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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXX The name of the issuer of the charter under discussion, viz. Mabanmadāhavabhañja, is rather peculiar. It cannot be ignored that merely the king's name, shorn of epithets excepting Sri or Srimat, is expected in this context and that the charana of the verse containing the lengthy name has actually several syllables in excess. It has also to be noticed that the legend on the seal offers apparently the same name in the shorter form as Mähadabhanja. The expression Mahanmadāhava is impossible according to Sanskrit grammar. If, as Mr. P. B. Desai suggests to me, the intended reading of the passage in question is briman-Mahadahavabhanja, we may have a good name, viz., Mahadāhavabhañja. But, even in that case, the name of the same ruler as found on the seal remains inexplicable unless it is conjectured that Mähadă was a colloquial abbreviation or mistake for Mahadāhava.
The Adi-Bhañjas of Khiching claimed. descent from Ganadanda Virabhadra, born of a pea-hen's egg. The pea-fowl was probably the totem of this family of rulers. This fact seems to be connected with the name of the old State of Mayurbhanj (Mayura-bhaja) which, however, may have also been the name of a person. Whether Virabhadra, probably also called AdiBhañja, was further known by the name Mayūra bhanja because of his birth from a pea-hen's egg cannot of course be determined in the present state of our knowledge. The epithet Ganadanda, applied to him, cannot be satisfactorily explained. Possibly Virabhadra was identified with Siva's creation of that name who was the leader of the god's Ganu or host of attendants. Köttābrama, birth-place of Virabhadra, seems to be given the Sanskritic name Kauts-āśrama in the Khanda deuli plate. But it may actually represent Khijjinga-köțţa or a locality in its suburbs.
Of the geographical names mentioned in the inscription, the location of Khichinga-kotta (Khijjinga-kotta of other records) and Köttāśrama has already been determined. Mr. P. Acharya suggests to me the identification of the village of Mõkuga with the present Mokuna about four mites from Khiching. If this identification is accepted, the Phamsarā() vishaya must also have been situated in the Khiching region.
TEXT
[Metres : verses 1, 7 Aryā ; verses 2-5 Upagiti; verse 6 Vasantatilaka ; verses 8-10 Anushtubh; verse 11 Drutavilambita ; verse 12 Pushpitāgra.)
Obverse 1 Siddham Svast[i] [1] Sakala -bhū(bhu)van-aika-ma(nā)2 [tho] bhava-bhaya-bhiduro [Bhavo Bhavā]ónīśaḥ [l *) vivē(vi)va(dha)-samādhi3 [vi]vi(dhi)jñaḥ sa[rvva]jõā(jñā) vaḥ śivāy=āstha (stu) |[] 1*) Asist*] Köțy-āsrama?-ma[hā). 4 tapovan-adhishthānē [ 1 ] māyūr-āņdam bhitvästtvā) ganadaņõ(ndo) V5 rabhadr-ākhyah Ill 2*] Pratipaksha-nidhana-dakshā(ksho) Vasishţha-muni-pa(pā). 6 [li]no(to) nfipatiḥ LII 3*]* Tasy=Adi-Bhañja-vansē(vamsē) ripu-vana-da(da)vānala[h*]
For mistaken in the legend on the seals attached to royal charters, see abovo, Vol. XXIII, p. 88; Vol. XXIX, p. 182, etc.
*Cf. above, Vol. XXV. p. 154.
From the original plate and impressione. * Expresoed by symbol
The space between ka and la was left blank for tixing the seal. • These four aksharas are partially or wholly covered by the lower front end of the senl. * Read Koff-adrama. The form of k) is peculiar. For the sake of metre, it is better to road rama iti. . This is only a half verse in the Upagiti or Udgfti metre.
