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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[Vol. XXVII The weight of the three plates with the uncut ring is 255 tolas. They resemble the Mallār plates of Maha-Sivagupta' in shape and size. The rims of the plates, like those of the Mallār plates, are not raised. The surface of the seal which is deeply counter-sunk, is divided into three parts. The upper part bears in relief the figure of a couchant bull with a trisüla in front. Close to the trisüla to the proper left side is seen one figure, which we may take for a horn (sringa) or a trumpot. To the right side is found the figure of a kamandalu or water-jar having some object on it which is not distinct. Below this comes the legend in two lines, which is separated from the device by two horizontal parallel lines. Below the legend is shown a large full-blown lotus flanked by two leaves.
The record consists of 32 lines, there being eight lines on each inscribed face. The letters are neatly and deeply engraved. Their average size is .4' in height. The characters are of the boxheaded variety and closely resemble those on the Mallār plates of the same king and on the Baloda and Räjim platest of Tivaradeva, the grand-uncle of the donor of the present plates. The peculiarities worth noticing here are: (1) The frequent use of medial si instead of subscript r; o specially in the word sri it is very conspicuous (lines 4, 13). (2) There is absolutely no difference between the signs of medial 7 and au. Perhaps the same sign is used for both and we have to read it according to the context. See, e.g., saurya in line 3, paurnna-in lines 10 and 32, gauravāt in line
28.
The language is Sanskrit, and with the exception of the customary benedictory and imprecatory verses at the end, the whole record is in prose. The first sentence is almost identical in wording with that found in the Mallär plates.
Liko tho Mallār plates, this charter also does not contain the name of the place of issue, but unlike them, it gives the date in the regnal year of the king in clear words and figures, which is 57.
The plates were issued by the illustrious Mahă-Śivaguptarājadēva, son of the illustrious Harshadēva, who was born in the lunar dynasty and was a devout worshipper of Mahēśvara (Siva). They record the donation of the village Vaidyapadraka in the bhoga or sub-division of Oni.
The donation was made for the offerings to and worship, with music, dancing and feeding. of god Siva Išāneśvara enshrined in the temple at Pattanz Khedirapa:lra-tala, and for the repairs and maintenance of that structure. It was made on the full-moon day of Kārttika.
This Mahi-Sivaguptarāja, son of king Harshagupta, also called Harshadēva as the texts of the present plates and the Mallār plates have, is described as Bālārjuna in the Lakshman templo insariptions belonging to his mother Vasată who was the daughter of king Suryavarman of the Varman dynasty of Magadha. This Sūryavarman was the son of the Maukhari king Išānavarman and had at least a son named Bhaskaravarman, at whose request, his nephew (sister's son) king Maha-Sivaguptarijadléva, had donated a village cailed Kailasapura to a Bhikshu-Sangha. The Haråhå stone ingaription? which gives the genealogy of the Maukhari kings, has the date 611
1 Above, Vol. XXIII, pp. 113 ff.
3 Above. Vol. XXIII, pp. 113 ff. Mallar is in the adjoining district of Bilaspur and is about 57 miles northwest of Lodhia.
Above, Vol. VII, pp. 102 ff. Baloda is in the Phuljhar Zamindari within the district of Raipur and is about 30 miles south-east from Lodhiä.
.CII. Vol. III (Fleet's Gupta Inscriptions), pp. 291 ff. . Above, Vol. XI, pp. 184ff. . Mallår plates of Maha-Sivagupta, above, Vol. XXIII, pp. 113 ff. Above, Vol. XIV, P. 115.
