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144
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
them at all. As usual, the interiors of many of the letters shew marks of working the engraver's tool. In line 27 we have forms of the decimal figures 2, 4, and 5; but the 4 and the 5 are of a decidedly exceptional type, and, but for the explanation of them in words, would most naturally have been read as 6 and 8.- The language is Sanskrit; and, except for the edictive and imprecatory verses in lines 15 to 24, the whole inscription is in prose. In line we have the Prakrit word samvachchhara, for the Sanskrit samvatsara.-In respect of orthography, the only points that call for notice are (1) the use of the guttural nasal instead of the anusvára, before, in nistrinsa, line 6; (2) the use, throughout, of the lingual for the palatal nasal, e.g. in manjari, line 5; but this is perhaps a palæographical point, rather than orthographical; (3) the rather frequent omission to double a consonant after r, e.g. in uparjita, line 6, and other words; though instances of the correct practice are not wanting; (4) the doubling of dh before y, in anaddhyata, line 7; and (5) the use of for b, throughout, in vahubhik, line 15; vrahmá, line 20; amvu, line 22; and vududhá, for vuddhvá, line 23.
-
The inscription is one of Devendravarman, of the Ganga family of Kalinga; and the charter recorded in it, is issued from the victorious camp at the city of Kalinganagara, which city is in all probability now represented by the modern Kalingapatam1 at the mouth of the Vamsadhara river, in the Chicacole Tâlukâ or Sub-Division of the Gañjâm District, Madras Presidency. It is a Saiva inscription; the object of it being to record the grant of some villages, the names of which are not quite certain, in the Davadamadavam vishaya, to the god Śiva under the name of Dharmêsvara.
As regards the date of this record, from line 13 we learn that the grant was made ayanapúrvakam, or in connection with the ceremonies of an ayana, which here probably denotes the winter solstice. While in line 27 f., fully in words and partly in decimal figures, we have, for the writing and engraving of the charter, the year two hundred and fifty-four of some unspecified era; the month Phâlguna; the first fortnight, which will be the bright or the dark fortnight, according as we have to apply the amánta or the purnimanta arrangement; and the first lunar day. As the word ayana can only denote the winter (or summer) solstice, and cannot refer to the ordinary samkránti that occurs in Phâlguna, no immediate connection between these two passages can be established; and consequently there are no details that can be actually tested by calculation. The era that is intended, and the probable date of this grant, will be considered in a separate paper on the Gångas of Kalinga.
TEXT.3
Kalinga nagara-va
[MAY, 1889.
First Plate.
1 Om3
2 sakán-Mahendr-achal-âmala-sikhara-pratishth[i]tasya
sachar-achara-gurðs-sakala
bhuvana-nirmâ
3 n-aika-su(su) tradhârasya sasanka-chû[da]manêr-bhagavatô Gokarnṇasvâminas-charanakamala-yu
4 gala-pranâmâd-vigata-Kali-kalamkô-nek-âhava-samkshôbha-janita - jayaga(sa)bda - pratap-a
5 vanata-samasta-samanta-chakra- châdâmani - prabha - manja (ñja)rî- puṇja (ñja) - ranji(ñji)ta
charnos
Brasty-Amarapar-Anakariņas-sarvv-a[r]ttu-enkha-ramaṇly&d=vijaya+vataḥ
6 nija-nistrinsa-dhâr-ôpârjita-sakala-Kaling-adhirajyah
parama-mâhêśvarô
1 The 'Calingapatam' of some maps, &c. Lat. 18° 20' N.; Long. 84° 9' E. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 108. From the original plates.
5 Represented by a symbol.
This ya was at first omitted, and then was inserted above the line.
First igd, or gi, was engraved, and then the superscript vowel was partially cancelled. This la, having been omitted, was inserted below the line.
The form of that is used in the first syllable of this word, occurs again in saurya, line 8; and was intended to be used in gabda for iabda, line 4. In fasdika, line 3, and other words, a different form is used, more easily distinguishable from the form of g.
Then, for , is imperfect here.
