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134
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[Vol. XXVII
The language of the record is Sanskrit, while its composition is partly in verse and partly in prose. It exhibits various mistakes, most of which are to be ascribed to the engraver. As regards the orthographical peculiarities, the following points deserve notice: (1) A final n is invariably changed to an annsevira, as in friman, 1. 2: smiri, 1. 3.; etc. This resultant anustāra becomes reclundant, when the following letter is a vowel, in which case the original n is retained or, so to say, restored, as in sareanimiva, 1. 36. (2) A consonant preceding or succeeding r is occasionally reduplicated, as in pultros, 1.5: kirili, I. 2: etc. (3) The guttural nasal is used instead of anusvira in o ff, 1.41, while the same word is used in its correct forin elsewhere, vainah, 1.33. (4) In rūja-si[ni*lyhail. I. 31, yh has taken the place of h. (5) As a rule, a separate sign is used for h, but twice, in 11. 8 and 26, it is represented by that of v. (6) In cyikrishya, I. 22, ri is wrongly represented by ri. In such cases as sitwaninciliyi[l*). 1. 16, and likhitain=-cha, 1. 48, the anusvāra is superfluous. ('onversely, in prasunaxi, I. 7, the # is redundant. Besides, there are certain other irregularities, such as omission of samli, cisary, arusevīra and even of letters, wrong sandhi, etc., which have been duly pointed out in the text and the footnotes ad led thereto.
The object of the inscription is to register the grant of a village, called Vardhamānaka, included in the Panchagarta district of the Northern province of Mēkala, 'to one Lohitasarasvāmin of the Vatsa gölra, a follower of the Mädhyandina šākhā of the Sukla Yajurvēda. The yrantor is a king, Bharatabala by name, who is stated to belong to th: Pandava lineage, ruling over the country of Makala. We shall by and by have occasion to discuss a more detailed history of this ruler. The charter is stated to have been issued on the 13th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada in the 2nd regnal year, composed by Siva. son of Rālasika Ikana, and engraved by Mihiraka, son of the goldsmith Isvara.?
It will readily be perceived that the village of Bamhani, the findspot of the present plates, is the modern representative of Vardhamanaka, the village granted, the present name being a possible contraction of the original term. As regards the vishaya of Panchagarta, it is difficult to locate it precisely, but, as its name indicates, it must refer to a region around Bamhani, watered by five rivers or rivulets. A well-known example of this kind of designation is Traigarta or Trigarta, the ancient name of the territory including the district of Kängră in the Panjab. Trigarta, it is explained, is so called because it is watered by three rivers namely the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej. Here the word gartā is obviously to be taken in the sense of a valley. In the present instance, the five rivulets probably refer to five of the tributaries of the river Son, which are shown on the map to be at a short distance from one another on either side of the village Bambani. Mr. K. L. Pancholi, Deputy Commissioner, Sõhāgpur Division, kindly informs me of the existence of a village called Pachgaon, about three miles south of Sabdol, which possibly represents the headquarters of the ancient district of Panchagartā.? More interesting is, however, the mention of
This apparent solecism is reminiscent of the cognate usage in the Vedic texts where, however, a » in such CaHOS is represented by an ununāsika. Compare, for example, tatha lõkā akul prayan (Tailliriyakaranyaka, Anandaáranis series, Poona, 1898, p. 199).
* See, however, below p. 145, n. 7.
* The city of Trigarti, mentioned in Somadēva's Kathasaritsägara (taranga 73, v. 21), has perhaps nothing to do with this Trigarta.
Cunningham, A. 8. I. Reports, Vol. V, p. 148. See also N. L. Dey'd lleographical Dictionary of Ancient aud Mediacul Tulin, p. 205; under the word Trigartta.
It nlso means stream which does not extend to more than, sky, ten milos'. Compare : Dhanuh-sahasr. any-vinhlan cha gatir=yünāti un vidyate nu ti nadi-seda-vaha gartās=täh parikirlitik. This is cited from the Chhandou-aribishfu by Kullüka in his commentary Mancurthamuklätali on the Manusmriti, IV, 203.
Soe The One Millionth Map of India (Political Edition)-India and Adjacent Countries, Shoe No. 64. The village of Bamhanl is given there at a point roughly 23° 15' N., 81° 48' E.
However, see below, p. 142, n. 6.
