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No. 27] BILAIGARH PLATES OF KALACHURI PRITHVIDEVA ; YEAR 896 195 in line 3. The sign for u is invariably the one made up of three vertical stokes, the first being ourved at the lower end. Y as the second component of a conjunot letter looks more like p: The wo of b proper is detected in two places, viz., babhüvar- in line 6 and babhüva in line 13. This b is almost like p except that its box is more angular at the bottom. In regard to orthography, with the exception of the two instances noted above, b is invariably substituted by u. S is used for s in some cases; 0.g., sudhyati and prasasti in line 34. The consonant following is generally doubled, there being a few exceptions ; e.g., Käritavirya in line 3, sauléau) rya in line 6 and surya in line 27. The language is Sanskirt and the composition, except for the salutation to Brahman in the beginning and the date at the end, is in verse. There are 24 verses in all and they are duly numbered.
Like other inscriptions of the Kalachuris of Ratanpur, the epigraph opens with an obeisance to Brahman and recounts the genealogy of the family commencing with the sun god. Přithvidēva II, son of Ratnadēva II, is the last king eulogised (verse 11), and to his regin the record pertains. Verses 1-10 with the exception of one narrating the exploit of Kärtavirya against Rāvana,' which is omitted, are identical with those in other charters of the family. Next comes the description of a distinguished family of learned Brähmanas of the Vatsa götra (verses 12-15). Three membrs of this family are described ; viz., Härūka, his son Jimütavāhana, and the latter's son Dēlhūka. In regard to Delhūka we are told that he was a master of the Sākambhari Vidy, and that learning the secret of this lore from him, the famous feudatory chief Brahmadēva Vanquished all his enemies on the fields of battle. The object of the epigraph is to register the gift of the village Pamdaratalãi situated in the Evadi manddala, made in favour of Dēlhūka by Prithvidēva II ((verse 16). Verses 17-22 contain the usual exhortations for the protection of such gifts and the imprecation. The charter was drafted by Malbana son of Subhankara, who was learned and had earned reputatin on account of his many compositions (verse 23). The copper material was put into shape by Vamana. The record was written on the plates by the son of Kirti and engraved by the son of Lakshmidhara (verse 24).
The date as cited in the last line (line 36), is Samvat 896, evidently referring to the Kalachuri era. After these numerals are engraved the three aksharas, a mi ne, the significance of which is not clear. In line 27 there is a statement to the effect that the grant was made on the occasion of the solar eclipse. If we take 247-48 A.C. as the beginning of the era, K. 896 would correspond to 1144 A.C. In this year there was a solar eclipse on December 26, Tuesday, in the Purnimānta month of Mägha. We may note the occurrence of solar eclipses in the Purniminta month of Ashādha in the following two years, viz., on June 22, Friday, 1145 A.C., and on June 11, Tuesday, 1146 A.C. The Rājim stone inscription of this king's reign is dated K. 896, Māgha su. 8, Wednesday, and this date has been shown to correspond regularly to January 3, 1145 A.C. by Kielhorn. In view of the identical Kalachuri year cited in these two epigraphs, it seems reasonable to assume that December 26, 1144 A.C. is the date of the present inscription.
Verse 11 narrates an historical event relating to Pţithvidēva II, when it states rather poetically that, by crushing Chakrakota, he made the illustrious Ganga king feel frightfully anxious, since the
Compare similar form and use of booourring in the Daikonf plates of this same king , above, Vol. XXVIII, p. 146.
* Ibid., p. 163, verse 3." Compare for instance the two sets of Amodă plates of Prithvideva II , Ind. Hist. Quart., Vol. I, 405 ff.
To venture a conjecture, the expression amind may be taken to be a contraction for Ashadhasya or buimasya mitra-dine. But this presumption would not solve the difficulties in the calculation of the date.
Ind. Ant., Vol. XVII, p. 136. In the Rajim inscription Magha bu. 8 is mentioned as rathashtami. The significance of this name, as noted by Kielhorn, cannot be explained satisfactorily. We may incidentally noto another tradition according to which this tithi is termed Bhishmash fami; Indian Ephemeris, Vol. I, pt. I, pp. 64 and 67.
