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No. 10.]
ARASIBIDI INSCRIPTION OF THE REIGN OF SOMESVARA I.
121
No. 10.-ARASIBIDI INSCRIPTION OF THE REIGN OF SOMESVARA I: SAKA 969.
BY LIONEL D. BARNETT. Arasībidi, the ancient Vikramapura, is a decayed village in the Hungund taluka of Bijapter District, situate in lat. 15° 54' and long. 75° 58' (cf. Ind. ant., Vol. 30, p. 260). Its name is written as Arsubidda on the Indian Atlas sheet 58 and the Hyderabad Survey sheet 30. In the local temple known as the Salegudi was found a broken tablet containing the present record ; en ink-impression was prepared for the late Dr. Fleet, which is now in the British Museum, and from it I now edit the text.
The upper part of the stone is decorated with some sculpture. Immediately over the inscribed area, on a plinth, is a figure of a squatting Jina, with a cow and sucking calf on his proper left, between two columns; and above this is a series of architectural divisions culminating in & vase-shaped fikhara. The inscribed area below is about 2 ft. 21 in, broad and 2 ft. 2 in. high ; but a line or two at the bottom is lost.-The character is a fair Kanarese of the period. the letters vary from in. to in, in height. The ri of rishiyargga[*] in 1. 8 is denoted
by a modified ri with a tail attached
-The language is Old Kanarese prose, except for the
Sanskrit verse-formula of which the first two letters appear on 1. 22. The archaic ! is changed tol, except in appattara (1. 12, for elp, through erppo). The word sarugi (1. 7) is of some lexical interest.
The record, after referring itself to the reign of Traiļokyamalla dēva, i.e. Somēśvara I (11, 1.4), relates, that Akka-dēvi, while in the camp around the fortress of Gokage, made a grant of lands to the Gonada-bedangi Jain temple at Vikramapura, for the maintenance of the establishment and of the attached friars and nuns, among whom special mention is made of Nagasēna Pandita of the Hogari Gachchha of the Varasēna Gapa of the Mala Sangha (1. 4-9). The rest of the inscription is taken up with the details of the endowment; among these we learn that some of the land was purchased from Dadigarasa (1. 17), who was very possibly a member of the Bappura family which has left a record of its history in the Sadi inscription no. K. (above, Vol. XV, p. 106; cf. Ind. Ant., Vol. XXX, p. 266).
The date is given on 11. 9-11 as: Saks 969, the cyclic year Sarvajit; the new-moon of Chaitra, a Sanday; an eclipse of the sun. These details are perfectly regular. The given titii corresponded to Sunday, 29 March, A.D. 1047, on which day it ended 6 h. 14 m, after menn Bunrise. On the same day, at 5 h. 54 m. after mean sunrise, there was an eclipse of the sun (Indian Calendar, p. 121).
The following place names are mentioned : Gökāge (1.6); Vikramapura (11 6, 13); the Kisukadu Seventy (11. 11-12); Ganada H&ļūr (1. 12); Muruvadina Paļu (1. 13); Rayagatto (1. 15); the tank of Kappadi (1. 18); Bengres (1. 19). Gokāge in the modern Gokák, the headquarters of the Gokak täluka, in Belgnum District, situate in 16° 10 lat. arid 74° 49' long. Vikramapura is Arasibidi (see above). On Kisukadu see Ind. Ant., Vol. XXX, p. 259 4. Gipada Halar is given on the Indian Atlas as "Ganudu hal," about 3 miles S.E. of Arnsibidi in lat, 15° 52' and long. 76° 1' (cf. ibi l., p. 261). The other local names I cannot trace.
See Dyn. Kan. Distr., pp. 485, 439. Dr. Fleet understood the words sutt-irdda to nesu" besieging," which is possible, but not necessary.
* This title is evidently derived from Akka-devi's titlo gurada bedangiyar, and shews that the temple was under her especial patronage.
This name occars slso, in the older forin Pogari, in Ind. Ant., Vol. XIX, p. 272, and Ep. Carn. VII. i., Sk. 124.
• I have to thank Mr. R. Sewell for his kindnos in verifying my calculations.
