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116
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(Vol. XXVI.
recorded in words as one hundred and sixteenth year of the kings (of the Gupta dynasty), which is equivalent to A.D. 435. No season, month or day is specified. In the genealogical portion, the first existing verse seems to allude to Samudragupta. The next verse eulogiges his (son and) successor Chandragupta as one who conquered the earth extending as far as the oceans. In line 2 Kumăragupta is described as Chandragupta's son, who protected the whole earth as his lawful wife. Line 3 follows with the name of Ghatotkachagupta who is compared to the moon and is praised as having attained the fame of his ancestors.
The inscription refers itself to the reign of Kumāragupta who is described as shining (i.e. ruling) over the earth as the sun in winter, in the year 116 of the (Gupta) kings. Thus Chandragupta and Kumāragupta of our inscription are the same as Chandragupta II and his son Kumāragupta I of the Imperial Gupta dynasty.
The main historical importance of the inscription lies in the information it contains about Ghatotkachagupta. That he was a member of the Imperial Gupta family is shown by the manner in which he is referred to in this inscription. His mention immediately after Kumāragupta who was occupying the imperial throne at the time of the inscription is perhaps to be explained by the hypothesis that Ghatotkachagupta was then holding the office of the governor of the province of Airikiņa (Eran) which included Tumbavana (Tumain), the provenance of the inscription. Unfortunately the word expressing the exact relationship between Kumāragupta (the ruling Emperor) and Ghatotkachagupta (the provincial governor) is lost in the missing portion of the inscription. Ghatotkachagupta was probably & son or possibly a younger brother of Kumāragupta I.
So far, the name of Ghatotkachagupta was known from two documents: (1) & clay seal found at Basich bearing the inscription Sri Ghatol kachaguptasya, and (2) a coin' in the St. Petersburg collection which according to Mr. Allan bears on the obverse traces of a marginal legend ending in Guptah and beneath the king's arm Ghafo with a crescent above, and on the reverse a legend which seems to read Kramādityaḥ.
The late Dr. Bloch was inclined to identify Ghatotkachagupta of the Basāļh seal with Maharāja Ghatotkacha, the father and predecessor of Chandragupta I and this view was accepted by the late Dr. V. A. Smith. But Mr. Allan pointed out the difficulties in the way of this identification and surmised that Ghatotkachagupta was probably a member of the Imperial Gupta family, who held some office at the court of the Yuvarāja at Vaisāli (Basāph) during the reign of Chandragupta II. The Ghatostkachagupta) of the coin in the St. Petersburg collection is believed by Mr. Allan to be still another Ghatotkachagupta on the ground that the style and weight of the coin place it about the end of the 5th century, and he says that it therefore cannot be referred either to Ghatotkacha, the father of Chandragupta I, or to Ghatotkachagupta of the Basāļh seal. Mr. Allan's view is corroborated by our inscription. There is little doubt that the Ghatotkachagupta of our inscription who, in G. E. 116, was probably the governor of Airikina, during the reign of Kumāragupta I, is identical with the Ghatotkachagupta of the Basah seal.
Two place names oocur in this inscription. These are Vațodaka in line 4 and Tumbavana in line 6. Tumbavana which is mentioned in six of the votive inscriptions' on 1 See line 3 of the text.
1 A.R., A.8.1., for 1903-04, pp. 102 and 107. Allan's Catalogue of the coins of the Gupta dynasties, etc., Introduction, p. liv, p. 149 and plate XXIV. 3. • J.R.A. . for 1905, p. 163 and Early History of India (1914 ed., p. 280, Note 1).
Allan's Catalogue, Introduction, pp. xvi-Ivi and liv. Allan's Catalogue, Introduction, pliv.
Nou. 16, 178, 18, 20, 21, and 848 in Montements of Sanchi, Vol. I, pp. 301, 302, and 335. Also abovo, Vol. X, Appendix, Laders' Liet, Nos. 450, 201, 202, 110, and K20.
