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No. 34]
MUDHOL PLATES OF PUGAVARMAN
"This sacred image of the Supreme Goddess was caused to be made according to the standard form through (the artist who was) a descendant of Kasyapa by the illustrious Yuvaraja (i.e. crownprince) Srivallabha, a piercing javelin to all the evil spirits."
As we have noted earlier, Śrivallabha was specially a Western Chalukya appellation. Hence, although the name of the crown-prince who was responsible for the setting up of the image1 in question, is not specified, it goes without saying that he belonged to the Chalukya house of Bādāmi. It is difficult to surmise who this Chalukya prince could be, as he might be any one from Pulakesin I to Vikramaditya I. But it is possible to think that this prince might have set up the image of the goddess while he was governing the area of Gooty as the viceroy of the ruling king.
The name of the artist or sculptor who actually shaped the image according to the standards prescribed in the texts on the subject (pramā-rūpēņa) is not mentioned. Instead, it is merely said that he belonged to the lineage of Kasyapa. This is interesting, for Kasyapa was a renowned artist (silpakāra) and the present sculptor seemed to take more pride in mentioning the former as his ancestor than disclosing his own name.
TEXTS
First Plate
1 Svasti [*]...yati sat-pujya[m] pradipta-kana[ka-pra*]bhain(bham |) trailō
2 kya-sad-asat-kāri Brahmanak-krama-paṁkajam(jam || 1) Tad-anu vija
3 [yin-Agnishtōm-Agnichayana-Vajapuya-Hiranyaga
4 rbha-sambhūtām (t-A)śvamēdh-āpa (va)bh[ṛi]tha-snāna-pavitrita-sa
Second Plate, First Side
5 [rra-Sriprithivivallabha-mahārājasya(sy-Ã)gra-sd
6 [nu*]-rimat-Pagava[r]mmana Ranashṭatura-nāmadheyēna
7 [ai]hik-amushmika-phal-[a]kāṁkshiņā Vārāhīdēva-sva(svä)8. [Mala]ketaka-gr[a]mē
1 The image may be that of Durga, near which the record is incised. Siddhesvara Sastri Chitrav, Prachina Charitrakosa (Marathi), p. 122. From impressions.
There are traces of three worn out letters before this, which may be restored as śrīma[j]ja.
297
This jihvāmuliya is indicated by a sign looking like a big superscript ma.
Metre: Anush fubh.
[Read peya-yaji.-D. C. S.]
For a correct form of this name see the discussion above..
The two damaged letters here may be mine.
