Indian Antiquary Vol 06

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 13

JANUARY, 1877.]
FURTHER VALABHI GRANTS.
Dudo was the Bhati chief of Jesalgadh or Jesalmer. Påwågadh, therefore, together with Ranthambhor and Jhålor, is one of the sacred places in the legends of the tribe, and shines out prominently in the history of this gallant race,
and its memory is fondly cherished by all Chohans, and especially by the houses of Chotá Udayapur aud Devagadh Bária, who are of the branch called På wå pati, or lords of Påwå.
FURTHER VALABHI GRANTS.
BY G. BÜHLER.
(Continued from vol. 1. p. 212.) The first of the three Valabbi grants now knowledge of the history of Valabhi. Dhapublished was found in the ruins of Valabhi rasena I. calls himself (Pl. II. 1. 1) mahásd. by Kolis who dug for old bricks. I acquired it manta, 'the great feudal or provincial chief,' as in January 1875. The second was found at well as mahârâjâ,' and shows thereby that down Botâd, in the Bhatnagar territory. It was to his times the rulers of Valabhi paid homage kindly forwarded to me for deciphering by to a lord paramount. In my article on the Messrs. Percival and Gaurishankar Ozha, the grant of Dhruvasena I. of Samyat 216, Joint Administrators of the Bhaunagar State. I pointed out that this mahârája was certainly The third grant was found by Mr. Raoji Vithal, & vassal of some greater king, and that Droformerly special Political Assistant in charge nasinha's boasted coronation had not of Lanavâdâ (Revâkântha), in the Raja's palace raised him much above that position which his at Lani v å då. I owe its loan to the kindness predecessors, the two Senapatis or generals, of Major J. W. Watson, Acting Political Agent, occupied. Dharasena's confession confirms my Revâkânthê.
view about Dhruvasena I., and permits the in4.-The Grant of Dharasena I.
ference that his grandfather Dharapatta and The grant of Dharasena I. is written on his father Guhasena likewise did not enjoy two platos 9 inches by 16}. The rings with the independence. I will now express my belief that seal have been forcibly half torn half cut out, eventually we shall find it proved that the Valawhereby semicircular pieces of the surface of bhi dynasty was at no period free from vassalage, the lower portion of the first and of the upper except perhaps during the reign of Dharasena portion of the second plate, originally situated IV., who calls himself king of kings, chakravar. round the left-hand ring, have been lost. This tin, emperor, and supreme lord.' accident makes some letters in the first lines I should not wonder if further finds of inof the second plate very faint and indistinct. scriptions, and further investigations regarding They can just be traced with a strong glass. the position of the villages granted by those The second plate has also lost a piece low down of Valabhi,' entirely destroyed the legend of on the right-hand side. Both plates were cover- the power and greatness of the kingdom, which, ed, when I bonght them, with thick layers of first started by Colonel Tod, has since been sand and verdigris. A prolonged immersion in adopted by most Indian historians and antilime-juice cleaned them. But the first plate is quarians. nevertheless not easily readable, and is unsuited The grantee is the “monastery called that for photography. The second gives a tolerable of Sri Bappa på da, which had been built by photograph.
the Acharyya Bhadanta Sthiramati, "he letters of the plates show a predilection and was situated in Valabh 1." (PL. II. lines for round forms like those of Guhasena, and re- 3 and 4.) There can be, I think, no doubt semble the latter in their thinness. The grant that this vihdra is the one which Hiwen is dated from a 'camp of victory,' the location of Thsang ascribes to the Arhat 'Oche-lo. His which is not certain, as the name of the village remarks on this monastery are as follows: appears to be mutilated. The beginning of the (Vémoires, vol. II. p. 164) :-" At a little distance name is Bhadropätta.
from the town (Valabht) there is a great convent The vannávali gives the usual list of rulers which was erected in olden times by Arhat from Bhatarka to Dharasena I., the son Oche-lo. It is there that the Bodhisattvas Goof Guhasena. It offers only one addition to our namati and Sthiramati fixed their abode, and