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JALKA XPIGRAPHS: PART IN
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reckoning of the Saka years; but the precise year is lost. The date therefore does not admit itself for verification. We may however arrive at an approximation. The cyclic year Vikāri in the present case corresponded with the Saka year 861 expired. Calculating on this basis the approximate Christian equivalent of the date of the present epigraph would be A. D. 940, February 12, Wednesday. Krishņa III commenced his reign in December 939 A. D., and not many records have been discovered pertaining to the early period of his reign.' So this inscription furnishes one of the early dates for his reign; and his association with the Ganga ally and feudatory in a record as early as this is also noteworthy.
In this context we may note a few facts about Būtuga II. He was a zealous adherent and a great patrun of the Jaina faith who actively endeavoured for its promotion. He has been classed with the reputed Chāvundarāya and Attimabbe of classical fame by the Kannada poet Ranna (10th century A. D.) in his work, the Ajitatīrthakarapurāņatilakam, while paying compliments to the distinguished personages of his times, who staunchly sponsored the faith.
The following geographical names are mentioned in the record. Firstly, the expression 'vādi' in l. 8 should be reconstructed as "Gangavādi'. Gangavādi Ninety-six Thousand was the well-known province under the rule of Western Ganga princes. This territory roughly corresponded with the area of the Mysore State. The words Three Hundred in line 9 might be a part of the fuller expression Belvala Three Hundred. This tract roughly included parts of the present-day Gadag taluk of the Dharwar Dt. and the adjoining area of Kopbal in the Hyderabad State. The reconstructed territorial division Ededore Two Thousand, figuring in lines 14-15 represented "a stretch of country between the rivers Krishņā on the north and Tungabhadrā on the south comprising a large part of the present Raichur district”: Modern Kopbal was probably included in this tract. Kuvalālapura (1. 6) is modern Kolar in Mysore State.* Lines 21-22 seem to contain a reference to [Ko]pana which is modern Kopbal.
TEXT 1 Svasty = Akālavarshadēva Sri-Prithvi-valla ...... 2 rājādhiräjā Paramēśvara.............
........... 3 Śrimat Kannaradēva-pravarddhamāna-vi........... 4 m= uttar-õttaram = abhivriddhige salutt-ire [*]
5 Satyavākya [ Kom ]gu[ ni ]va[rmma ] Dharmmama[hā] 1 A. S. Altekar: Rashtrakūtas and their Times, pp. 115 and 122. 2 Aśvāsa XII, verse 9. 3 Ep. Ind., Vol. XII, p. 396. 4 Mysore and Coorg from Inscriptions, pp. 29 and 32.
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