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No. 25.7
MAHADA PLATES OF YOGESVARADEVAVARMAN.
219
title Chitrötpala to his poem describing the Mahānadi, which was composed and published years ago. In the bed of the Mahanadi (within a stone's throw from the palace of the present Maharāja of Sonpur) there is a hillock called Lankośvari bearing an inscription in letters resembling those engraved on the plates of the Somavamsi-Guptas. I could not decipher this inscription, #s the letters have become faint and illegible by being constantly washed by the river. I identify this Lankēśvari as the Lankavarttaka of this record (1.13).
A word regarding the probable date of this record. It need hardly be pointed out that the plates of Yagoģvara Dévavarman and later thau those of the Somavamsi-Guptas who flourished between 1000 and 1100 A.D. As the present rulers of Sonpur liavo been ruling the state in an unbroken continuity from the time of the first ruler Maharaja Madangopālo from about 1615, the Devavarmans must bave flourished previous to the 17th century. We get 't in the local tradition that the State of Sonpur was acquired by Medang päl, when the Rajäs of Puri declined in power and tho new Rājās of Baud held the State of Sonpur under them. We know that from about 1565 A.D., the Puri Rājas declined in power, and shortly after that date Makunda Döva died. It was nearly 40 years after this time that the present rulers of Sonpur acquired the state. The present rulers of Baud are of the Kāśyapa-götra, claim descent from the Solar dynasty and have got a peacock as the family emblem. But on reference to the genealogical tree of the Band family (kindly supplied to me by Mr. J. Rão, Dewan of the State). the names of the rulers mentioned in this record are not met with.
I do not think that the present rulers of Baud are descendants of Somośvara, for if it had been so, the genealogical tree would not have omitted tbe names of Somośvara, his son and grandkon. On reference to the list of names of the rulers of Baud, it does not appear to be likely that the present Raj family commenced to rule Baud more than two decades before the date of Madangopal of Sonpur. It is probable that the ancestor of the present rulers of Baud usurped the territory previously held by three rulers in succession, from Somešvara to Yogosvara. I sball not be far wrong, if I make Yogośvara Dövavarman a contemporary of Mukunda Döva of Pari. First, the facts I have set forth do not stand against the possibility of what I have sog. gested. Secondly, the second verse in the Iudravajrā metre (11. 33 to 35) refers, I suspect, by way of a pun to Mukunda Dova.
It is there stated (lines 33 to 35) that Mukunda (Vishnu) having entrusted the government to the grantor, was sleeping in the ocean with a light heart. We know that the Rājäs of Puri extended their influence so far as Sonpar; we cannot also dismiss the local tradition, that the temple of Vaidyanātha was built by Anangabhima Dova. That the Rājās of Puri lost their dominion to the west and to the south after the death of Mukunda Deva, is also very well known. There was no necessity of mentioning it in the charter that the grantor got the kingdom to rule from god Mukunda, if he was not really under an overlord. Of many dams of Vishru the name Makunda was selected perhaps to refer to the Rājā who was really the overlord of Yogas. vara Dēvavarman.
The grant is dated in the 33rd year of the glorious reign of the grantor's grandfathor, Sömēsvara-Dēva, on the 7th day of the bright fortnight of Magha, while the sun was in Makars and the moon in Mina, in the Rēvati-yoga. [Mr. Sewell has been good enough to calculate which dates in the course of the 16th century would fulfil all these requirements. There are three of them, vis. Sunday, 9th January 1508, Sunday, 10th January 1535. and Sunday, 11th January 1562. Only the last one can be meant if there is an allusion to Mukunda Dēva in 1. 35.-S. K.)
1 Ep. Ind., Vol. III, p. 333.
See Bengal District Gazetteers, Vol. XVI, Sambalpur, p. 21. • Cf. n. 3, p. 218. • See Bengal District Gazetteera, Vol. XIII, Puri, p. 31.
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