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No. 24) BANDA PLATES OF PARACHAKRASALYA, SAMVAT 56, 136 reminds us of the early Buddhist author of that name, sometimes identified with Asvaghosha? Many of the remaining names show that their bearers were followers either of Saivism or of Vaishnavism. Some of them are rather quaint as personal names, Adhishthana, for instance. It may, however, be observed that Adhisthāna is known as one of the thousand names of Vishņu:
Apārnidhir-Adhisthānam-Apramattaḥ Pratishthitah". Similarly the words yajña and chaturvyūha also figure among the thousand appellations of Vishnu : Yajna Tjyo Mahējyas-cha Kratuh Sattram Satāngatih'
and Yajro Yajħapatir Yajvā Yajñāngo Yajnavähanah
and Chaturātmā Chaturvyūhas-Chaturdańshtrat=Chaturbhujah
and Chaturmūrtis-Chaturbāhus-Chaturvyuhas-Chaturgatih The four vyuhas hinted at in the name Chaturvyuha are Vasudeva, Sarkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, the significance of which is explained in the agamas such as the Ahirbudhnya Samhita.
It may be noted here that the name Chaturvyuha is engraved, not on the rock behind the Raghunāth temple, but lower down, at a distance, on a boulder along the steps leading to the water's edge where the pilgrims now take bath at the confluence of the two rivers. There is no other engraving on this boulder.
It may further be observed that the rock behind the Raghunāth temple, near the point where the name Mānaparvratah is engraved, has a vertical portion rubbed smooth as if by the constant flow of water. Again, at this very point, at the foot of the rock, the stone has been hollowed out into a shallow basin, so to say, likewise rubbed smooth. All this indicates that in olden days there was a waterfall at this place and that it was equally a sacred spot frequented by pilgrims.
No. 24.-BANDA PLATES OF PARACHAKRASALYA, SAMVAT 56
(1 Plate)
D. C. SIRCAR, OOTACAMUND About the end of November 1950, I visited Russelkonda, headquarters of the Ghumeur Subdivision of the Ganjam District, Orissa. There I met Mr. D. P. Tripathi, then Revenue Divisional Officer of Ghumour, who kindly gave me the information that he had once seen a set of inscribed copper plates in the possession of Mr. B. S. Mahanti, then Secretary of the Revenue Department, Government of Orissa, Cuttack. I at once wrote to Mr. Mahanti requesting him to be so good as to lend me the plates for a few weeks for examination. Mr. Mahanti kindly responded to my
See A. Berriedale Keith, A History of Sanskrit Literature, p. 64. * Vishnusahasranama, 50. *Ibid., 63.
Ibid., 119. Ibid., 30. • Ibid., 97.
