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364
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1877.
Translation. Hail! In the twelfth year of his prosperous reign, five hundred of the years of the royal in stallation of the Sak a king having expiredt, Sri- Mangalisvara, whois valorous in war,-whose two feet are tinted with the lustre of the jeweis in the diadems of kings who have been caused to bow down before him by the edge of the sword which is wielded by his arm,-who is the sole auspicious abode of victory over the (whole) earth as far as the four oceans 1.-who is a most excellent wor- shipper of (Vishnu as) the Holy Oneş,--who is born in the linenge of the Chalk yas who meditate on the feet of Sri Svêmill, who are of the kindred of Månavya, who are the offspring of Hâritî, and whose heads are purified by ablutions performed after the celebration of the Agnish tô ma, Agnichayana, Vaja pêya, and Paunda rika sacrifices, and horse-sacrifices which cost much gold, who is endowed with the three constituents of regal power,--who is the full moon of the sky which is the race of the Chalky a s*,-who is possessed of a body which is adorned with a multitude of many good qualities, who has an intellect which is intent upon the true essence of the meaning of all the sacred writings, -who is possessed of extreme strength and prowess and energy,--having erected a temple, an abode of the great Vis hņu, surpassing everything which is celestial or human, fashioned with most curious workmanship, most worthy to be looked at on the surface of any primary or secondary division of the eartht, and having given rich gifts to Brahmans in it on the holy full-moon of the month) Karttika, granted, on the occasion of the installation of the image of the holy Vishnu, who destroyed the army of the enemies of the gods with his discus the shape of which is like that of the sun risen (again) after the destruction of the universe, the village called Lažjis varat, hav
ing made a daily observance the bestowal of food and alms upon sixteen Brahmans for the purpose of offering the oblation to Narayana, and (having set apart) the remainder for the sustenance of wandering religious mendicants, saying "In the presence of the Sun, Fire, and the (guild of merchants, the reward of this accumulation of religious merit has been made over with oblations of water to my elder brother Kirttivarmâ, the lord of valour, who was sufficiently powerful to protect the whole circle of the earth, who was adorned with a canopy consisting of his fame which was propped up by standards of victory acquired in many battles in which there were mêlées of chariots and elephants and horses and foot-soldiers, and which was bounded (only) by the waves of the four oceans, and who was worshipped by gods and Brahmans and spiritual preceptors ; let whatever reward belongs to me who ame) possessed of a desire to obey my brother accrue to me." (And this grant) is not to be diminished by any one: (for) :-" Land has been given by many and has been continued in grant by many; he, who for the time being possesses land, enjoys the benefit of it. Carefully continue, 0 Yudhishthira, best of kings !, land that has been given, whether by thyself or by another; continuing a grant is more excellent than giving. He, who confiscates land that has been given, whether by himself or by another, becomes a worm in the excrement of a dog and sinks into hell) with his ancestors :"-(these are) the verses sung by Vyasa.
It only remains to notice the 6th and 7th plates : they represent the greater portion of a frieze round the inside of the verandah of the second cave, which is also Vaishnava. The figures are all small, but cut with considerable care, and are in remarkable preservation. The first scene represented, perhaps, begins on
+ This inscription fixes the Saka year 490 as the commencement of the reign of Mangalića. Saka 488 is the date obtained by Sir W. Elliot for his predecessor Kirtti. varma I. This inscription also determines, with a preci. sion not hitherto, I think, attained, the commencement of the Saks era. The era has been considered to date " from the birth of SAliv Shans, a mythological prince of the Dekkan, who opposed Vikramaditys, the Raja of Ujjayin." It is here said distinctly to date from the royal installa. tion or coronation of the Saks king." (Prinsep's Useful 7ables, p. 114, in Thomas' edition of Ind. Antiquities, vol. IL -J. F. F.
I ie, the northern, southern, eastern, and western oceans.
"Parama bhagavata," a most excellent worshipper of Bhagavan or Vishnu.
A name of Karttikeys or Mahkeens, the god of war. This and the following two titles belong also to the kings of the older Kadamba dynasty of Paldik. (see Nos. XXII., XXV., and XXVL of my series in the Ind. Ant. vol. VI.). and probably to the kings of other old dynasties also.
T 8c., majesty, the power of good counsel, and the force of energy.
• This is the first instance that I have met with of the name of the dynasty being spelt as "Chalkys"; the usual form is Chalukya or Chalukya, and it is also occasionally written Chalikys. The early ChAlukys kings appear to have been very tolerant in matters of religion. In an inscription at Aihole (Ind. Ant. vol. V. pp. 67 f.) in the Kalldgi district, not far from Bed&mi, we find Palikest II, the nephew and successor of Mangalica, erecting and making grants to s Jain temple in the Saka year 506, and Linga or Saiva temples were erected and endowed by others of them.
The meaning of the compound bhumibhagopa," &c. is obscure, and my interpretation of it may perhaps not be correct.
See note to the transcription. $ The merchants, or probably the chief men among them, constituted a village jury and investigated disputes, pronounced the results of trials by ordeal (see the Kadamba inscription of Kittår, Jour: Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. vol. IX. pp. 804 et segg.), and witnessed grants with a view to subsequently proving them if required, &c.
1.e., which spread over and enveloped the whole in habited earth.
The artist has unfortunately intermixed the sections from the two sides of the verandah.
