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OCTOBER, 1873.]
GADDAK INSCRIPTIONS.
297
Containing about forty-two letters. This in- | the Subhakrit Samvatsara, to Trikatesvaradeva scription, which is probably of about the same while the great chieftain king Sabhana, or age as the preceding, is rather more legible; in perhaps, So bhana, was governing the Belvola the centre portion the letters are somewhat Three-hundred, and some other districts, under indistinct, but at the sides and on the upper part Ahava malla deva. Some doubt is thrown of the stone they may be read with tolerable | upon the date of this inscription by the opening ense. I however, had no time to read any por portion, which is :-" While the vietorious reign tion of this inscription, or even to search for its of Irivibhujangad & va, the favourite of exact date. I have not met elsewhere with em- the whole earth, the ornament of the Chalukblems similar to those on the top of this tablet; y as, the forehead-ornament of the Satyasrayathey are very well carved, and represent Krishna kula, &c., was continuing," and by expressions playing on a pipe in the centre and many figures which represent the chieftain SA bhana as of human beings and animals dancing on each being the subordinate of both Irivibhujan. side of him.
gadêva and Aha va malla dê va. Irivi. The remaining inscriptions are in and about bhujangad éva, or the Chalukya hing Satthe courtyard of the temple of Trik û çê s. yasri, flourished, according to Elliot, from Saka vara deva. Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 stand up 919 to Saka 930 (?); while Å ha va malla d dva, against the back wall of the temple. No. 1, or the Chåluky a king som svaradeva I. the characters of which are Old Canarese, and flourished, according to the same authority, from the substance of which is partly Sanskrit and Saka 962 (?) to Saka 991 (?). The portion of this partly Old Canarese, consists of fifty lines, each inscription containing the date is somewhat in. line containing about thirty-seven letters. The distinct, but I could not read it otherwise than as inscription is in a state of good preservation, I have given it above. The emblems at the top except in one or two places where the sur- of this inscription are:- In the centre, & shrine face of the tablet has been chipped. It com- contuining a linga with a priest on the right and mences with a description of the Agrahara vil- a figure of Basava on the left of it; to the right, lage of Kratuka (Gaddak) in the Belvola two figures seated,- one of them is a man Three-hundred,t and finally records & grant holding a Viņa or lute, the other is a woman; made in Saka 1185, the Angirasa Samvatsara, to to the left, a cow and calf; and above the central the god Trikitesvaradeva, while the Yadava shrine, the Sun and Moon. No. 4, which is prince Singha nadeva was governing the the most eastern of this row of inscriptions, country. The emblems over it are :- In the is another inscription in the Old Canarese charcentre, a linga and a priest within a shrine; acters and language. It consists of forty-five to the right, a cow and calf with the sun above lines, each line containing about fifty-one letters. them; and to the left, a figure of Basarat with The inscription is not altogether in bad order, the moon above it. No. 2 is the inscription of but there are many flaws in the tablet, and it is which a transliterated version and a translation rather hard to read. It mentions the names are given below. It will be noticed in detail of the Chilukya kings Jayasinha, Åhavafarther on. No. 3 is another inscription in the malla, and Vikramaditya II. or TribhuOld Canarese characters and language. It con- vanamalla, and and also gives the name of sists of thirty-two lines, each line containing a princess, Bâchala dê vî, who would ap. about forty-three letters. The characters are pear to be the wife of Aha va malla. The large and slanting. The tablet is chipped here inscription records a grant made in the Vikrama and there, but on the whole the inscription is Samvatsara, the twenty-fifth year of the reign of well preserved, though it is not an easy one to Tribhuvanamalla dê va, i.e. Saka 1023, read. It records & grant made in Saka 984, by some chieftain subordinate to him. The
..Agrahare, lands or villages conferred upon Brlihmana for religious purposes. t o the Belvola district consisting of three hundred rillages. Balvola or belpola, an Old Canarese word, means literally 's field of standing corn ;' the name was given to the fertile district in about the centre of which are Goddak, Dambal, and Lekkandi.
I Basave, the founder of the Lingayat religion in its present form, is looked upon as an incarnation of Nandi, the bull of Sive. The story of his birth and life is to be found in a Canarese work called the Basavapurini. Ba.
ave, though in his incarnation he assumed the form of man, is always represented in Langkyat templee by the figure of ball, and the name itself is a corruption of the Sanskrit vrishabha, ball.
