________________
182
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. XXL.
unploughable land ?), to the north of the field of Khuddaka, to the east of the field of Nannuvaka, (and) to the south of the junction of the boundary of the village
Bhadāsaka (with that of the village Dabhaka). (3) In the same village in its south-east quarter an irrigation well with an area of eighteen
pādārarlas, dug by Kutumbi Kapardiys of the same village. It lies to the west of the field irrigated by (prachchiha) the Khajjūri well, to the north of the field of Sõssaka and a canal, to the east of the play-ground (and) to the south of the old
way by the side of Dabhaka. (4) Similarly in the village Hastihfidaka in the Sirāvātākāka-sthali in its southern quarter
seventy superfluous (ulbana) pādāvartas of the field of Kutumbi Nāgilaka, to the west of the temple of ?) Sankarikā...(i.e., goddess Bhavani) built by the villagers, to the north of the field of Khachchabbaya, to the east of the junction of the boundary of Sauviraka, to the south of the limit of the field irrigated by
(prachchiha) the well called Siridraha. The Dūtaka, who executed the grant was the prince Samanta Siliditya and it was written by Vattrabhatti, the chief secretary and the minister for peace and war.
The record concludes with the date the seventh day of the bright half of Māgha of (Gupta-Valabhi) Samvat 304 and the sign-manual (of the king).
The historical importance of the inscription lies in the fact that no date was hitherto found between Samvat 292, the latest date of Sīlāditya I and 310, the earliest date of Dhruvasena Il Bälāditya. Although we know that two rulers (viz., Kharagraha (I) and Dharasēna III) had ruled in the intervening period, no record was so far found of either of them. The present grant gives us a record and a date for one of these rulers and partly fills up the gap existing between Sam. 292 and 310.
The Dütaka of the present grant, viz., Samanta Silāditya, is the same as is found in the earlier grants of Dhruvasēna II-Bälāditya. The writer Vattrabbatti is mentioned in the grants of Siladitya-Dharmāditya beginning with the year 286 and also in the grants of Dhruvasēna IIBälāditya at least up to the year 313. From Sam. 320 to 330 his son Skandabhata succeeded him as the keeper of records and writer of grants and from 334 to 366 Anahila the son of Skandabhata. We know that another Skandabhata (probably the father of Vattrabhatti) was the writer of the later grants of Guhasēna beginning with the year 246 and in all the grants of Dharasēna II from 252 to 270 just before Vattrabhatti. The office was thus held by four generations in this family for at least 120 years.
The following places are mentioned in the record: Surăshtrā mentioned as a vishaya, Hastavapra mentioned as an āhāra, Kāläpaka mentioned as a pathaka, Sirāvātākāka and Arishtijjikā, mentioned as sthalis and Amākärakūpa, Dabhaka, Bhadásaka, Hastihșidaka and Chūţikā all these mentioned as villages. Of these Surăshtră is the old name of the Käthiāwār peninsula. Though in later time and at the present day Soraţha denotes only the southern part of Käthiāwār, it appet is that eastern Käthiāwār was once included in Surashtra since Hastavapra, which is modern Háthab' in Bhavnagar State is said to be in Surashtrā. Kālāpaka
Above, pp. 117 ff. Ind. An, Vol. VI, P. 12.
Vary rooontly Me. Gadre, the present Curator of the Rajkot Museum has diecovered a grant of Kharagrubs dated Samh. 247 of. Ann. Hep. Watson Mw. 1931-32, p. 7.
Ind. Ant., Vol. LIV, App. p. 49.
