________________
284
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA,
(VOL. XIX
V. 7. Unto him was born this Kobavadöva alias the Ripurāja-Gõpi-G8vindawhose fame is sung (on account of his unlimited virtue and glory, whose foot stool is decorated with the crown-jewels of kings, (who *&) illustrious and prominent among kings,
V. 8. who (is) the limit of wonderful prowess, the abode of fame and the refuge of riches, the abode (of all loinde) of knowledge, the shelter of diplomacy, the only famous dwelling place of glory, the abode of liberality, the pleasure-house of eloquence, the ocean of cultural sciences, the seat of goodness and the group of virtues incarnate--may he be victorious !
V. 9. He, by preserving the earth with that force of arms which defeated kings.' protected with kindness the good people openly (achchhan nakan) and with festivities (sotsavam), just like Krishna who gave with kindness the festival of the destruction of Kamsa (uchchhinnakansOtsavam") to the good people of Vrindāvana. Also (this) king Kēšavadēva, who with anger destroyed the circle of (his) enemies surely left one (alone, namely,) the protector of a child, to remain (with life) from among the race of (his) opponents (just like Krishna) who by being angry killed Sisupāla.
V. 10. Bringing the earth under one umbrella by the valour of arms this conquering (king), (as if), desiring that in this earth there should not be any control of any other thing), placed the palm of his hands in the place of the Wishing Tree, his prowess in that of the Sun, his reputation in that of the Moon and his arms in that of the duty of the king of snakes (i.e., in bearing the weight of the earth).
V. 11. While he rules the earth with the vow in virtuous principles) of the first kings of the earth, the daring attempt to transgress the Sruti (meaning the Vēda and the ear) was found only in the eyes of women.
V. 12. Having caused pleasure in the circle of friendly kings, having illuminated all the directions by the skilful swaying of his sword, and having expelled the circle of (inimical) kings at a distance, he shone forth as the crest-jewel of the Eastern mountain (i.e., the Sun), thereby producing gaiety among the delighted chakravāka (birds), illuminating the directions by the play of the rays and by driving apart the urb of the Moon or the circle of enemies.
V. 13. His reputation, bright as the Moon, illuminates the world, hampers the growth of enemies (just as moonlight does the growth of lotus) and causes the lily of joy of the world (lowmuda) to spread. It is white (i.e., spotless) and at the same time pleasing, it is ceaselessly moving about though fixed, it is eternal though it is the effect of some cause. It is indeed wonderful !
V. 14. His amazing, fire-like prowess whose existence is inferred by the tears of the rulers of the earth (ordinary fire is however indicated by smoke and not water); which is increased by the blood of enemies (ordinary fire is however extinguished by watery substance like blood); by the diffusion of whose rays the inactivity of the hostile kings is increased (ordinary fire however removes inactivity), whose power (as if) to lick it repeatedly reaches the sky after surpassing all the directions (ordinary fire is however extinguished as soon as it over-reaches a pile of wood) - may it be victorious !
V. 15. By that ruler of the earth engaged in warfares, two great things were bent simultaneously by (reason of his) two gunas-by one guna (i.e., the string) the bow was bent, and by the other guna, which is guessed by his limitless great prowess, the host of enemies.
Ripurijs-G8pl-Govinda sema to have been a biruda of Kobavadēva. Compare Il. 8 and 9 of the soepnd Bhuri copper-ptate inscription (P. A. 8. B., 1880, p. 153).
It seems to refer to Krishna's lifting the Govardhana hill.-Ed.] [See ,7 on p. 283 above. -Ed.)
[But the text gives achchhanna,-Ed.) Purvapanibhrit suggpata that he was a king of the eastern countries,
