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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
VOL. X
The epigraph opens with 16 verses, the first 14 of which it has in common with the grants of Jayachcbandradeva published in this Journal and in the Indian Antiquary. Towards the end, the subjained inscription has 12 benedictive and imprecatory verses that are generally met with in other epigraphs. Verses 15 and 16 eulogize Harischandradeva, who "spread his unequalled fame spotless in the world" and who "eclipsed the splendour of the sun by means of the dust that was raised by the hoofs of his endless horses which pervaded the circle of the earth and gradually encompassed the sky." The formal part of the grant, from line 20 to line 27, is in prose and is worded like the corresponding parts of the other Gahadavāla grants that have already been published.
The inscription records that the Paramabhattaraka Mahārājadhiraja Paramēšvara the glorious Hariáchandradeva (the successor of the P. M. P. Jayachchandradēva), while residing at Dhanamvakra (P) (1. 24), granted, after having bathed in the Ganges at the bathing yhāt named Chyavanösvara, the village of Pamahai (1. 20) together with its outlying hamlets (pataka) to one Rāhihiyaka (?)% (1.25), son of the Thakkura Madanū of the Kaśyapa-gotra, on Sunday, the 15th tithi of the bright half of the month Pausha in [Vikrama-]Samvat 1258. The charter was written by the Mahālshapotalika, the shakkura Bhögāditya.
The seal accompanying the plate is circular and about 27" in diameter. The ring on which it is soldered is open. Owing to this circumstance the seal can be taken off or passed through the hole cut at the top for this purpose. The seal bears in relief a Garuda and a conch and between these the legend : Srimata-Harischandradētasya.
The record possesses some historical importance, for, to the list of the kings of Kananj it adds one new Dame, vis. that of Harischandra. Indeed, we knew Harischandra as the son of Jayachchandra from the latter's grants published in the Indian Antiquary (Vol. XVIII. p. 130 ff.) and the Epigraphia Indica (Vol. IV. p. 126 f.). But Harischandra as a ruling chief of Kanadj is mentioned only in the subjoined record.
The date regularly corresponds, for the Vikrams year 1253 expired (1254 current), to Sunday, the 6th January A.D. 1197, when the full-moon tithi of Pausha ended 22 b. 58 m. (approximately) after mean sunrise.
Of the localities mentioned in the record, the name of one can be read with certainty and it is Pamahai, the village that was granted. Pamahai is merely a feminine of Pamaha, as Khairai is of Khaira, Pendrai of Pendra, Burbi of Burba, and so on. It is usual to name & small village near a bigger one in the feminine as a diminutive form and such villages are usually found side by side. Under these circumstances it will not be unreasonable to suppose that Pamabai stood somewhere near Pamaha. The latter I am inclined to identify with Pohā, a village about 2 miles from the spot where the document was found. That Pamaha should dwindle to Pohi is not extraordinary, as the dropping of the nasal is not uncommon in Hindi.. The reading of the names of other localities is not certain and I am unable to identify them.
[One of the Kamauli plates, belonging to the reign of Jayachchandra (T.), dated in Vikrama-Samvat 1232, records a gift made by the king at Kasi (Benares) on the occasion of the
Above, Vol. IV. pp. 120-9.
Vol. XV. p. 10 1. and Vol. XVIII. pp. 129-43. It is also possible that the donee's name is Hibiyaks and that the syllable rá is an abbreviation of the title råruta or rüüta. In the Faizabad plate of Jayachchandra, for instance, tbe donee, who was a Brahmans of the Bhårsdvāja-gotra, his father and grandfather bore the title ráüla (Ind. Ant. Vol. XV. p. 13).
CA grant of Govindachandra found in hamlet near Machhlishuhr has been published by the late Prof. Kielhorn (above Vol. V. p. 116). It is also deposited in the Lucknow Museum. It is dated in Vikrama-Samvat 1201 corresponding to A.D. 1146. The village granted by this record is Pērõha in the Mahasya-pattala.--Ed.]
Mr. Hirulal of the Gasottoer Ofhoe, Nagpar, who has supplied tbe information regarding these names similar to our Pomahai, would identify Pamaha with Bambabs, a village in the Machhlishahr tahsil.
