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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. IX.
the Bhagavata and other works. There are numerous legends abont it, one of the most picturesque assigning the origin of the Son and Narmada to two tears dropped by Brahmâ, one on either side of the Amarkantak range. Its waters possess great sanctity, the performance of sandhya on its banks ensuring absolution and the attainment of heaven even to the slayer of a Brahman. This must therefore be the river, the third in India, as recorded by Arrian, whence Bhimasena issued his charter, and not another Son flowing in the south of the Bilaspur district, falling into the Borai which joins the Mahanadi. As for Dôndâ and Vaṭapallika, the latter of which must be looked for in a form such as Baḍapali or Barapali, there are so many places in Chhattisgarh bearing these names that it is difficult to say which particular ones were meant. The nearest Donda or Dupda, as we now find it, is one situated 25 miles west of Arang, where the plate was found, and the nearest Barapâlî is 30 miles east of Arang and about 50 miles east of Dunda. It is included in the present Kauḍiâ Zamindârî on the other side of the Mahanadi. It would then appear that Årang also was in those days included in the Dôndâ district, and the donees, if they were residents of Arang, lived half-way between the headquarters of the district and the village granted to them.
TEXT.'
Seal.
Śri-mahârâja-Bhimasênasya. First Side.
1 Oms svasti [*] Suvarppanadyaḥ [sa]rvvat-sadrajarshi-tulya-kula-prabhava-kirttaḥ éri-maharaja-Sürasya prapeuteab praji
2 dayitasya sri-[ma]hârâja-Dayitasya pautraḥ prapata-sâmantasy-ârâti-vibhishapasya
6-maharja-Vibhisha
3 pasya putraḥ sakti-siddhi-sampannô
dharmma-vijayf
nyây-ôpârjjit-ânêka-ratna
gb-bh-suvara-hirngy-ádi-pendab ri
4 maharaja-Bhimasenaḥ tasya putraḥ ta[ch-chari] t-ânukâri sadbhir-mmahadbhis=ch= Addhyushitaadab l-maharija-Dayitavamma
5 tasya pu[tra]h tat-påd-ânuddhyâtô-tya [nta]-dêva-guru-brâhmana-bhaktaḥ śri-mahârâjaBhimasenaḥ kusali Dônḍa
6 vaishayika-Vajapallikäysm (bekhmaydin-pes]tiviainab [kufalam-uktvå samájïápayaty-êsha gråmô mayâ
7 bhadra-bhôgên-aiva
pasya-bhivriddhayd Dhara và
mâtâpitror-âtmanas-cha sagtrabbyk Bahvricha-Harisrâmi-Bappasrimibbym
8 pratyayavin-mah&pralaya-k&[1-4]vastha[py-8]graháró
dattas-tad-bhavadbhir=
anayor-ajña-sravana-vidhêyair-bhûtvå samuchita
9 m-dys savarppa-hirapy-bdi-pratyly-bpanayab karttaryab [11] Ja-ch- [ks]schid abbaya loka-nirapêkshaḥ san-dasa
1 See article on Son in the new Imperial Gazetteer.
2 From the original plate.
[I read parvea-.-S. K.]
Read -méva [or -méya- as in 1. 15 of the Broach copper-plate of Sachgamasimha (J. Bo. B. R. A. S. Vol. XX. p. 214, text-line 3.)-S. K.]
Expressed by a symbol.
Read #ch-ádhyushita".
