Indian Antiquary Vol 11

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 19

JANUARY, 1882.)
SANSKRIT AND OLD-CANARESE INSCRIPTIONS.
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here, again, there is no clue in the inscription contain no further historical details. In lines itself, and I have none as yet from extraneous 140 to 149 there is given a fanciful description sources, to the identification of the names of this of his city of Anumakonda, and in lines 149 king and his country. Further on, mention is to 158, of his troops of cavalry. Lines 158 to made of the death of Taila III. ; this event, 163 define the position and boundaries of his though it cannot be fixed precisely, even with kingdom. The editor of this inscription in the help of Taila's own inscriptions and those of the Bengal Journal read :-Rajyan prúchyári his successor, Sômêsvara IV., is shown by the lavana-jaladhés=tíra-paryyantamwasya Sripresent inscription to have occurred some time bail-antan pracharati sada dakshinasy doh samabefore the thirteenth day of the bright fortnight grash prátichyári Vákataka-nikața-stháyini rájaof the month Magha of Saka 1084, the Chi- lakshmi Kawvéyy-lisd-taga-vilasita Malyavantrabhånu sarvateara. The next record is that tarn prapedd, and translated :"His kingdom a powerful opponent of Rudradeva then rose is bounded on the east by the salt sea, on the up in the person of a certain king Bhima. south by the Srisaila (mountains). His royal To what dynasty Bhima belonged, is not indi- Lakshmi extends as far as V&kataka; and on the cated. But the inscription intimates that he north she reaches the mountain Mályavanta." established himself by slaying a king named His readings, however, especially that which Gokarna. Also, as we find him afterwards introduces Vakataka in the third páda, cannot in possession of the city of Chôd 8 da ya, it be upheld. Dr. Bhau Dâjî read and translated is plain that he took advantage of the death the verse materially in the same way that of that king, which is recorded just before the I do. The Srisaila mountain, which was death of Taila III., and appropriated part of the southern limit of his kingdom, is a hill the Chola dominions; this Chôdödaya is per- of considerable sanctity and repute in the haps the Udaya who has been mentioned in Karşul District; it is to the north-east of connection with Prola. And the inscription Karpul itself, and is in about Lat. 16° 5' N. mentions Bhima in such a way with Taila III. and Long. 7'8° 55' E. The western limits of as to lead us to infer that, during the inter- his kingdoni are not specifically mentioned ; ruption of the Western Chalukya power that the word used is prátichya, which must be by engued between the death of Taila III. in Saka metrical license for pratichya, being or living 1083 or 1084 and the accession of his son, in the west, western, westerly,' i.e., as I transSômesvars IV. in Saka 1104, Bhîma must late it, the western countries,' and it seems to have seized upon, but retained for a short time denote the kingdom of the Western Chalukyas. only, some of the eastern portions of the The northera boundary of his kingdom lay in dominions of that dynasty. A graphic descrip- the region of! Mâlya vanta, or more properly tion is given of the overweening pride of this Málya vân. Dr. Bhau Dâjî calls this "the Bhima, "the vilest of kings, a very beast of a country in the neighbourhood;" while the editor man, the husband of his mother's rival wife, in the Bengal Journal suggests that it is the the slayer of the best of brothers while he MAlyagiri naountain, west of Baleswar;' and was engaged in eating,"--and of Rudraddva's Prof. Monier Williams, in his Sanskrit Dicexpedition against him. Rudradêva first took tionary, says that Mályaván is one of the the city of Vardham â nanagari, which, smaller mountains of India proper, lying eastfrom the expression, “having advanced three ward of mount Meru.' I am not prepared at or four steps," we must evidently look for not present to offer any identification of it. The far from Anamkond itself. Bhîma then at extent of Rudradeva's kingdom is also sketched once abandoned everything and fled to the out, but not so definitely, in lines 111 to 114, forests; and Rudradeva, pursuing him, burned where Bhíma and all the other kings living down the city of Chôdôdaya and cut down between the province of Kanchi and the the forest in which he had taken refuge, and Vindhya mountains are said to have been subbuilt there, in its place, a city with a great lake ject to him. Finally, lines 163 to 166 record in the centre of it. What was the ultimate fate that Rudrad dva allotted the large village of Bhîma, we are not told. Lines 107 to 140 are of Matticheruvala, or perhaps the village occupied with panegyrics of Rudradeva, which called the larger Matticheruvala, to provide for