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No.50]
TWO INSCRIPTIONS FROM KELGA
323
won.
Yajur vēda. He was an inhabitant of Kamalapura, although his family hailed from Mahuvili in the Sävatha (Srāvasti) mandala. The grant was made on the occasion of an auspicious day in the month of Māgha in the first regnal year of Sõmēsvara at the request of Nāyaler Mahipati and Bhatta Aniruddha, both of whom appear to have been called Mahäsandhivigrahin (minister for war and peace) and Rānaka (title of a subordinate ruler). Tha king's order regarding the grant was addressed to the village folk including Brāhmaṇas, Bhögins and Bhögi-rūpas as well as to the officials including the vishaya-pati (ruler of a district), khanda-pati (ruler of a sub-division of a district) and dāndapāśika (police inspector). The word bhõgin may indicate 'a village headman' or 'an ināmdar'; but the expression bhögi-rupa, which seems to mean one who is a bhögin partially or outwardly', possibly supports the second of the two meanings of bhögin suggested above. A bhogi-rupa may indicate one who is a mera title-holder but is not in actual possession of the land in question.
The list of privileges to be enjoyed by the donze included, besides the ordinary ones noticed in many charters, the suvarna-danda, ahi-danda, vartma-danda, vandā panā, vijayavandapand, trin-odaka, sasan-ārdhika, chara-balivarda, arthāruvā, pratyarthäruvā, padali-javya, adattā, aturdvaddi, go-gauda and khandapāliya. Although some of the expressions are not entirely unintelligible, the real significance of the privileges indicated by all these expressions is difficult to determine in the present state of our knowledge. Many of these are also known from some other inscriptions.
Sõmēsvaradēva, the donor of the grant, is described as belonging to the Soma-kula and as a devout worshipper of Mahēśvara (Siva). Although he enjoyed the imperial titles, Paramabhattaraka and Paramēšvara, ha calls himself Kumārādhirāja (also Kumāra) instead of the expected Mahārājādhirāja. The epithet Paschima-Lank-ādhipati indicates that Som svaradava was originally the governor of Paschima-Lankā (literally, the western island), situated somewhere in South Kosala, under the Sömavami king of that country. The title Kumīrādhirāja reminds us of the similar title Mahākumāra adopted by some rulers of the Paramira fainily. The uncertain political condition which necessitated the adoption of the title Mahākumāra by some Paramära rulers is binted at in epigraphic passages like srimaj-Jayavarmulēva-rājye vyatite nija-kara-dhrita-karavāla-prasād-āvāpta-nij-adhipatya.... mahākumāra-śrīmal-Lakshmivarmalēvi, "the Mahākumara, the illustrious Lakshmivarmadeva, who obtained sovereignty of his own by the favour of the sword which he carried in his hand, when the rule by the illustriou Jayavarmadēva had passed away ", sri-Jayavarma leo ity- smit prishthatama-prabhöh prasādāvāpta-nij-adhipatya.... mahäkumara-sri-Harischanlsadevah," the Vahikumara, the illustrious Harischandradēva, who obtained sovereignty of his own by the favour of the last ruler, before mentioned, the illustrious Jayavarmadēva", etc. It is very interesting to note that the S5.navamsi Kumāra or Kumārādhirāja Sömēsvara is similarly said to have issued the charter after the end of the rule of Abhimanyu who had been installed in the Kösala kingdom that is said to have been presented to him by Uddyōtakosarin. The Sõmavarni king Mahābhava gupta IV Uddyōtakogarin, who was the son of Mahāśivagupta III Yayati Chandihara and grandson of Abhimanyu (who did not rule), is known from his Balijhari plates. Our inscription represents Uddyōtakēsarin as Mahābhavagupta-păd-anudhyāta. It is apparently a mistake for Mahāśivaguptapād-anudhyāta which is used in the same context in the Balijhari plates (cf. lines 29-33). While discussing the history of the Sõmavamsis of Kösala (South Kosala) and Utkala, we have suggested
C. Balijhari plates, J.B.O.R.S., Vol. XVII, pp. 1 ff. Unfortunately there are numerous errors in the published transcript of this inscription. Trinoda ka and khandapalı are mentioned in some Orissan records in connection with land that was declared as a rent-free gift but was subject to pay ment of cert.in taxes. See above, Vol. XII, pp. 156 11., line 20; Vol. XXIV, pp. 15 ff., lines 33-34; J. A. S. B., N. S., Vol., XII, pp. 292 ff., lines 32-33; J. R. A. 8., 1952, pp. 6 ff. Gauda is the same as gökuta meaning '* cowherd'.
Ray, Dyn-stic History of Northern India, Vol. II, pp. 889 ff.; I.H.Q., Vol. XXII, pp. 304-05. J. B.O.R.S., Vol. XVII, pp. 1 ff.
