Epigraphia Indica Vol 10

Author(s): Sten Konow, V Venkayya
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 45

32
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[Vol. X.
there (for instance Mahāņaka Dāvadāsa) also figure in the tank slab. The latter also mentions certain tenants who are stated to be residents of Nārāyanapure and Tēmarā, both of which are close to Kuruspal. The subjoined inscriptions appear to be older than the Narayanpål record of Saka 1033. Both say that they were issued during the reign of Mahārājādhirāja Sõmēsvaradēva, who had of course died prior to Saka-Samvat 1033. Neither of them is dated, but on the tank slab I have read the name of the samvatsara as Saumya, which prior to ś. 1033 fell in 8. 991. It therefore appears that they were issued about the year 1069 A.D. Somośvaradova is stated to be born of the Näga race and has all the birudas attached to his name as in the Narayanpäl inscription. The subjoined records afford no new historical information, but would perhaps be of some use when finally fixing the periods of reign of the Bastar branch of Sinda kings.
As further inscriptions have been found in Kuruspal which will appear later on, it seems necessary to add here the distinguishing features of the slabs under notice. The tank slab measures 6' 10" X 2' 2' and the writing consisting of 26 lines covers 3'4" 2' 1". On the top is a linga in the middle with the sun and the moon to the left and 5 circles ic a row to the right, probably representing the remaining 5 planets which give their names to the week days and indicating that the grant is to last as long as they endure. At the bottom are engraved a cow, a dagger and shield and a donkey Associating with a pig which is an obscene imprecation explained in the text.
The fragmentary slab is 49" long and 15" or 16* broad. There are 16 lines of writing on it, most of which are incomplete. The first 3 lines together with portions of the fourth and fifth are on a piece altogether broken off from the main slab. The greatest length of the space covered by the writing is 27" and breadth 15". The slab has no figures on the top, but at the bottom there are the same figures as on the tank slab.
The tank slab was engraved by one Damodara Sūtradhāra. The average size of the letters which are Nāgari is 11". The language is bad Sanskrit with the exception of the stereotyped biru dāvali. The noticeable orthographical peculiarity is that in some places ja is used for ya as in line 11. The fragmentary inscription does not give the name of its engraver. The average size of its letters is 11".
TEXT.,
A.-Tank Slab. 1 Om svasti [ll] Sahasra-phapa-mapi-kiriņas-nikar-ävabhasva-* 2 ra ! Nāge-vamsödbhava] | Bhögăvati-[pa]ravarēsvara 5 savatsa3 vyāghra-lām()chhana (1) KIsyapa-gotra p[r]akațita-vijaya4 gho[sha]" [*] visva-(visva]nbha[rē*][s]vara [1] parame-māhēsvara pi(pa)re-7 5 ma-bhattarakah (1) maba-mahēśvara-ohi(cha)rapa-kati (n)ja-kim(n)jalka6 pu[m] (n)ja-pi[m] (a)jaritta-bhrama[r]iyamanabo Srimad-Rajabhushana7 mah[@]raja[adhijrája-sri-Sõmēsvaradēvapad-Anuka[ly]ņa-vija8 ya-rájyēl samvat-Saumya(myē) i svasti. Gangsā] 10.jala-dhautal-paramapa vitr[i] ja
1 No. 254 of the Madras Epigraphical collection for 1908. * Expressed by a symbol. . Read kirana.
• Read bhāsu [In the original this punctuation looks like mark of length added to ra.-Ed.)
• The original neems to show doubtful visarga after the syllable bha but not ra. It may, however, be the first portion of the conjunct consonant fua.-Ed.]
[What looks like pi may consist of vertical stroke of punctuation and po.--Ed.] Read.pajarita..
Read manah. The original bas both the ansvara and the conjunct aga.-Ed.] u Dhauta is very doubtful. The actual reading some to be dharak -Ed.]