of Hariti trod the path of the three Vedas, (and) which had sprung from the gôtra of Månavya, the foremost of Rishis.
(V.5.) Where the hair was wet from being constantly sprinkled with the holy water of the purificatory rites of manifold sacrifices; which well knew how to dive into the sacred lore, kindled the fire and drank the Sôma according to precept.
(V. 6.) Where the interiors of the houses loudly resounded with the sixfold subjects of study: preceded by the word om; which promoted the increase of ample châturmásya sacrifices, burnt-offerings, oblations, animal sacrifices, new- and full-moon and traddha rites.
(V. 7.) Where the dwellings were ever resorted to by guests (and) the regular rites not wanting in the three libations; (and) where on & spot near the house there grew one tres with blooming Kadamba flowers.
(V. 8.) Then, as the family) tended this tree, so there came about that sameness of name with it of (these) Brâhman fellow-students, currently (accepted) as distinguishing them.*
(V. 9.) In the Kadamba family thus arisen there was an illustrious chief of the twiceborn named Mayûraśarman, adorned with sacred knowledge, good disposition, purity and the rest.
(V. 10.) With his preceptor Virasarman he went to the city of the Pallava lords, and, eager to study the whole sacred lore, quickly entered the ghatiká as & mendicant.
(Vv. ll and 12.) There, enraged by a fierce quarrel with a Pallava horseman (he reflected): Alas, that in this Kali-age the Brahmans should be so much feebler than the Kshatriyas ! For, if to one, who has duly served his preceptor's family and earnestly studied bis branch of the Vêda, the perfection in holiness' depends on a king, what can there be more painful than this ?' And 80
(V. 13.) With the hand dexterous in grasping the kusa-grass, the fuel, the stones, the ladle, the melted butter and the oblation-vessel, he unsheathed a flaming sword, eager to conquer the earth.
(V. 14.) Having swiftly defeated in battle the frontier-guards of the Pallava lords, he occupied the inaccessible forest stretching to the gates of Sriparvata.
1 Compare Ind. Ant. Vol. VI. p. 29, line 5 of the text : gwn-dubhir aydpya jagatasamastan.
9 In the fourteen Kadamba copper-plate inscriptions enumerated under Nos. 602-614 of my Southern List, to which may now be added the Beppur plates in Rp. Carn. Vol. V. Part I. p. 594, the two epithets Monaryasagótra and Heritl-putra are six times applied to the Kadambas generally, and four times to individual Kadamba kings; in one case (No. 618) Máradya-sa g6tra slone is applied to a king. The word trydrolavartman of the text, which with Haritt-putra forma a Bahu vrihi compound, I take to be practically equivalent to srddhyd ya. charcha para (-charchika, etc.) in the terms pratiksita-rpádkydya.charchd pdra, etc., of the plates; see above, Vol. VI. p. 15, note 3. None of the terms mentioned here occur in my No. 602, the only plates which are earlier than the present inscription.
II.e. the sir Védángas.
• The simple meaning of the verse is that the members of the family, as they tended the Kadamba tree, came to be currently called by the specific name Kadamba.' I take the word sdnámya-sd dharmyam of the text to be a Karmadharaya, pot & Dvandva compound; it literally means & sameness of property which appears as sameness of name' (sdnamya-répań sddharyam).
1.. Kafi chipura.
I.e. a particular establishment for holy and learned men, probably founded by a king; see my introductory remarks, above, p. 26.
The word tarkuka is given in H&machandra's Abhidh dnachintamani, v. 888, A & synonym of ydchaka, etc., and is explained by yachaka in a gloss on Réjatara ngint, III. 254.
• The attainment of holiness was obstructed by the rage caused by the Pallava king's horseman.