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No. 301
CHHOTI DEORI STONE INSCRIPTION OF SANKARAGANA
171
this difference that the lower curve is turned to the left instead of to the right. The form of p in kapili, 1.2 and puna, 1.9, which closely resembles that of d is also noteworthy. L has three different shapes in lighatan, 1.8, likhatann, 1.9 and likhitar, 1.10. The form of 6, the left limb of which has developed a curve separated from the vertical on the right and that of k which has a triangle on the left show that the inscription is not earlier than the seventh century A.D. On the other hand, j, though slauting, has not yet turned its middle horizontal bar into u vertical ; d and r show no tail and the upper part of is not closed. In these respects the characters of the present inscription show a much earlier stage than those of the Kārītalāi stone inscription of Lakshmayarāja 1, dated K. 593 (A.D. 841-42). It does not, therefore, appear to be later than the middle of the eighth century A.D.:
The language is very incorrect Sanskrit, being probably influenced by the local dialect. Vishaye for instance is written as vuse, 1.6, and haïke used in the sense of iha. Except for a verse in praise of Siva, the whole record is in proge. The orthography does not call for any special notice.
After the opening Siddhih namah, the inscription has a verse in praise of Siva which indicates that the temple to which the inscribed pillar belonged must have been dedicated to Siva. We are next told that during the reign of the illustrious Sankarayana, there was Chutu Nāguka in (charge of) the vishaya of Kakandakutu. The next two lines are somewhat obscure, but they seem to record his donation of a granary (kuduru, Sanskrit kridara) in Kurikatin and Asēkatin which appear to be the names of two villages in the neighbourhood.
From the palaeography of the present inscription detailed above, it is clear that the king Sankaragana mentioned in it is identical with the homonymous ruler mentioned in the Saugor stone inscription. As shown in the article on that inscription, he probably flourished about the middle of the cighth century A.D.
There are three place-names mentioned in the present record, but none of them can be satisfactorily identified. Kakandakutu may be identical with Khutuuda about 6 miles to the east of Deori, if we suppose that the original name has lost its initial part. Karikatin, which in its initial portion resembles Käritalai (situated about 30 miles to the east), is perhaps represented by Khurai, 4 miles to the south of Deori Māhā. Asēkatin cannot be identified.
TEXT 1 fafa: [*] : [1*] twe[*] [z]*** (at)ti[] 2 [W][:*] *9(91) ff ( ) [*T*:*] (fr) TFT (9)#[:*] g :3 Har qapura [7]* * (at) far
1 Above, Vol. XXIII, p. 255 ff.
Cunningham thought that the characters of the inscription are perhaps as early as the 7th century. See his A. 8. I. R., Vol. XXI, p. 159. R. D. Banerji, on the other hand, identified the king Sankaragana mentioned in it with the homonymous son of Lakshmanarāja (II) whom he placed in the middle of the tenth century A. D. See his Haihayas of Tripuri, etc. (M. A. 8. I., No. 23), p. 13. But the characters of the inscription are too early for such a late date.
From inked estampages. * Expressed by a symbol. 5 The anusvåra on kha and Sa is very faint. • This danda is superfluous. 7 What looks like an anusvara on bha and ra is a fault in the stone. 8 Read durálmahá.
Perhaps pannaya-dhari-kankapak is intended, but it does not yield a good sons. Read pannaga-huola kankupah.
