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MAY, 1886.]
SANSKRIT AND OLD-KANARESE INSCRIPTIONS.
139
Mitra's reading of the text of the plate only, vati of the inscription; and below this, and his translation of it. In 1862, in the same across the surface of the seal, there are the Journal, Vol. XXXI. p. lff., as an accompani- sixteen lines of writing, a to p, transcribed ment to his paper entitled “Vestiges of Three below. Here, again, unlike the body of the Royal Lines of Kanyakubja," Dr. Fitz Edward grant, the letters of this legend on the seal Hall published his own reading of the text are in relief; and, though they are fairly (id. p. 14f.), which was in some respects an well preserved almost throughout, it was improvement on the previously published ver- impossible, for the same reasons as in the case sion. And, with the exception of subsequent of Mahồndrapâla's grant, to include the seal discussions as to the reading of the date,- in the also in the lithograph.-The characters are of course of which, in 1864, & rough and by no | precisely the same type as those of Mahôndrameans accurate lithograph of it was published | pâla's grant; viz. North Indian Nagari of about with Dr. Rajendralal Mitra's notice of Ma- the eighth century A.D. They include forms of hồndrapâla's grant in the same Journal, the numerical symbols of the period for 8, 9, 80, Vol. XXXIII. p. 321ff.,--this latter rendering and 100. The execution of the engraving is of the inscription has remained the standard excellent throughout; and the mark for é published version of it up to the present time. in conjunction with consonants, both as é, I now re-edit it, with a lithograph, from the and as one of the components of ai, 0, and au, original plate, which, having been presented is formed with more care than in Mahondraby General Stacy, is in the Library of the pala's grant. Many of the letters shew, 18 Bengal Asiatic Society, and was there examined usual, marks of the working of the engraver's by me. I have not succeeded in obtaining tool. The plate is very massive and substan any information as to where it was found ; tial; so that the letters, though fairly deep, and from the entry in the Index, published in do not shew through on the back of it.--The 1856, to the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic language is Sanskrit, and the inscription is in Society, p. 208, it appears that the locality never prose throughout, except for the half slóka, was known. It has usually been spoken of evidently intended as such, which is introas the "Benares Plate;" but this seems to be duced in line 16, and records the name of the due only to the mention of the Varanasi person who drew up the record.-In respect of (Benares) vishaya in line 10, where the locality orthography, all that calls for notice is the use of the village granted is specified.
of the upadh maniya in tayoh-pad-unudhydtah, The plate, which is engraved on one side line 8 (and line d of the seal);—the paraionly, measures about 1' 9" long by 1' 51" vaishnavở of line 1 of the seal;-and, as in broad. The edges of it were fashioned some- Mahêndrapâla's grant, the parambhagavati of what thicker than the inscribed surface, and lines 3, 5, and 6, (and lines e, i, and k of the with a slight depression all round just inside seal); the use of va for ba, e.g. samvaddha them, so as to serve as a rim to protect the and prativaddha, line 10, though the distinct writing; and both the surface of the plate, and form for ba occurs in bbhátvá, line 15; and the the inscription on it are in a state of excellent doubling throughout of t in conjunction with preservation throughout; but some of the a following r, e.g. puttra, line 2, and pittról, letters are so hopelessly filled in with hard line 13.-1 had no opportunity of taking rust, which it was impossible to remove, that the weight of this plate ; but it is probably they do not shew quite perfectly in the litho- rather heavier than Mahêndrapala's plate. graph.-As in the case of Mahendrapala's As in the case of Mahồndrapila's grant, the grant (No. 160, p. 105ff. above), onto the charter recorded in this inscription is issued from proper right side of the plate there is soldered the camp, complete with many cows, elephants, a thick and massive seal, with a high raised horses, chariots, and foot-soldiers, situated rim all round it, measuring about 8" broad at M a hodaya (line 1.) Then follows the paren" by 1' 11" high, and shaped like the seal of thetical genealogy, repeated in the same words Mahồndrapala's grant. In the arch at the in the legend on the seal, and precisely similar to top there is a similar standing figure, facing that of the Dighwa-Dubault plate as far as the full-front, of a goddess, doubtless the Bhaga-I mention of the Mahdrája Mahondrapaladeva
