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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXXI
ring with the seal held the plates together. The extant ring has an oval seal which bears in relief the usual bull emblem of the Maitrakas with the legend Sri-Bhatakkaḥ in relief.1
The charter, dated Sam 252 Vaisakha-ba 15, was issued from Valabhi by Dharasēna II who succeeded his father Guhasena. The last known date of Guhasena is the year 248 (567 A.D.) and the earliest known date of Dharasena's successor Siladitya I is the year 286 (605 A.D.). Hence Dharasena II may be assigned a reign of about 30 years, i.e. from 570 to 600 A.D. The gift recorded in the charter was made by the king for the merit of his parents as well as of himself. The document was written by Skandabhata and the executor of the grant was Chchibbira.
The charter purports to record the gift of the following plots of land and irrigation wells to a Brāhmaṇa named Rudra who was a student of the Maitrayaniya-Vārāhaka sākhā of the Yajurvēda and belonged to the Lamakayana gōtra:
(a) a piece of land 200 pādāvartas in area on the northern border of the village Bhaṭṭivata, as also a step-well irrigating thirtytwo padavartas of land on the eastern border of the same village;
(b) a step-well irrigating 20 pādāvartas of land in the southern border of Savinipadraka, and
(c) a plot of tilled land known as Pēraka3 in the northern border of the village of Bahudhanaka as also a piece of 100 pādāvartas of land in the western border of Bhabbala-pataka.
These places cannot be identified. Dr. H. G. Sastri, however, has tried to identify Bhaṭṭivata with Bhaḍabhaḍiya, a village some 2 miles to the south-west of Hathab.
TEXT First Plate
1 Svasti [] Vala[bhitab] prasabha-prapat-imitripath Maitrakāpām-stula-bala-apatamapḍal-ábhöga-samsakta-samprahāra-sata-labdha-pratāpaḥ pratap-öpanata
2 däna-min-ärjjav-öpärjjit-narägö-nurakta-maula-bhrita-mitra-śrēņi-bal-äväpta-raja-riḥ(ri)
paramamahēsvaraḥ śrī-sēnapati-Bhatarkkas tasya sutas-ta
3 t-pada-rajō-run-āvanata-pavitrīkṛita-sirā[h] éirō-vanata-satru-chūḍā-maņi-prabhā-vichchhurita
4 vab paramamähivaraḥ ári-senpati-Dharasenas-tasy-änujas-tat-pid-äbhishra(pra)ņāma
rimarija iva
pada-na[kha]-pa[th]kti-didhi(ti]r-ddin-initha-kra(kri)papa-jan-¿pajivyamā[na]-vibha
prasastatara-vimala-mauli-manir-Mmanv-adi-prani(ņi)ta-vidhi-vidhana-dharmmā
Dha
5 vihita-vinaya-vyavastha-pa[d*]dhatir-akhila-bhuvana-maṇḍal-ābhōg-aika-svāminā
6 héévaraḥ śri-mahārā[ja-Dro]pasimhaḥ simha iva tasy-anuja[*] sva-bhuja-bala-parākramēņa para-gaja-ghat-ini(nl)känäm-ika-vijayt saran-aishinlah tarapam-avabōddha strä
parama
svamina svayam-upahita-rajy-abhishekō mahā-visrüṇan-ävaputa-raja-śriḥ(śrīḥ) paramama
7 ritha-latvättä)näth Kalpatarur-i]va suhrit-pranayini[m] yath-[ā]bhilasi(shi)ta-kim-phalōpabhogada[ḥ*] paramabhāgavataḥ mahārāja-sri-Dhruvasenas-tasy-anujas-tach-charanAravinda-pra
1 The plates were purchased for Rs. 25 from Koli Amba Soma of Mōṭā Māchiālā.
[The reference is to the area covered by the step-well.-Ed.]
[Peraka seems to be the name of a person who was enjoying the income of the land.-Ed.] Maitrak-kälin Gujrät, Part II, Appendix 5, p. 36.
