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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
TRANSLATION.
[VOL. XXIII.
Om Blessings.
(Verse 1) May the matted locks of hair of Sambhu, in which the particles of ashes are separated by the overflowing waters of the Ganga (on his head), which are touched by the soft rays of the moon (also on his head) as if by white lotus fibres, of which the lustre is daubed by the red rays of the entwining snakes bearing sparkling gems on their hoods, and which are slackened because of their knot being set aside on account of Parvati's union accompanied with a grasp of His hair, protect you!
(Verse 2) (There was a person) famous amongst the people of Kalinga, named Pulindasõna, tall, with charming arms as stout as the trunk of a large elephant, having a chest as broad as the fragment(?) of a black mountain, and whose eyes were as large as the soft petals of lotuses.
(Verse 3) By him, though so accomplished and great in spirit, (the rulership over) the circle of the earth was not longed for. (By this person) denying the pleasure of rulership, thinking as to who (else) would be the man that would be able to rule over the earth, was worshipped the lord Svayambhu (Brahma) the eternal, and (the latter) being desirous of creating (one), according to his heart's desires, granted his prayer.
(Verse 4) As (he) was observed as splitting asunder pieces of rocks, Sailōdbhava was made by this wise (god) as the lord with an illustrious dynasty (of rulers originating from him) vouchsafed. (Verse 5) A descendant in the family of Sailōdbhava was Aranabhita, by whom, at the time of the rise of the moon-light, the moon was caused to tremble, along with their own intellect, in the waters from the eye-lashes of the wives of his enemies who were frightened repeatedly.
(Verse 6) Of him who was equal to the lord of gods, (i.e., Indra), the very great king Sainyabhita was the son; by obtaining him who attained victory in which prevailed calmness of disposition (even) in havoc caused (amongst his enemies) by rows of many hundreds of elephants, (as her lord), the Earth felt delighted.
(Verse 7) Afterwards, in his family was born King Ayasobhita, whose name carried a true import, by whom was purged, by means of his illustrious deeds, the accumulated dirt on the mirror of the Kali age.
(Verse 8) Then was born his son, of meritorious deeds, the king, named Sainyabhita, who is (as it were) a lotus to the bee-like eyes of all ladies, and the edge of whose sword is playfully active in splitting asunder the frontal globes of the huge elephants (of his enemies).
(Verse 9) By this (king), while in great prosperity, is made illustrious his own family, just like a lotus pool (in which the lotuses are) opened by the sun while rising; and on account of his majesty his enemies, with the power of their own circle of kings reduced, meet with destruction, just as all (the other) planets (disappear), with the brilliance of their own discs diminished, on account of the lustre (of the sun).
(Verse 10) By this Śrinivasa, who is skilful in the act of destruction of the partisans of his highly insolent enemies, the gods are made to enjoy extreme satisfaction on account of (his perfor
1 This king caused death of his enemies, whose wives were therefore compelled to shed tears of sorrow on account of their widowhood which destroyed for ever their union with their husbands at moon-rise.
* Elephants played an important part in the army of the Kalinga kings in ancient times.
It may be noted that the words, udaya, mandala and dipti as used in this verse convey by lesha the double mennings,(i) prosperity and (ii) rise, (i) the statal circle of kings and (ii) disc, and (i) majesty and (ii) lustre, respectively
Sainyabhita-Madhava varman had a biruda Srinivasa, which also means Vishnu, as well as an abode of royalty.
