________________
180
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
2521. The grant was written by Skandabhata, the minister for peace and war (1. 31), and the Dutaka was Chirbbira (1. 32). The date of the grant is the fifteenth day of the dark half of Vaisakha of (the Gupta-Valabhi) Samvat 254 (1. 32) when there was a solar eclipse (Süryōparāga 1. 22).
Both the Dutaka and the writer in this grant are the same as in the seven grants of Dharasēna II of Sam. 252. In his grant of Sam. 269 however the Dutaka was a different person.
As regards the localities mentioned in the grant it is well known that Valabhi is modern Vaļā in Käthiäwär. The village of Kaundinyapura can be identified with Koḍinar in south Kathiawar. The village Bhaṭṭakapat(d)ra in the Surashtras cannot be identified.
Of Dharasena II as many as twelve grants are known: seven of these are of Sam. 252, one of Sam. 269, two of Sam. 270 and the remaining two being fragmentary do not give the dates. The most interesting point about the date of the present grant is the mention of a solar eclipse on the fifteenth day of the dark half of Vaisakha in Sam. 254. Though as many as 9 grants were issued by Valabhi kings on the amāvāsya-day (mostly on the amavasya of Vaisakha), it is only this grant that makes mention of a solar eclipse. It is also probably the earliest mention of an eclipse in an epigraphical record. According to Mr. L. D. Swamikannu Pillai's Indian Ephemeris (Vol. I, part I, pp. 220 f.) there was a solar eclipse in the month of Chaitra (i.e., Vaisakha according to the Purnimanta calculation) on 19th March 573 A.D. which may be taken to be the date of the grant.
TEXT.
17
[VOL. XXI.
First Plate.
1 च खस्ति [] वलभीतः प्रसभ
15 पार्थिवधीः परममाहेश्वरः श्रीमहाराजधर्सनली सम्बनिवायुशक
वाप्तये सुराष्ट्रेषु
Second Plate.
18 कौण्डिन् र उत्तरपट्टे भाकपच (द) ग्रामसोदनः
20 मैचायणिकसब्रह्मचारिशाण्डित्यसगोत्रब्राह्मणदेवदत्ताय
·
4. B. B. R. A. S., Vol. I (N. S.), p. 66; Ind. Ant., Vol. VII, p. 70.
1. B. B. R. A. S., Vol. I (N. 8.), pp. 24 and 21.
aferveturforvitn
तिथिपंचमहावाचिका
21 at farat gardandurazmislaufefafa(frufa)uzareita: gaûtur
auritou: you
Above, Vol. XI, p. 80.
Bee n. 3.
Ind. Ant., Vols. XV, p. 187; VII, p. 68; VIII, p. 301; XIII, p. 160; Ski. and Phi. Inacre. of Kathiawal,
p. 35; Annals of the Bhandarkar Institute, Vol. IV, pp. 38 ff. and Above Vol. XI, p. 80.
Ind. Ant., Vol. VI, p. 9.
As the text is practically identical with that of the Palitana grant of Sam. 282 (Above, Vol. XI, p. 80) only the most important portion is given here. It may be noted that the names of Bhatiska, Drinasithha, Dhruva sona, Dharapada and Guhasena, are recorded in the lines 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 12 respectively.
• Road चरसेन.
