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162
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Viśvavarman's son was Bandhuvarman. We thus obtain the following line of the feudatory princes who ruled over Malwa from about the middle of the fourth to about the middle of the fifth century A.D.
(1) Jayavarman
1
(2) Simghavarman, son of (1)
I
(3) Naravarman, son of (2) V. E. 461 A. D. 404.
I
(4) Visvavarman, son of (3) V. E. 480 A. D. 423
[JUNE, 1913.
I (5) Bandhuvarman, son of (4)
V. E. 493 A. D. 436
Among the various epithets of Naravarman mentioned in our inscription occurs in 1. 5 the epithet Singha-vikranta-gamini (Naravarmani). If I have understood this expression correctly, it shows that Naravarman was a feudatory of Chandragupta II. We know from Gupta coins, that Sinha-vikrama was a title of Chandragupta II.; and we also know from a Sâñch inscription that this Gupta sovereign was reigning till G. E. 98 A. D. 411, i. e, for at least seven years after the date of our inscription. Nothing, therefore, precludes us from concluding that the expression Singha-vikranta-gamini hints that Naravarman was a tributary prince of Chandragupta II. And this is in keeping with the fact that his son and grandson, vis., Viśvavarman and Bandhuvarman were feudatories of Kamâragupta.
The verse which sets forth the year is very important, and I, therefore, quote it here. Sri(r)-Malava-gan-dmndte prasaste Krita-sanjhite [1].
Eka-shashty-adhike prapte samd-bata-chatushṭay[e] [I].
The two expressions that are worthy of consideration in this verse are Malava-gan-amnate, and Krita-samjhite. The first reminds us of similar expressions found elsewhere, viz., Malavândm gana-sthityd and Malava-gana-ethiti-vaidt of the inscriptions dated V. E. 493 and 589 respectively and both discovered at Mandas or itself. But what is the meaning of the expression Malava-ganamnate which occurs in our inscription? In my opinion, it can have but one sense, viz., "handed down traditionally by the Malava tribe." The root, d-mna, primarily signifies "to hand down traditionally," and, consequently, the word gana can here only mean "attribe," which again is one of its usual senses. This, I think, is clear and indisputable, and the other similar phrases just referred to, must be so interpreted as to correspond to this. The late Prof. Kielhorn" took these latter to mean "by, or according to, the reckoning of the Málavas." But to understand gana in the sense of gaṇand, as he undoubtedly does, is far-fetched. Besides the expression occurring in the new inscription clearly shows that the word gana must in all these phrases be taken to signify "a tribe." The word sthiti of the expression Málava-gana-sthiti now remains to be explained, and it is obvious that it must bear a meaning which would correspond to amnata. Sthiti, therefore, must mean some such thing as a settled rule or usage' which, doubtless, is one of its senses. This also brings out clearly the meaning of the instrumental which is intended by Málavánám gana-sthityd and Malava-gana-sthiti-vaidt, as was first pointed out by Prof. Kielhorn. These expressions must, therefore, mean, "in accordance with the (traditional) usage of the Malava tribe."
2 Ibid, p. 82.
3 Jour. B. As. Boc. for 1889, p. 87-90; 1893, pp. 111-12. The Amarakosha e. g. gives sampradaya (traditional usage) as one of the meanings of amnaya.
s One Bijaygadh inscription e. g. speaks of Yaudheya-gapa (Gupta Inscrs. p. 252). Gana is also found appended on coins not only to the name Yaudheya but also to Malava (Catalogue of the coins in the Indian Museum, Vol. I. by V. A. Smith, pp. 173-4 and 182).
Ante, Vol. XIX, pp. 56-7.
Vide the St. Petersburg Lexicon sub voce and the references culled there from Sanskrit literature.
