Epigraphia Indica Vol 20

Author(s): Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 68

No. 4.;
A SUNGA INSCRIPTION FROM AYODHYA.
57
is the case in the expression under discussion. Mr. N. G. Majumdar nas hunted up a parallel expregsion in verse 88 of the 16th Sarga of the Raghuvaméa. The expression in question is panchaman Takshakasya, which is interpreted by three commentators as meaning "grandson of grandsou of Takshaka." Mr. Majumdar therefore sees no difficulty in interpreting Pushyamitrasya shashthaḥ as "sixth in descent from Pushyamitra.” In his third article on this inscription, however, Mr. Jayaswal points out that the example from the Raghuvamsa referred to above is actually interpreted by Mallinātha as meaning the fifth son of Takshaka. The sixth of Pushyamitra' in the Ayodhyā inscription should therefore mean the sixth son of Pushyamitra. As, however, this interpretation would make Phalgudēva identical with Pushyamitra, he proposes to read Dharmarājñā in the 2nd line as Dharmarājni, and to compound it with the following word pituh. He thus construes the record as meaning that Dhanadēvs, the sixth son of Pushyamitra, erected a house in honour of Phalgudēva, the father of his lawful queen.
It will be seen from the above that the only parallel expression found by the ingenuity of Mr. Majumdar is capable of two divergent interpretations. As has been pointed out by Dr. BanerjiŠāstri, the inscriptions so far known fail to throw light on the question and he is right in stating that the established custom in epigraphical records is either to name the generations in succession or not at all and that it is not tisual to mention a distant stage by omitting the intervening ones. One such example I have indeed secured in verse 44 of the Vamšāvali of the Chambā rājās, where we find the words “Mēruvarman was the 10th from Jayastambha " after the nine intervening ancestors of Mēruvarman have been duly referred to in direct succession. Even here, however, the vibhakti employed is the fifth, not the sixth or possessive case. An example of this kind with the sixth case ending occurs in the Raghuvaṁsa, Sarga 6, verse 29 :
त्वमेव कल्याणि तयोस्वतीया
"Thou alone, fortunate lady, art fit to be their third." Sunandā, the attendant of Indumati, while narrating the achievements of the prince of the Angas observes that the goddesses Sri and Sarasvati, though naturally hostile to each other, together reside in him in peace, thus indicating the propriety of her union with him. It will be observed that though the grammatical construction in this case is the same as in the doubtful expression being discussed, the sense of descent is out of the question. Whether more exact parallels both in form and sense will or will not be found in the vast field of Sanskrit literature, I am unable to say. It seems, however, exceedingly difficult to disregard clear palaeographic evidence and to group this record with the other known documents of the early Sunga period. I would, therefore, with Pandit Ratnakara, supply a word like purushēna after shashthina and translate" by the sixth descendant of Push yamitra". It will be seen from the facsimile that only the first portion of the name of the chief who had this inscription engraved is preserved. Previous writers have restored it as Dhanadēva and Mr. N. G. Majumdar identifies him with a chief of that name whose coins have been found round about Ayodhya. Be the name, however, what it may, the inscription has established beyond doubt the fact that Ayodhyā formed part of the Surga Empire as late as the date of the inscription, which, on palaeographic grounds must be assigned to about the lot century A.D.
TEXT. Line 1. Kösal-adhipëna dvir-asvamëdha-yājinaḥ sēnāpatch Pushyamitrasya sñashthena
Kausiki-putrēna Dhana. Line 2. Dharmaräjiä pituh Phalgudēvasya ketana kāritam
1J. B. &0. R. 8., Vol. XIII. pp. 247-49. * Vogel, Antiquitses of Chamba State, p. 85:
CATHERISHT.