Indian Antiquary Vol 17

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 13

JANUARY, 1888.) GRANT OF SOMAVARMADEVA AND ASATADEVA.
From this Tablo III. it will be seen that of two and a half nakshatras ench; that is, about from one rising of Jupiter to another, the 33 degrees; and will but rarely be omitted. motion of the planet amounts to from 30 to 36 And Phâlguna and Bhadrapada, containing not degrees. By the systems of unequal spaces, less than 40 degrees each, will never be omitted. some months, and the saivatsaras which so also, by the system of equal spaces, the are named from them, have the average nine months that contain two nakshatras each space of one and a half nakshatras ; that is, (excluding Abhijit), are sometimes likely to be about 20 degrees only; they are Mârgasîrsha, omitted. But the remaining three, vir. PhålMagha, Chaitra, and Jyêshtha; and these guna, Bhadrapada, and Âśvina, containing are the samvatsaras that are most apt to three nakshatras each, will never be omitted. be omitted. For example, in Saka-Samvat On the other hand, sometimes it is possible 1780 expired, when Jupiter rose, he was in that & samvatsara may be repeated. By Rôhiņt. The following rising took place in either system of unequal spaces, this may happen Punarvasu ; that is, from the first rising, he in respect of Kärttika, Pausha, Phålguna, Vaisa. passed entirely through Mriga and Ardrå, kha, Ashâdha, Bhadrapada, and Aśvina ; but, before the next rising occurred. And, there- | by the system of equal spaces, only in respect fore, Mârgasîrsha was omitted. Again, by of Phålgana, Bhadrapada, and Âbvina. And, these two systems, Sråvaņa contains the average whenever a sarivatsara is repeated, then two space of two nakshatras ; that is, about 26 sasivatsaras will be omitted in the same cycle; degrees, 40 minutes; and, therefore, it also is one, ander ordinary circumstances; and one, liable to be omitted. Karttika, Pausha, Vaisakha, on account of the repetition. Åshidha, and Abvini contain the average space
(To be continued.)
CHAMBA COPPER-PLATE INSCRIPTION OF SOMAVARMADEVA AND
ASATADEVA.
BY PROFESSOR F. KIELHORN, C.I.E.; GÖTTINGEN. I edit this inscription from two rubbings. The inscription consists of 32 lines. Of supplied to me by Mr. Fleet, to whom they these, lines 1-28 are full lines, covering the were made over by General Sir A. Cunning- whole breadth of the plate. Line 29 is written ham. According to the information furnished regularly below line 28, but fills only about twoto me, the original inscription was discovered thirds of the breadth of the plate, beginning in the State of Chambe, or Champa,' in the below the word likhitam of line 28. Line 30 Pañjáb, but I am unable to ascertain where it is written in continuation of line 29 up the prois at present. The two rubbings just suffice for per left margin of the plate, line 31 on the topediting, but they are, I regret to say, useless margin above line 1, and the short line 32 down for photographing.
the rather broad right margin, which also The plate is a single one, inscribed on one side contains, in somewhat large letters, the names only, measuring about 17 broad by 12' high. of the two sovereigns by whom the grants To judge from the rabbing, a small piece of the recorded in the plate were made. upper proper left corner of the plate is broken The average size of the letters is between away, causing the loss of about five aksharas at it' and '.-The characters belong to the the end of line 30, and of about three aksharas northern class of alphabets and bear (with the at the beginning of line 31 ; otherwise the plate exception perhaps of the signs for ja, bha, ra, appears to be well preserved ; and, with the va, and the initial d) in every respect a most exception of a few aksharas which are indis remarkable resemblance to the characters of th tinct in the impressions, the inscription is Så rada alphabet, as written, e.g., in the Bhûrjalegible with certainty. There is no indication pattra MS. of the Kásikd-Vritti, which was in the rubbing that the plate contains a hole brought by Dr. Bühler from Kasmir, and is now for a ring with a seal on it.
in the Deccan College." The sign for the Jihvd
See Archæol. Survey of India, Vol. XIV. p. 109. • So for as I can judge, it would be impossible to
determine the age of the inscription, even' approxi. mately, from the characters in which it is written.