Indian Antiquary Vol 47

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JANUARY, 1918
little less than three centuries later, has preserved to the world the oldest, and therefore the most reliable, text of the Meghadúta as yet discovered, while his pupil Meghadúta says that the Kumarasambhara was widely read in his time and was the delight of every class of people, young as well as old. 38
From a comparison of the Eran pillar inscription of Budhagupta and the Eraŋ Boar inscription of Toramâņa it can be conclusively proved, as has been shown by Dr. Fleet, that39 Toramâna came after Budhagupta. The latest date for Buddhagupta is Gupta Samvat 180 corresponding to Saka 421 or A.D. 499. Toramâna was the father of Mihirakula. Mihirakula was defeated by Yasodharman who was reigning to in Malava or Vikrama year 589 corresponding to Saka 454 (A.D. 532). The first regnal year of Toramana is mentioned in the Eran Boar inscription, while the 15th regnal year of his son Mihirakula is given in his Gwalior inscription. These two regnal years must fall between Gupta Samvat 180 and Málava year 589, corresponding to Saka 421 (A.D. 499) and Saka 454 (A.D. 532) respectively, according to our Jaina authorities. It is worth noting that the inscription which records the defeat of Mihirakula by Yasodharman is not dated. But from another inscription of Yasodharman dated in Malava or Vikrama year 589, the approximate date of Mihirakula is ascertained. This Mihirakula is believed by Dr. Fleet and other scholars to be identical with the famous tyrant Mihirakula, whose career has been described in such vivid colours by the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsiang and by Kalhana in the Rajatarangini. On the other hand our Jaina authorities tell us that the early Gupta kings were immediately succeeded by the great tyrant Chaturmukha-Kalkin, Kalkin or Kalkirâja. He was a paramount sovereign (#
f a). He was foremost among wicked men (farfe :), a perpetrator of sinful deeds ( fa). He oppressed the world (ataus:). He asked his ministers whether there were any people on earth who did not owe allegiance to him ; the reply was, none but the Nirgranthas. He thereupon issued an edict that the first lump of food offered to the Jaina community of Nirgranthas at noon every day by pious people should be levied as a tax. The Jaina Nirgranthas are allowed by the rules of their religion to take their meal at noon once a day. If any w or difficulty occurs at that hour, they must wait for their meal till noon on the following day. The result of the tyrant Kalkiraja's edict was that the Nirgranthas were exposed to utter starvation. Unable to bear this spectacle, a demon appeared and killed the tyrant with his thunderbolt. Kalkiraja then went into the hell called Ratnaprabhâ, there to live countless ages and to endure misery for a long time. 41 We may compare this account with the statement 2 of Hiuen Tsiang as regards Mihirakula-"the holy saints said, in pity, for having killed countless victims and overthrown the law of Buddha, he has now fallen into the lowest hell, where he shall pass endless ages of revolution."
We have seen that the tyrant Kalkiraja was a paramount sovereign. The Mihirakula of the inscriptions also was a paramount sovereign, because he bowed down before none
3 Compare, for instance, 3 gr. Chap. 59, stanza 36
संवर्ध्य विषवृक्षं च छर्नु स्वबमवैति कः ।
our grafik t e fregit || 36 li with कुमारसंभव ii, 55
विषवृक्षोपि संवर्य स्वयं उत्तुमसांपतम् | » Ante, Vol. XVIII, p. 227.
W Gupta Inscriptions, pp. 150, 158, 162. 41 See the passage given at the end. 1 V. Smith's Early History of India, 3rd ed., p. 319.