________________
DECEMBER, 1886.)
HATHASNI INSCRIPTION OF THEPAKA.
361
Nagarjuna, who was the companion of the
NOTE BY MR. FLEET. illustrions Magdalika, and who had subdued The chief interest of this inscription lies in the circle of his enemies with the prowess of its being a historical record of the Mer or his arms which were always itching to strike. Méhar tribe, the modern representatives, as
(L. 6.)-His son was Mah â nanda, at was suggested to me some three years ago by whose birth on the earth the joy of his elders Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji, of the Maitrakas, knew no bonnds.
who are mentioned in the Valabhi grants in (L. 7.)-The daughter of Man galaråja, connection with the Senápati Bhatarka. named Rûpå, who was possessed of a charm- His suggestion was that Maitraka is the ing beauty, gave birth (by this Mahd nanda) to Sanskļitised form of the original name of the a son named 'Thê pa ka, who was brave ...1 tribe. In endorsing it, I have to point out ... and dear to his master. Even Váchas- that the original name was Mihira; which pati is powerless to describe his virtues ; 80 again is the Sanskțitised form of the Persian how shall we ?; it is impossible to make an enu- ihr, the sun,' and is no doubt to be attributed, meration of his charities.
as a tribal name, to a special predilection for (L. 9.)-Then (this) Méhara, who won sun-worship. The Sanskritised form Maitraka the hearts of his subjects by his nobility, also preserves this connection in a very happy valour, sense of justice, and glory, had the way; since it is a regular derivative from mitra, royal dignity conferred upon him by king which again, as denoting the sun or the god of Mahisa at Taladh vaja, a place dear day, is an adaptation of the Persian Mithra. The to Brahmans.
Mihiras were a branch of the Hana, (L.11.)-While that high-minded Ţ hêvakawho, under the leadership of Tô ra mâ pa and was reigning, with his four sons, & benevolent and Mihira kula, overthrew the power idea occurred to him, of building a large tank, of the Early Guptas and established themselves cnpable of quenching the thirst of all beings in in Kathiawad and other parts of Northern a country where water was scarce and very India, and were then, in their turn, conquered deep; then he spoke to Kuntaraja: 1 in Kathiâwâd by the Sé nápati Bhatarka.
(L. 12.)"O (king, born) in the family of Other epigraphical references to them have Valladitya, and descended from Sûrya-Vi. been obtained. Thus, a Mihira king, or a kala, listen to my...... virtuous and beneficial king named Mihira, is mentioned as being advice. Just as my paternal uncle, who lived defeated by the Rashtrakůta chieftain Dhruva at Jirņadurga, built a tank called (after III. of Gujarât, in line 45 of the Bagumra him) the Sangavapi, so also do thou get a tank grant" dated Saka-Samvat 789 (4.D. 867-68). þuilt (called) the Thêvâvâpi (after me)."
And the simânâ grants of the Chaulakya king (L. 15).-That virtuous earthly hero, having Bhimadeva II., dated Vikrama-Samvat 1264 been thus instructed by the Mahara, imme- (A.D. 1207-8), mentione, in lines 6, 7, 8, 25, diately had a tank built, full of charming water. and 26, two Méhara Rdjas named Jaga
(L. 16.) - May the Méhara, the-beloved of malla and Åna. Brahmans, with his sons, grandsons, and fol- The present inscription gives us a third lowers, live a very long life!
reference, in being & record of a Méhara (L. 17.)-The year 1386 ; the Bhậva chief named Thê pa ka or Thêvaka, with the savivatsara being complete ; in (the month) date of Vikrama-Samvat 1386 (A.D. 1329-30). Ashidha; in the eighty-sixth (year); on the And a fourth reference is furnished by a seventh lunar day; on Monday; this tank was short inscription on the pedestal of a Jain finished.
image, stored with several others in a place (L. 18.)-(This inscription was) engraved by called Gorakhmadhi on the island of Sil. Sandaka, the son of Sätra-Vácha, an inhabi- Bet, off the south-eastern coast of Kathiwad. tant of the famous Prabhanishtha. It records, that, in (Vikrama). Saṁvat 1272
19 The modern Talgja in Kathilwad.
sion, I deperibe it from a transcript sent to me by Mr. 1. Edited by Dr. Bühler, ante, Vol. XII. p. 179 8. Vajoshankar Gaurishankar. The images are said to 10 waited hv Dr. Hultasch: ante. Vol. XI. D. 837 11. I have been transported to the island from the mainland
* Mentionöd in the Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. VIII. to save them from violation, when the Musalmans Kathiwad, p. 652.In the absence of an ink-imprese in vaded the peninsula.
