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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1878.
spond exactly with those on the Lunavadå plates, elephants. He is the abode of spiritual merit, all and this agreement, as well as the recurrence over the world his great prowess is celebrated in of a number of phrases and corruptions," prove songs. The illustrious Dhrûb hata conthat both plates were copied from the same quers,' he who is born in the line of the kings MSS. For our grant cannot be copied im- of kings and supreme lords, he who is suprememediately from the earlier one, because it shows ly happy." fewer mistakes.
There is only one statement in this long The grant is dated from a camp of victory rigmarole which is of great importanoe, viz. that located at Anandapura. The donor, sila. Siladitya VI. was also called Dhrû bhata. ditya VI., is the 19th king of the dynasty of This word stands apparently for Dhruva. Bhatarka who has become known. Contrary to bhat a---literally the constant warrior.' The the usage prevailing in other Valabhi grants, the first part of the compound has been contracted, description of this new ruler is given in poetry. because the pandit wanted a long syllable for It consists of four verses in the Vasantatilaka his metre," and because Dhríl was, no doubt, at metre, which are preceded by the word parama- the time of the composition of this poetry, just mdhesvarah, and followed by the usual titles and as now, the vernacular Gujarati for Dhruva. the name. The former word is, I think, merely Now this name Dhruva bhat a resembles due to a mistake of the Kansår, who, in his im- the form 'u-lu-po-po-tu, which Hiwen Thsanges patience to have done, first skipped the whole gives as the name of the ruler of Valabhi whom description, and afterwards neglected to indicate he visited, more than any other royal name that the word written by mistake is superfluous. which has become known. As the transcription
The translation of the passage referring to of Sanskrit Abhidharma by Chinese Opi-ta-mo, Siladitya VI. (Pl. II. 11. 19-24) is as follows :- of bhadra by Po-ta-lo, and similar instances
"His (the fifth Siladitya's) son is the ar. show, T"u-lu-p'orpo-tu may stand just as well for dent devotee of Maheśvara, the supreme Dhruvabhata as for Dhruvapatu, the rendering sovereign, the great king of kings and supreme which M. St.-Julien las adopted. Against lord, the illustrious Siladit y adeva, who this it may be urged that the Chinese translameditates on the feet of the supreme sovereign, tion of the word 'Ch'ang-jui, constamment the great king of kings and supreme lord, the intelligent,' does not suit the compound Dhra. illustrious Bappa. He is famous on account vabhata. But this translation may have of his irresistible valour, he is the abode of been caused by a mistake of Hiwen Thsang's, Fortune; he strives to annihilate hell. He who may either have mixed up the two words makes it his only purpose to save the earth; bhata,' a warrior,' and bhatta, 'a pandit,' or have his fame shines pure as the full moon. He is been told the name incorrectly. For the fremade up of the qualities of the famous triad quent mistakes on the plates by which Bhatarka (of powers)," he has conquered his enemies. is changed to Bhattarka, and Derabhata to He gives enjoyment to the poor, he always Derabhatta, show that the Valabhians themgives happiness. He is the abode of knowledge. selves were not very accurate in this respect. All the guardians of the world praise him, the If the identity of Hiwen Th-ang's contemporary Vidyadharas serve him. He is famous on earth. and of Siladitya VI. could be proved for He is resplendent with jewels, beautiful in certain, we should be able to fix, at least apperson, a conglomerate of jewel-like qualities. proximatively, the initial date of the eras in He is endowed with lordliness, valour, and which the plates are dated. As our grant is (other great) virtues; he is always engaged in dated 447, and Hiwen Thsang's visit fell in conferring benefits on living beings. A real the fifth decade of the seventh century A.D., Janardana, as it were, he humbles (urdayati) the the year 1 of the era of the plates must fall pride of the wicked. He is exceedingly skilful either shortly before or shortly after the year in shaking again and again in battle troops of 200 A.D.
31 Compare, e.g., TTC Chura Pl. I. 1. 1. 33 Compare Kämondaki, niti, XV. 32.
3. There is a fine precept which authorizes the distor. tion of words in order to avoid an offence against the
metre, and which deserves to become known. It is a followe - mashamapi mashars kurydd writtibhangarh na karayet.
36 Mémoires, II. 163.
