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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. XIX.
Now, there cannot be any doubt that the two kings here mentioned are the well-known sovereigns of the Rashtraküţa dynasty of Mälkhed, either Amoghavarsha I and Krishna II whose combined reigns extend over about a century (814-911 A.D.) or Amoghavarsha III and Krishna III (934-961 A.D.). Possibly some portion of the original draft is missing here through the engraver's oversight for, immediately after this, follows a verse which mentions that in that family' was born the famous king Bappaiparaja whose son was Vairisimha. The expression in that family presupposes the mention of the family, but the immediately preceding expression is the genitive case-ending narendra-pādānām, which is hardly appropriate. Then occurs a verse in praise of Vairisirinha, which is followed by another, mentioning that the king Siyaka was born to him. In the subsequent prose eulogy of Siyaka, we find that he is called a Mahāmandalika-chudāmani and Mahārājādhirāja-pati. The grants are mentioned as having been made at the instance of the ruler of the Khēţaka-mandala (corresponding roughly to the modern Kaira District). The records say that on his return from a successful expedition against Yögarāja, the king was encamped on the banks of the Mahi, where, after offering worship to Sivanātha (most probably at the shrine of Sarnāl, a place of considerable repute) he gave away the villages of Kumbharöțaka and Sihaki in the Māhadavāsaka-vishaya respectively to Lallõpādhyāya, son of Govardhana and Nina Dikshita, son of Lallõpādhyāya, Nāgara (Brahmans) of Anandapura, belonging to the Gopali-gotra. The dāpaka' or person who caused the grants to be given, probably the officer who was entrusted with the duty of issuing the grants, was the Thakkura Sri-Vishnu. The grants were written by the Kāyastha Gunadhara. The last line in both grants contains the sign-manual of the king Siyaka.
The date of the grants is given as 'Samvat 1005, Mägha v(b)a di 30, Budhe' which corresponds to Wednesday, the 31st January, 949 A.D., thus showing that the year was a Kārtikādis expired year and the month was amānta. The occasion for the grant was the chandrārkka-yoga-parva, which may mean simply an amāvāsyā and not necessarily an eclipse of the sun. There was no solar eclipse on the date.
The grants are of great historical interest, as they are the earliest records of the Paramāra dynasty and as such have considerable bearing on the history of Gujarat. In regard to the details of the last years of Chāvdā rule, especially the period from 940 A.D. to 960 A.D., the Jain Chronicles are hopelessly at variance. The late Dr. Bhagvanlal Indraji says in his history of Gujarat, "The period of Chāvdă rule at Anahilavāda is likely to remain obscure until the discovery of contemporary inscriptions throws more light upon it than can be gathered from the confused and contradictory legends collected by the Solanki historians, none of whom are older than the twelfth century." In dealing with the period when the Rāshţrakūtas of Mālkhed
1 The identical expression paramabhafiraka-mahirajadh rija-paramebvara-Srimad-Anighavarahadeva-pidi. nudAyuta-paramabhattaraka-maharagūdh raja-paramāśvara-Srimad-Akilavarshadēva-Prithvirallabha Srima vallaL-karindradina, is used to denote Krishpa III in the Karháls plates of Krishna III, dated Saka 880 (Kp. Ind. Vol IV, p. 278ff.) and with the addition of paramamah bara, in the Debli plates of the same king dated in Saka 862 (Ep. Ind., Vol. V, p. 188ff.). The date of the present inscription (oquivalent to Saka 870) is just intermediate between the Dioli and Karbida inscriptions. It is possible that Krishna III was at this time the overlord of Siyaka and his name may have therefore been given the place of honour. The epithet mahimandalika-chadamani is in consonance with this view. But other indications may seem to favour the view that the expression ending with narindra-padimith in the present platos fers to the Rashtrakita king Krishya IL
See above Vol. XIX, p. 178 f. 1. 1. i * See above Vol. XVIII, p. 321. • Bombay Gazelleer, Vol. I, Part I. page 155.
