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AUGUST, 1889.)
MULTAI GRANT OF NANDARAJA.
231
a time. All that can be said on this point is, that the characters shew that it belongs to some part of Central India or of the Central Provinces.
The plates, of which the first is engraved on one side only, but the last on both sides, are three in number, each measuring about 7H' by 31". The edges of them were fashioned slightly thicker than the inscribed surfaces, with small depressions running round inside the rims thus formed. The writing on the first and third plates is in a state of almost perfect preservation. That on the second plate, on both sides, has suffered a good deal from corrosion; but the only word that is at all doubtful, is kétuh, in line 10; all the rest can be read on the original plate without any uncertainty. - The ring on which the plates were strang, and the holes for which are in the lower part of the first plate and the upper part of the other two, is about " thick, and is oval in shape, measuring about 2)" by 2". It had been cut when the grant came into my hands; and it probably was thus cut for the purposes of the lithograph issued with Mr. Prinsep's paper. The seal on it is not a separate arrangement, attached to the ring by, soldering, or by socketing the ends of the ring in it; but is part of the ring itself, the copper wire having been here beaten out into a surface, following the curve of the ring, about thick, and roughly oval in shape, measuring about 1t' by 21. In the apper part of the seal there is engraved in outline a figure which undoubtedly seems to be meant for Garuda, depicted with a man's legs, extended as if running, with expanded wings, and with the head and beak of a bird, facing to the proper right; and below this there is the legend éri-Yuddhárural, which quotes what is given in line 14-15 of the record itself as a second name or biruda of Nandarája. - The weight of the three plates is 2 lbs. 9 oz., and of the ring and seal, 3 oz.; total, 2 lbs. 13 oz. - The characters belong to the northern class of alphabets; and are of the transitional type from which the northern Någari was shortly afterwards developed. The following palæographical points call for notice. (1) In the já of játas, line 8, and in the jíd of ajfidna, line 24, the d is an upward stroke attached to the middle of the j; and it is written in the same way, as a component of 6, in tejo, line 4; but in rájó, line 3, the same component of 6 is formed by a downward stroke attached to the top of the j. (2) In the bhi of rajabhis, line 27, the form of the vowel differs entirely from that which is used throughout the rest of the inscription; compare, for instance, hétubhik, line 3. Owing to a fault in the copper, it is formed in rather a slanting and cramped manner; but it is evidently intended for the older circular superscript i. The consonant itself is not very well formed here; but it is evidently the bh that is used throughout the rest of the record. (3) In the pů of parové na, line 20, and púruvan, line 22, the differs entirely from that which is used throughout the rest of the record, and which is very clearly illustrated in bhúmis. line 27. (4) In the ké of ketuh, line 10, and in the de of anumódéta, line 25, the é, unless it is omitted altogether, is formed quite exceptionally, by being attached, according to the older method, to the top of the consonant, instead of being superscript, as, for instance, in ánvaye, line 2. (5) In the yd of pipparikaya, line 20, the y has a totally different form from that which is used throughout the rest of the record. It is not altogether well shaped ; but it is evidently intended for the well-known older y. For an analogous difference in Central India, in respect of the same letter, see Corp. Inscr. Indic. Vol. III, No. 23, p. 106; where, however, the exceptional form is the later one, which in the present record is the standard form. And (6) the á used in saka, line 29, is perceptibly of a squarer and more antique shape than that need otherwise throughout, for a clear instance of which see yasasi, line 1. The average size of the letters is about ". The engraving is good and fairly deep; but, the plates being thick and substantial, the letters do not show through at all, even on the reverse side of the first plate. The engraver's work was done steadily and smoothly; and it is only in the interiors of a few of the letters that any marks of the working of the tool can be detected. -The language is Sanskrit. Except for the opening words, Om and Svasti, and for some words in lines 5-6 which will be the subject of communt further on, the first twelve lines of the record are in verse. And two of the customary benedictive and imprecatory verses are quoted in lines 26 to 29.-In
The epithet paramabhagavata, which is applied to Nandar hja-YuddhAura in line 14 of the record iteoll, indiontos that he was a Vaishnava.
