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No. 22.]
INSCRIPTIONS OF HULI.
207
crouching demon, with Sarasvati on her right, another goddess on her left, and the eight Dikpālas in a row above her; the rest of the stone is filled in with figures of lions and other creatures, and on each side is a large makara or sea-monster, as our inscription states. The inscription runs along the bottom of the beam, covering an area 2 in, high and 6 ft. 2) in. broad. The character is Kanarese, of about the same date as Nos. I. and J.; the letters are generally between in, and in, high. The language is Old Kanarese verse. The appears in tilchidano (1.1), which seems to be an error for tirolchidano, and is replaced by ? in pogaļad= (1.2). Aron (1.2) is archaic.
The object of the inscription is to celebrate the beauty of the archway above mentioned, on the beam of which it is engraved. We learn that the archway was constructed at the instance of Jñanasakti, whom we have already encountered in Nos. E. and I. above. The third verse praises the virtues of Marttands, who may possibly have been a disciple of this sage; his connection with the work is not clear, but conceivably he may have caused the inscription to be added some time after the construction of the archway.
TEXT. [The metres are: V. 1, Mahasragdharā; v. 2, Prithvi; v, 3, Mattēbhavikridita.]
1
-
Idanxatyānandadinda[m]
samedano
Kamala-prodbhavam
Višvakarmmark
mudadim mēr-int-idar tisch[i]dano makara-yugm-invitam törapam gattidano mēn pratyag-asa-patiy-idan=ene saryv-orvvi-sobhā-vibhūty-āspadam-int-i Jõānasakti, vrati sam[e]yisida[m] [- - -]lpad=entum
[19] AnunataruPadmasambhava-Bhav-A[b]janābh-ārchchega! manoharataramga!=āgi [ma]ka
2 ra-dvayam cobhey[i*] manam-golise māờid=1 makara-torana dhătrıyo!
vinatataram-imt=idam pogaļad-irppan=ivom gadam || [28] Hara-pād-āmbujashatpadam [ u
- ] vār(a?)-ibha-pamchānanam durit-orvvidhara-vajran. aj[j]vala-[ - - - ]rat[n] a [karam
-]1 rati-důran ishta-janat-adharam kaļā-kovidam guru-bhak[t]am niyam-oktan-embudan=enal Márttaņ[djan=ém dhanyano | [3]
TRANSLATION. (Verse 1.) Hay the Lotus-born (Brahman) in exceeding delight fashioned this, or has Vigvakarman with joy executed this, or has the lord of the western region (Varuna] constructed this archway adorned with a pair of sea-monsters ? Such a site of the magnificence of the whole earth's splendours is that which this ascetic Jhānasakti has caused to be fashioned ... in every way.
(V. 2.) This archway (adorned) with sea-monsters, which has been made so that the very numerous images of the Lotus-born (Brahman), Bhava (Siva), and (the god) of the Navel. lotus (Vishnu) are most charming and the pair of sea-monsters with their elegance delight the mind, is very famous on earth : 80 who indeed is there that does not praise it?
(V. 3.) As one may state the fact that he is a bee to Hara's lotus feet, #lion to the elephants ... disputants (?), 8 thunde.belt to the mountains of sin, a jewel-mine of brilliant ... remote from carnal love, & support to agreeable persons, skilled in arts, devoted to his master, holding speech by rule, how fortunate is Mārttande From the įuk-impression.
? Apparently meant for tirohelidano,
