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AUGUST, 1889.7
MULTAI GRANT OF NANDARAJA.
233
preceding passage, which is the direct context of them, commencing with tasya sinur in line 5, is in prose. To the words tasy-atmaván átmajah Mr. Prinsep attached the note - "the " metre requires here an addition of 12 syllables to the 9" (properly, seven) " found in the "text, to complete the Sardûlavikridita verse; these Kamalâkânta would supply thus, - dhir. "ananda-sudhakarasya jagatán, the moon of the happiness of the wise.' ” But what we have here is the end of the second line of a stanza, which terminates with the word sarvvatah in line 8; and we require not twelve, but thirty-one syllables, to complete the stanza. This, of course, is on the assumption that the words tasyratnaván átmajah are really intended to be metrical ; and that they are really part of the sentence that runs on in metre in line 7. As regards the latter point, of course it is possible that an entire plate, with two sides of writing, and containing any number of names between that of Govindaraja who is mentioned in line 6 and that of Svåmikaraja who is mentioned in line 7, may have been lost. As, however, Mr. Prinsep spoke of "three copper-plates connected by a ring and seal in the usual manner," I think we may infer that, when the grant reached his hands, or at any rate when it was discovered by Mr. Ommanney, the ring was still uncut, and that no part of the record is missing. And as regards the first point, unless the words in question were distinctly intended to be metrical, there is no reason for the introduction of the epithet atmaván, 'self-possessed,' which means nothing of any particular importance, and is useful only for the purposes of the metre; also, from vistirnné, line 1, to yô=rthinúm, line 12, the whole text, with the exception of the short passage now being discussed, is in verse, and in one and the same metre, Sardûlavikridita. I take it, therefore, that the words tasy=ktmaván átmajah were certainly intended to be metrical ; that nothing is lost here, and that the continuation of the same sentence follows in line 7. The beginning of the stanza can be made in a very simple manner, by altering tasya súnur ásit, in line 5, into tasmát súnur abhút. Bat it is more difficult to adapt the following eighteen syllables to the metre; especially as they have to be expanded into twenty-five. And the real intended reading here, and the manner in which the present text was arrived at, must remain a puzzle, until we obtain some other record, following the same original draft, and written out correctly. Only this much seems clear ; that, in view of the use of arjjita instead of the more customary upárjjita, the words sáhas-árjjita-yasdh appear to be part of the original draft.
Accepting the direct continuation of lines 6 and 7, this inscription gives us the following names in the Rashtrakata lineage ; Dargaraja ; his son, Govindaraja ; his son, Svåmikarāja ; and his son, Nandaraja, otherwise called Yuddhasura. In what relation these persons stand to the well-known Råshțrakūtas of Malkhêd in the Dekkan and of Gujarat, there are at present no means of determining. There are also other early Rashtrakatas, in respect of whom the same remark has to be made. One of them is the Krishộaraja, whose coins have been obtained from Deolânâ in the Båglån Taloka, Nasik District, and who is to be referred to about the commencement of the fifth century A. D. And others are Månanka; his son, Devaraja ; his son, Bhavishya; ard his son, Abhimanyu ; whose names occur in the grant published by Dr. Bhag. wanlal Indraji in the Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. XVI. p. 89 ff., and allotted by him, on palæographical grounds to about the fifth centary A. D., though I would place it much nearer to the period of the present record. According to that grant, Abhimanyu's residence was Manapura ; which Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji was inclined to identify with the well-known Rashtrakūta city of Manyakheta, i. e. Málkhed. But in my opinion the interchange of manya and mána, and still more the substitution of pura, a town,' for khéta, & small town,' " for the purpose of indicating or magnifying the importance of the place," are not justifiable. I consider that we must certainly, look for Manapura in some place that still bears that name ; and that it may very possibly be found in the modern Manpurs in Malwa, the chief town of the
• See ante, Vol. XIV. p. 68.
6 Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 36. Lat. 29° 26' N.; Long. 75° 41' E. - I should state, however, that in the neigh bourhood of this Manpur I cannot find in the map any place-names answering to the Petha pangaraka and Updiks Atika which are mentioned in the grant, and which should be useful in Axing ita locality. The grant oame to
