Epigraphia Indica Vol 21

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

Page 21

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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[Vol. XXI.
which has been engraved. The inscribed portion is really the shaft which is octagonal, but four of its faces on which the record is incised being well dressed and the remaining four left rough. The top and the base of the pillar have each four sides, only one of which is well dressed. While the fine dressed surface of the top is sculptured with a trident, that of the base is carved with a standing figure, with two hands, the right of which is let down catching a staff or club and the other held akimbo but also bearing some unidentifiable object. The hair on the head is matted with some curls falling on both the shoulders. The statue bears, apparently, two garments, the upper or ultariya being made fast to the body by a band passing round between the chest and the belly and with one end flowing loose spirally at the proper left as in the case of some Gupta images in the Udayagiri caves. Although the lower part of the body is apparently clothed with a dhoti, the privates are clearly shown like the breast nipples appearing through the upper garment. The last but not the least important point that we have to notice is the third eye in the forehead. All these characteristics point to the conclusion that we have here the figure of Lakulīša. The images of Lakulīša bave no doubt been found in numbers, but they all belong to the medieval period. None has so far been found which is earlier than the seventh century. Again, Lakulīsa of the medieval period is invariably in a sitting posture. It has two hands, one bear. ing a club or lakuta and the other a matulunga fruit. Another special feature of Lakulisa is the membrum virile which is shown upraised. But if he is represented in & standing posture, it is impossible to show it uplifted. It seems sufficient if his privates are exposed to view. When this feature is considered along with the fact that in the present case he wields a lakuta and buars matted hair on the head and a third eye in the forehead, there can be no reasonable doubt as to this being a standing figure of Lakulīša. This image is all the more important as it cannot but belong to the fourth century A.D.
We have already seen that only four faces of the shaft and one each of the top and the base have been fine-dressed. This clearly shows that our sculpture is not a pillar but a pilaster which was originally stuck up into the wall of some edifice. And we shall not be far from right if we maintain that it was one of many which decorated the exterior of the Teachers' Shrine'men. tioned in the inscription. The pilaster was already in existence when the inscription was engraved. This may be seen from the fact that the lines of the record run irregularly and that the second balf of the Aryā verse with which it should have ended could not be engraved as no space was available for it on the shaft. This is possible only when the pilaster is in situ and the engraver has to suit himself somehow to the exigencies of the case.
TEXT. 1 Siddham [1] Bhattāraka-mahārāja [rājādhi]rāja-bri-Samudragupta-sa2 tputrasya bhattāraka-ma[hārāja)-[rājādhidrāja-sri-Chandragupta. 3 sya vija-rajya-samvatsa[ro]' ...[Gupta]-kāl-ānuvarttamāna-sam4 vatsaro Ika-shashthā 60 1 ..
"pra]thamā sukla-divasē pam6 chamyam (l) asyāṁ purvväsyām) [bhalgasvat-Ku]sikäd-dabanuēna bhagava6' t-Parākarāch=chatur[th]@[na] [bhagavat-Ka]pi[la)-vimala-si7 shya-sishgēna bhagavad[- Upamita)- vimala-sishyēna 8 äryy-Odista]chāryyē[ņa] (sva)-pu[ny-alpyāyana-nimitta 9 gurūnām cha kirtva[rtham=Upamitēsva]ra-Kapilēsvarau
1 Archaol. Sure. Ind., An. Rep., 1906-1, p. 186.
[Vor the photograph wee A. 8. R., 1930-31, Epgl. Sook-Ed.) • The lacuna may be filled up with Aahadha-mdel
. Read vijaya-nd ya'.