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No. 24.]
(Vv. 6 and 7). His son, known as Nripakāma, is one who never swerves from his word... in the practice of the bow and well-known as a mine of prowess. Besides, in his kingdom, on the roads, the cloths of the travellers are not even loosened by the winds; the robbers........ by the fire of his prowess. He received the appellation of Karmuk-arjuna (an Arjuna in archery) because he conquered his enemies with a bow, and the title Satyaballata because ..
TWO INSCRIPTIONS OF EASTERN CHALUKYA PRINCES.
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(V. 8). The excellent king Karmukarjuna is taken by crowds of wise Brahmans to be the teacher (guru) Vyasa; by kings, to be a helper; .... to be their father; and by supplicants, to be the desire-fulfilling tree. It is a wonder that by great archers, he is taken to be many Parthas (Arjunas) though (he is) one (unequalled) and victorious (hero), and by passionate women to be Cupid (the god of beauty).
(V. 9). His valour, indeed, is born in the heavy blows dealt in battle-fields to the multitude of enemy-kings; his charity is charming by satisfying (fully the wishes of) Brahmans, dependents and supplicants; his glory, white as the moon, purifies (or makes white) the whole world. So shines he, the good Karmakarjuna, Saro natha (lord of the lake), powerful and victorious.
(V. 10). The noble and good Nripakāma, lord of the lake (Sarahpati), shines on this earth like the sun, a repository of brilliance (or rays) to the delight of the lotus-like faces of his dependents, always rising and destroying the darkuess, viz. the enemies..
(V. 11). He is adorned with the pearl necklace of great virtues, such as charity, unstinted kindness, strength, . . . . proficiency, purity, forgiveness, respectability and inestimable worship of Śiva; he is the source of pleasure to the poor, the forlorn, the actors, the blind, the naked, the poets, great orators and Brahmans. So shines the illustrious and famous chief Satyaballāta, the conqueror in battle-fields.
(V. 12). With pure virtues and unsullied fame, he brightens the points of the compass, destroying his enemies. He, the devotee of Bhava (Śiva), enjoys the pleasures of this world through the grace of Bhava and is very famous.
(V. 13). With prowess like that of the sun he destroys his enemies and is the foremost of archers, the abode of wealth, modesty, forgiveness, authority and mercy, and the fearless one. This Sauri (Vishnu), viz. the good king Nripakāma, patronising truthfulness, shines always in this world, a destroyer of sins.
(V. 14). Strong and glorious, he killed single-handed with his sword five warriors (at a time), and with full(-stretched) bow, thousands of enemies in the battle-field.
(V. 15). Just as the gods Brahma, Isa (Śiva), Indra, Hrishikēša (Vishnu) and Kumāra (Skanda), have for their beautiful wives the Goddess of Speech (Sarasvati), Uma, Śachi, Lakshmi and Jayasri (the Goddess of Victory), respectively,
(V. 16). so, Nripakāma-Saraḥpati, who resembled those gods, had a wife who was dear to him and who resembled those (goddesses) and was well-known as (ie., by the name of) Nayamamba.
(V. 17). She had (on her body) all auspicious signs and was adorned with all ornaments. She knew the principles of all the duties of a woman, and was a house-wife (sat) possessed of virtuous character and conduct.
(V. 18). By that devoted wife he, surnamed Satyaballata, begot a worthy son named Gandanarayana.
(V. 19). Just as Guha (Skanda) was born to Uma and Siva, (or) Jayanta to Sachi and Indra, a son was born to them who were equal to those two divine pairs.
(V. 20). With an expanded chest and shoulders like those of a bull, he resembled Skanda in valour. With strong arms and extraordinary strength, he possessed great energy and perseverance.
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