Epigraphia Indica Vol 16

Author(s): F W Thomas, H Krishna Sastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 17

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XVI.
establishment the chief was Tribhuvanasimha Pandita, an eminent ascetic and divine (11. 16-17). The foundation-legend of the place is told in outline (11. 17-21). It was established by the kings Mali and Sumali at the end of the Trēta Age. The latter gave his name to the place ; for the names by which it is designated-Solu (11. 20, 44), Sol (1. 50), and Soval (1. 54)are derived from Sumāli (or Saumala). The poet then introduces as to another distinguished Saiva doctor, Gangarāsi (11. 21-24), and to one of his lay disciples, named Kanchikabbe (Kachiyabbe or Kanohale), of the Dhanaga family, the wife of Kariya Kētimayya and mother of Chatts, a generous benefactress of her church (11, 21-33). He next devotes & verse (11. 33-36) to the praises of king Taila, whom he describes as having conquered the Chola and LAļa (Lata), and cut off the heads of Raņakambha and Kakkala. The next passage (11. 86-39) refers the record to Taila's reign, styling him Nürmadi-Tailapa-dēva, with various titles, on which see Dyn. Kanar. Distr., p. 428; and then there appears on the scene a Ratta prince named Katta, son of Kantheyabbārada Nanna payya, who at the time was ruling as Taila's viceroy over Kündi (11. 39-43). This Katta is identical with Kārtavirya I, on whom see Dyn. Kanar. Distr., p. 553. The next section (11. 43-57) is occupied with the dating and specification of the endowment made by Kañchiyabbe for the benefit of the temple of Suvarnakshi and the sattra or almshouse connected with it; its trustee was Tribhuvanasimha, and it was to be under the protection of the Thirty (heads of households) of Soval. Several hortatory verses (11. 57-65) clinch the deed of gift: the first is evidently a quotation, as it addresses an otherwise unknown Dēvaņa Pandita, and the third and fourth narrate the legend of Indra and the Chaqdali. A further verse (11. 66-67) informs us that the poet who composed our inscription was Kamaļāditya (more likely Kavikamalāditya.-Ed.], and a final clause stipulates that the cooking at the almshonse must be done by a Brāhman woman (11. 67-68).
Mali and Samali, the protagonists of the foundation-legend mentioned above, are the Raksha885 whose history is narrated in the Ramayana, VII. v. ff., and Bhagavata-purana, VI. X. 21 and VIII. 2. 56. A clue to the mystery of their appearance in the present legend seems to be afforded by the Brahma-vaivarta-purdna, III (Ganēša-khanda), xviii-xix, which relates that they were devotees of Siva, and on being smitten by the San-god with disease propitiated him by worship. It would therefore seem that the god Savarṇāksbi montioned in our inscription was the Sun-god, worshipped as a phase of Siva; and this will partly explain the rather obscure verso 18, which refers to his temple.
The date is given on 11. 43-44 as : Saka 902, the cyclic year Vikrama; the new-moon day of Åshādha; Sunday; an eclipse of the sun. This is irregular, according to the usual calculation. The tithi mentioned corresponded to Wednesday, 14 July, A.D. 080, on which it ended at 21 h. 7 m. after mean sunrise (for Ujjain); and there was no eclipse of the sun. But Mr. A. Venkatasubbiah, who has discussed the data in his Some Saka Datos in Inscriptions, p. 133, remarks: "According to the Arya and Brahma Siddhantas the mean-sign Jovian year Vikrama was current at the beginning of Ashädha in $. 900. On the amārasya at the beginning of this Åshidha, 8th Juno, A.D. 078, there took place a solar eclipse which was visible in India. The week-day however was Satarday and not Sunday. This Saturday-3th June, A.D. 978seems to be the equivalent of the given date."
The places mentioned are Bogal itself, which appears in the form of sölu (11. 20, 44), 881 (1. 50), and Soval (1. 54), Kandi (11. 19, 42), Mārajana (P) Beļavādi (1. 28), and
This equation is phonetically unimpeachable, but on other grounds it is not convincing. However that may be, it is clear that the oldest form of the name was Soral. The modern name Sogal is an instance of the change of intervocalic to y, which, w far as I know, is rare, whereas the roverse change, g too, is very common.
See Dyn. Kan. Distr., p. 486; Ap. Ind., Vol. III, p. 144, eto. The names appear also in the forma Manastambha and Karkara.
I have to thank Mr. K. Sewell for his kindness in verifying my calculation