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No. 13.]
NIDHANPUR COPPER PLATES OF BHASKARAVARMAN.
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(V. 11.) From him, (queen) Gandharvavati begot a son Ganapati (by name) who was incessantly raining gifts as the god) Ganapati (rains) ichorl, who was endowed with innumer. able qualities, for the extermination of strife (as Ganapati) is born to destroy the Kali age.
(V. 12.) His queen Yajnavati, brought forth a son Mahēndravarman, as the sacrificials fire (produces) fire, who was the repository of all sacrificial rites (like fire).
(V. 13.) From him who mastered his self, Suvrata generated a son Näri yanavarman for the stability (of the rule) of the world, who like Janaka (or his father) was well versed in the principles of the Philosophy of the (supreme) Self.
(V. 14.) From him, Dēvavati, like Prakriti from Purusha, bore Mahabhutavarman, the sixth Mahabhūta (element) as it were, for the steady succession of (all) the properties.
(V. 15.) His son was Chandramukha, who was charming by (possessing) all the arts as the moon (by the digits), whom Vijñānsvati brought forth, as the Sky did (the Moon), & dispeller of (all) gloom (as the moon dispels the darkness.)
(V. 16.) Thereafter (queen) Bhögavati of (good) enjoyment became the cause of birth) of Sthitavarman, the supporter of the world, who had innumerable (sources of) enjoyment, (just as) Bhogavati (the city of the Snakes of the nether regions) is (the source) of prosperity of the chief of the Snakes, the supporter of the earth, who has a myriad of hoods.
(V. 17.) From that king of unfathomable natare, of innumerable gems, and the spouse of the (goddess) Lakshmi, was born sri-Mţigănka, who had no blemish, just as the moon, 10 free from spots, is born from the milky ocean, whose substance is unfathomable, whose pearls cannot be counted, and from which Lakshmi was produced.
(V. 18.) Hisil (i.e. Sthitavarman's) son king Susthitavarman was born of Nayanadēvi, he who held the kingdom in his own hand, and was renowned as fri-Msiganke
(V. 19.) By whom was given away to supplicants as if it were (& clod of) earth, that shining Lakshmi (.e. wealth) whom (god) Hari like a miser bears with joy in his bosom.12
(V. 20.) From him śyāmādēvi, (divine) like that goddess (Syāmi) of the Krita (1.6,golden) age, generated a son Supratishthitavarman, the moon as it were to dispel (all) gloom.
1 Play on dāna, gift or ichor. • Kali means quarrel' and the Kali age.' • Here the word yaffiavati has been used in alliteration with the queen's name. • Janaka means 'father' as well as the famous philosopher-king of Mithila.
• Here sänkhya does not seem to mean the philosophy of Kapila so much as the "knowledge of Self" that is referred to in the Bhagavadgita, Chapter II. The wond is explained by Sridbarasvamin in his commentary on 5. 39 as follows, - samyak khyāpyatë, prakākyatë rastutattvam anay-zti sankhya samyag-jianam. Tasvas prakābyamanam atmatattram samkhyam. It is very clever of the author that speaking of the Saraknya here he brings in Purusha and Prakriti in the next verse.
There are five mahābhitar and the king is likened to a sixth one. Here the simile is a little faulty. Mahabhūtas are not the immediate progeny of prakriti, as was the king of Dévavati. Out of prakriti was evolved mahat, thence ahankära, whence five tanmatras and therefroin the mahabhitas.
1 Kalā means 'art' and 'digit.'
• The word dhvánta has a double meaning; referring to the king it means mental gloom and referring to the Moon, darkness of the night.
Playing on words runs through the whole verae rather to an excessive degree. Bloga means "enjoyment' and the hood of snake,' and Bhögavati, the name of the queeu, is also the name of the city of the snakes, as well as of the Ganga that flows in Pātāla, the region of the snakes). Bhūti means 'birth, as well as prosperity,' and blamidhrit means 'king' and the Snake chief, both of whom support the earth, each in their own way.
10 Here the play is on the name of the king which also means the Moon.'
11 Here the composition is faulty, as tasya would naturally refer to Brimriganka, in the immediately preceding verse.[If it were not for the statement in the Harshacharita, we would in v. 17 find a prince Mriginks, the son of Sthitavarman and Lakshmi, and the father of Sasthitavarman.-8. K.]
13 Lakshmi being considered as his only treasure, he keeps her in his bonom.
