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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXXIII
Bherunda occurs as a title of Satyarasa, a feudatory of Chalukya Jayasimha, while some of the later rulers adopted titles like Gandabherunda, Rayagajagandabherunda, Gajaughagandabherunda, Arirayagajagandabherunda, etc. The soldiers of a Hoysala regiment are referred to as bherundas in inscriptions."
The record is throughout in Sanskrit verse engraved in Telugu characters. It is more neatly executed than the Madras Museum plates of the donor and its composition resembles that of other charters of the period such as the Vilasa grant of Prōlaya-nayaka and the Rajahmundry Museum plates of Annadeva-Chōda. The medial signs of ō and au and the aksharas bi and chi
are written alike.
The date of the charter is quoted in verses 44-46 (lines 79-81) as Thursday, the full-moon day of the month of Kärttika, Šaka 1265 (bhūta-tarka-arka), when there was a lunar eclipse. The date is irregular as there was no lunar eclipse in Saka 1265, either expired or current.
The first few verses of the charter praise the primordial couple (Siva and Parvati), the elephantfaced god (Ganesa), the Primeval Boar (i.e. Vishnu), the Sun and Moon, and Brahman. The mythical lineage from Brahman down to king Devanîka through Marichi, Kasyapa, Bhanu (Sun), Vaivasvata-Manu, Ikshvāku, Kakutstha, Dilipa, Raghu, Aja, Dasaratha, Rama, Kusa, Atithi, Nishadha, Nala, Nabhas, Pundarika and Kshēmadhanvan is delineated in the next few stanzas (verses 7-13). Verses 13-17 speak of Nalla-Bhima, born in Devänika's lineage, and his wife Kāmā; their son Dāma and his wife Sōmā; their son Pöta and his wife Anyama; their son Bhima and his wife Pōtā; their son Dama and his wife Lakshmi; their son Sōma and his wife Süramā; and their son Ganga. When Ganga came of age, his father Soma of the Solar lineage contemplated the marriage of his son with a bride of the Lunar race (verse 18).
Verses 19-23 mention the following members of the Lunar family: Kumāra and his wife Gangama; their son Chandra and his wife Gauri; their son Brahman and his wife Suramā; their son Deva and his wife Abbidevi; their son Käma and his wife Lakshmyamba; their three daughters and two sons respectively named Irugamba, Devāmbā, Abbidēvi, Venga and Tamma; and Venga's three wives named Mahādēvi, Anyamamba and Chennamamba.
According to verses 24-28, Ganga of the solar or Kasyapa lineage married Irugamba of the funar race (Manavya-sakula), who gave birth to Kama named after his maternal grand-father and also called Bhakta. The following two stanzas (verses 28-29) speak of the accession of Bhakta or Bhaktiraja and the overrunning of the Andhra country by the Yavanas (Muhammadans).
The Musunuri family, to which Bhaktiraja owed allegiance, is described in verses 30-33 as follows: Pochi-nay aka of VengI-vishaya; his son Prōlaya-nayaka who left Vengi along with Venga and repaired to a fort in a forest (vana-durga) surrounded by hills. Prōlaya-nayaka and Venga are stated to have together subdued the pride of the Turushka horses and reconquered the Andhra country. The four following stanzas (verses 34-37) describe how, on Venga's death, the son of Pochi-nayaka (i.e. Prölaya) installed [in his uncle's estate] his (i.e. Venga's) sister's son Bhakttraja and how the young king defeated the infantry and cavalry forces of the Yavana lords. According to verses 38-42, Anyama, Anyama and Lakshmi were the three wives of Bhaktiraja who enjoyed the title Rajavěsyabhujanga and was ruling over Chirhtapemța, Võng!, Chintalapani and Göritäru. Verses 43-44 state that, on Prōlaya's death, his cousin (pitrivyasuta) Kapaya-nayaka, installed Prölaya's son Vochi-nayaka on the throne.
1 IHQ, XX, p. 341, note 2. Ep. Carn., Vol. V, Cn. 211. Above, Vol. XXXII, p..... Ibid., Vol. XXVI, pp. 14 ff.
