Epigraphia Indica Vol 10

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

Page 90

No. 15.] KARAMDANDA INSCRIPTION OF THE REIGN OF KUMARAGUPTA. 71
different forms. Note also nu in Mdhyātasya, line 2. The form of the initial i in itymēvam, line 8. is the same as in the Kabāum pillar inscription. With regard to orthography I may note the doubling of & consonant before r in -göttra-, lines 5 and 10 (but putro, line 3, putrah, line 6) and after r in -pürurāyām and -chäryy-, line 4, and yathi-karttavya-dharmmska-karmmană, lino 9; the change of an anusvira ton before d in =syān=dirasa-purvuāyānh, line 4; the use of chchh in the beginning of a word in Ohchhandōgys, line 4; and the use of í at the end of a word before i in kumiūrāmatyasSikhara-, line 6.
The inscription refers itself to the reign of the ancient Gupta king Kumāragupta I., and is dated in [Gupta-) Samvat 117, on the tenth day of Kärttika, corresponding to A.D. 438. It is therefore of almost the same date as the completion of the temple of the Sun when. Kumara gupta's subordinate Bandhuvarman was governing at Dasapura.
It registers & gift made by Prithivishēņa, the son of Chandragupta's houmāramātya Sikharasvāmin, who was the son of Visbņupālitabhatta, the son of Kuramāravyabhatte, of the Chhandogas, wbose götras were [Aśva] and Vajin. The former götra is new to me. The Vajins also occur elsewhere. Prithivishēpa is described as the mantrin of Kumiragapta, as his kremūrāmatya and subsequently as his mahābalādhikṣita. The gift was made for the worship of the Mahadēva known as Pșithivisvara, s.e. probably the linga on which our inscription has been incised, with proper righteous offerings. The portion containing the names of the donees has, unfortunately, buen lost, and what is lost cannot be restored with absolute certainty. So far as I can see, the donees must have been certain Brāhmaṇas from Ayodhya, who were living in the vicinity of Mahādēva Sailēśvara, who belonged to various gotras and charanas, and were proficient in observances, in sacred study, in the mantras, the stras, bhāshyas and pravachanas, and who had something to do at the dëvadroni, 1.6. image procession at Bhāradi. . This interpretation is, however, far from being certain. The rostoration of the words denoting the various branches of learning in which the donees are said to have been fully versed, is, I think, certain. The geographical name Bharadi is a mere conjecture. What remains of the letters seems to favoar it. The name of the place where the linga was found is said to be Bharadhi Dih, but it is not possible to identify this form with Bhäradi. I would compare the word Bharadiya found in one of the inscriptions on the Sanchi stâpas where Professor Bühler reads: [bha]radiyasa sapurisasa yugapajakasa dānam. I would translate “the gift of the holy man Yugapajaka, from Bharadi." I am unable to restore the four aksharas following after Bharadi. They look like d. 8. m. d. S. m. d. perhaps stands for samudra, which is an epithet of Siva. The word dēvadroni is known from lexicographers and said to mean "idol procession."
TEXT. 1 Namo Mahadevaya Masharajadhiraja-sri-Chandragupta-pad-a]2 nudhyatasya chatudhur-u)dadhi-salil-isvadita-ya(sasd mahäraja)3 dhiraja-sri-Kumāraguptasya vijaya-rajya-samvatsar[ē satē saptadas-ottarē) 4 Kārttikamāsa-daśama-divasē-syản=divasa- pūrvråyår (Chebhandggy-acharyy-Āśya]
Vaji5 sagottra-Kuram[&]ravya-bhattasys putro Vishnupälita-bhattas-tasya putr06
mahari6 jadhijājā -sri-Chandraguptasya, mantri kumärämätyas-Sikharasvāmy-abhat-tasya
putraḥ
Gupta Inscriptions, Plate ix. A. text-line 7: of ity-anya-washrio. Ibid. No. 18
Above, Vol. II. p. 105, No. 74 The St. Petersburg Dictionary refers to the Trikändafisha 2, 7, 8, and the Haravalt 12). The actual reading is perhapo pitrd.
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