Epigraphia Indica Vol 20

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

Page 93

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XX.
As to the peoples mentioned in the inscription the Rathikas are probably the Maharathis or the people of northern Mahārāshtra, i.e., the inhabitants of the modern districts of East Khandesh, Näsik, Ahmadnagar, Poona and the northern taluks of Sholapur; the Bhojakas are likely the same as Mahābhājas, i.e., the inhabitants of the Marathi-speaking districts of the Central Provinces and Berār.
The Tanasuliya or Tanasuliya väţa cannot be identified by us. Vajiraghara remained under the same name till the 12th century A.D. when it is mentioned by Kulottunga Chola I or the Chāļukya-Chōļa Rajendra Chõļa II, as Vayirăgara in the Tiruvorriyūr Adhipuriśvara temple inscription of the second year. It states that Räjakesarivarman alias Rajendra Chola II captured elephants at this place and defeated the king of Dhāra at Chakrakotta. In the Pāndava-Perumāļ temple at Conjeeveram another Tamil inscription of the 5th year of the same king, who is called Räjakësarivarman alias Kulõttunga Chola I, informs us that the king's victories at Vaijirāgara and Chakrakotta were gained while he was the heir-apparent, i.e., before 8th October 1070 A.D. Chakrakotta has been correctly identified by Rai Bahadur Hiralal with Chakra-Kotyā in the Bastar State of the Central Provinces. It is therefore certain that this Vayirāgara is the same as modern Wairagadh in the Chanda district of the same province. Kielhorn restored the name Vayirāgara as Vairākara. The form Vajiraghara in this record shows that the original form was Vajra-griha or Vajra-gadha in Prakrit which came to be written as Vayirāgaram in Tamil. Both Chakra-Koțyā and Wairagadh are on the road from Central Kalinga to Southern Mālwā. Goradhagiri is no doubt the ancient name of the Barābar Hills in the Gayå district, as proved by Mr. V. H. Jackson, I.E.S., the late principal of the Patna College who, along with Mr. Russell, discovered the inscriptions on boulders near the top, giving the name correctly as Görathagiri. Mr. Jackson also described immense fortifications on the hill top. The place was an important outpost on the western flank of the ancient capital of Magadha, Girivraja or Rājagriha or Rajagaha. It is mentioned in the Mahābhārata where the route of Bhima and Krishna to Girivraja is described. Rājagriha or Rājagaha, the ancient capital of Magadha, still exists as Rājgir, famous as a Jaina Tirtha and for its hot springs, in the Bihar sub-division of the Patna district of Bihar and Orissa. Madhura is undoubtedly the northern Mathura in the United Provinces. Bharadhavasa (Skt. Bharatavarsha) means the plains of Northern India. Pithumda is Ptolemy's Pitundra, a city which no longer exists, but which was an important port even in the first century A.D. Tamira or Tramira is equal to Dravida or Dramila, i.e., the Tamilagam or the Tamil speaking districts of the Madras Presidency known as Damirike to classical writers. Utaräpadha is Sanskrit Uttarapatha which included cur North-Western Frontier Province. Magadha is south-western Bihār consisting of the modern diatricts of Patna, Gaya and the north-western Hazaribāgh, while Anga consisted of the portions of the districts of Bhagalpur and Monghyr which lie to the south of the Ganges, adjoining Mazadha. The Panda-Raja of this inscription refers to the kings of the southern extremity of the Indian Peninsula from Madura to Cape Comorin.
We edit the inscription from the rock, the cast in the Patna Museum and from impressions taken by us as well as by the Curator of the Patna Museum.
1 Ante, Vol. VIT, App. pp. 124-25, Nos. 756, 761. Seo also note 4 on p. 124. * V.B.O.R.S., Vol. I, p. 159.
lóid., Vol. III, p. 469.
Ibid, Vol. I, pp. 160 and 161.
. For the antiquities of Rajgir soo Marshall's account in the Anwal Report of the Archa logical Survey of India, 1905-05, Part ii, pp. 88 ff.
.J. B.O.R.S., Vol. XIV, p. 151.