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170
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXVII
TRANSLATION.
Success: Om! Adoration to Siva! Hail! During the increasingly victorious reign of the Paramabhaṭṭāraka, Mahārājādhirāja, Paramesvara, the illustrious Sankaraganadēva, who meditates on the feet of the Paramabhattaraka, Mahārājādhirāja, Paramesvara, the illustrious Vamarājadēva
(There is) the illustrious Deuka, the son of Räväryarāja, the mass of light sprung from the family of Kalaireya (who is) the Paramesvara (ruler) of Kasapura. The wife of the same is the queen, the illustrious Krishnadevi, born in the family of Loniya, who announces this meritorious work (kirti) on the surface of the earth, for the religious merit of these, (her) mother and father...
No. 30-CHHOTI DEORI STONE INSCRIPTION OF SANKARAGANA
(1 Plate)
V. V. MIRASHI, AMRAOTI
This inscription was first brought to notice by General Sir Alexander Cunningham in his Archeological Survey of India Report for 1883-84. He again referred to it in the next year's report and published a lithograph of it. The inscription was subsequently noticed by Dr. (then Mr.) D. R. Bhandarkar in Mr. Cousens' Progress Report of the Archaeological Survey of Western India for 1903-4, p. 54, and by Rai Bahadur Hiralal in his Inscriptions in the Central Provinces and Berar. Though noticed several times, the inscription has defied all attempts at interpretation; for, Cunningham was told that the language of the inscription was not Sanskrit. Dr. Bhandarkar also has remarked: What the language of the inscription is cannot be made out.' The inscription is edited here for the first time from ink impressions kindly supplied by the Superintendent, Archæological Survey, Central Circle, Patna.
Chhoti Deori (Small Deori) is situated on the left bank of the Ken, about 16 miles to the west of Jokahi, in the Murwärä tahsil of the Jubbulpur District in the Central Provinces. The village is so called probably to distinguish it from the larger village named Deori which lies about five miles to the west. It is also called Madha Deori on account of a number of small temples (mathis), from thirty to forty in number, which lie buried in dense jungle. According to Cunningham, all these were most probably Saiva shrines. The pillar on which the present inscription is incised must have also belonged to a Saiva temple as is indicated by its contents. The pillar is 7 feet 2 inches high and I foot square. The inscription of 11 lines is near the top; in the middle there are two seated figures, male and female; and below there is a standing male figure.'
As stated above, the inscription consists of eleven lines. It covers a space l' " broad by 1' 2" high. It is in a state of fair preservation. The characters belong to the proto-Nagari alphabet, resembling those of the Saugor stone inscription. They are very carelessly written. Several groups of aksharas are unnecessarily repeated in 11.4 and 5 as well as in 11.10 and 11. The marks for the medial vowels and visarga are omitted in many cases. The form of kh in kham[?]a-, 1.1, likhatam, 1.9, and likhitam, 1.10 is peculiar. It resembles somewhat the conjunct ksha, with
1 This probably refers to the temple of Siva where the inscribed panel was apparently put up.
* Cunningham, A. S. I. R., Vol. XXI, pp. 100 and 159, plate XXVIII.
Second edition, p. 38.
R. D. Banerji identified these with Siva and Paravati. See his Haihayas of Tripuri, etc., (M. A. S. I., No. 23), p. 77.
Cunningham A. S. I. R., Vol. XXI, p. 100. For a photograph of the pillars see R. D. Baneri... Haihayas of Tripurs, etc., plate XXVIII.
Above, pp. 163 ft.
