________________
JAINA EPIGRAPHS: PART II
TEXT
1 Misaragamḍa Kallappa-Nayakaru [*]
2 Rakshasa-samvatsara Margaśirsha su. 11 Guru [*]
367
TRANSLATION
Misaragamḍa (manly among the manly of the moustaches) Kallappa Nayaka (visited this place) on Margaśīrsha śu. 11, Thursday, of the cyclic year Rakshasa.
INSCRIPTION No. 45
(Found in a cave at Kopbal)
This was copied from the same rock as of the above record. The pilgrim appears to be a lay follower of the faith.
TEXT
1 Mallaneya maga Namjarāyanu [*]
TRANSLATION
Nanjaraya, the son of Mallane (visited this place).
INSCRIPTION NO. 46
(Found on a stone near Uppina-Betgeri)
This inscription was discovered on a slab of stone near the village Uppina Betgeri. The stone was lying on the boundary of the field owned by the Mali Gauda (revenue official) of the village and situated about a mile and a half away towards the north from the locality. The details regarding the original place of the inscription are not known. The story, however, concerning its later vicissitudes was reported as follows. The stone, it seems, was lying some time back in a lane of the village called Hirekēri (big street). People held mysterious notions about it and believed that it was a means of finding out hidden treasures. Accordingly, some treasure-hunters from the neighbouring villages made an attempt to steal it away. While they were carrying it in a bullock-cart at night, they were haunted by terrific apparitions. Frightened at this experience, they removed the stone from the cart and threw it out. Since then it was lying at the very spot where I found it during my visit to the place as specified above. But it may be seen from its contents that the main interest of the inscription is to record the gift to a Jaina temple at Kopana or modern Kopbal. Hence we would be justified in assuming that the inscribed slab belonged originally to Kopbal only and that in the later days of decline of the faith, it might have been somehow removed to Uppina Betgeri which is about fifteen miles from Kopbal. At any rate, there is nothing in the record to trace its connection in any manner with the village of Uppina Betgēri.
