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INTRODUCTION
13
One Sasidhara, who described himself as a great logician (tarkanisnata), composed the Bheraghat Stone Inscription of Queen Alhanadevi. In 1859-60, Dr. Fitz Edward Hall edited and translated, for the first time, this Bheraghat Inscription in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. VI. 1858-60. In fact as early as October 26, 1859, Dr. F. E. Hall presented a paper entitled "Two Inscriptions" to the American Oriental Society, which was later published in the JAOS, vol. VI, pp. 499-532. Hall reported that the Bheraghat Inscription was rescued when "it was on the point of being buried, face downward, in one of the walls” of a temple that was being built in Bheragbat near Jubbalpur, India. The stone on which this inscription was found had, in fact, been brought, as a serviceable building material, to the site where a temple was being erected at Bheraghat on the bank of the Narmada river. Hall rescued the Inscripton from its threatened fate.
I quote below the relevant sections from the Bheraghat Inscription : मौन्या(ना)न्वये भार्गववैतहव्यसावेतसेतिप्रवरत्रयाढये । महेश्वराख्याद्धरणीधरोभून्नाम्ना गरिम्णा यशसा श्रिया च ॥32 कोमल-कान्तिसटालेनोच्चैः स्नेहातिभारभरितेन । दीर्घमनोज्ञदशेन त्रिभुवनदीपायितं येन 133 पृथ्वीधरस्तस्य सुतः समस्तगभीरशास्त्रार्णवपारदृश्वा । प्रशस्तिमेतामलिखद्यदोयैर्दिङ्मण्डली शिष्यगणेविजिग्ये ।।34 एतस्यावरजस्तक्र्कनिष्णातोद्भुतनैपुणः । प्रशस्तिमकरोदेतान् सूरिः शशिधराभिधः ||35 असूत्रयदिदं सर्वं विश्वकर्मविधानवित् । पीथेसमभिधः सूत्रधारः पृथ्वीम्पृथुर्यथा ॥36
सूत्रधाराग्रणीवा(बा)लसिन्हसूनुर्महीधरः । शिलान्तथाकरोद्वण्र्णे नमस्तारकितं यथा ॥37 संवत् ९०७ मार्गसुदि ११ रवौ ॥
" In the family of Maunin (or Mauna) -enriched with three Pravaras Bhargava, Vaitahavya and Savetasa-was born, of Mahesvara, a person Dharanidbara by name and adorned with fame, reputation and fortune:(32)
“Who enlightened the three worlds like a lamp, by shedding a pleasing lustre, being filled with overflowing kindness (*oil' in the case of a lamp), and enjoying a long and gratifying position (“having a long and beautiful wick' in the case of a lamp). (33)
“His Son Prthvidhara, who has seen the other suores of all the deep oceans of learning, (and) whose crowds of disciples conquered the quarters of the earth, wrote (i.e., inscribed) this eulogy. (34)
“ His younger brother, Sasidhara by name, a great teacher, well versed in logic and wondrously clever, composed this eulogy. (35)
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