North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE YAJVAPALAS OF NARWAR

His description in verses 7∙9 is all poetic. His wife was Siyā (v. 10), who gave birth to two sons (v. 11). The elder of them was Kākali (v. 12), and his younger brother was the illustrious Rāṇaka^[1] Chāchigadēva, who was a learned Kshatriya and the adopted son of Gōpāla (v. 13), Verses 14-16 inform us that Chāchigadēva performed pilgrimages to the holy places Kēdāra (in the north), Sōmēśa, i.e., Sōmēśvara (evidently in Saurāshṭra), Prayāga, and the Ganges, which are all well known. He performed obsequies for the manes at Gayā and paid his debt to Gopāladēva by noble deeds at the tīrthas and on the battle fields (vv. 15-16), His wife was Sahajā (v. 17). The next verse tells us that considering wealth and life to be fickle and desiring to increase his spiritual merit, Chāchigadēva built a stepped well (v. 18), Verse 19 is devoted to the description of the well ; and v. 20 informs us that he also planted a garden full of creeper and trees bearing fruits and flowers to remove the fatigue of travellers. The next verse expresses the desire that the meritorious place (where Chāchigadēva built the well and planted the garden) may prosper.

Verse 22 embodies the name of the poet of the praśasti. He was Jayasiṁha, a son of Lōhaṭa,^[2] belonging to the Māthura clan of the Kāyasthas. And the last verse of the record tells us that it was written (on the stone) by Maharāja, who was the son of Sōmarāja, who too belonged to the Māthura clan of the Kāyasthas. He is the same person who also wrote the Narwar inscription of V. 1339 (No. 175).

The record was engraved by Dēvasiṁha, whose name appears on the lower border of the stone ; and the right side thereof supplies the person who supervised the whole work. It cannot be definitely made out as this portion is mutilated.

Of the geographical names mentioned in the inscription, Kēdāra is in the Himayalas, Sōmēśa or Sōmanātha, is in Saurāshṭra, and Prayāga is near Allahābād, as already stated. Gayā is in Bihar. The community of the Māthura Kāyasthas was known after Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.

TEXT^[3]
[Metres : Verses 1-11, 16-17, 19-20 ; and 22-23 Anushṭubh ; vv. 12 and 15 Upajāti ; v. 13 Indravajrā ; v. 14 Śālinī ; v. 18 Vasantatilakā ; and v. 21 Arya].

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^[1] As remarked by Hiranand Sastri, the word rāṇaka here appears as an attempt to Sanskritise the word rāṇā though the latter is commonly rendered by Sanskrit rājānaka.
^[2] Lōhaṭa appears to have been the same person who is mentioned as Chāhaḍadēva’s treasury officer. See v. 27 of the next inscription.
^[3] From the original stone and an inked impression.
^[4] Denoted by a symbol.
^[5] A kāka-pāda appears here, as also at the end of ll. 4, 6, 16 and 20.
^[6] Originally with the sign of anusvāra scratched off later on ; but its mark is still visible.
^[7] In place of the first of these letters some other letter was originally written and the second letter is misformed ; but the reading is certain, as also
taken by D. C. Sircar. For a similar form of l. see Śraddhālu in l. 14, below.
^[8] All the three aksharas are abraded and the reading is not certain, I have, however, adopted the reading of D.C. Sircar.
^[9] This is a fine example of vyatirēka based on ślēsha and meaning that the person described just above. is, as if, another rājarāja (Kuvēra, and
his sovereign), for whereas Kuvēra is devoted to one god (Śiva) is attended by the kinnaras and is a friend of the one who is not ugra i.e., is
pleasant (meaning the moon), this person, quite unlike him, is devoted to many deities ; he is served by several unferocious people and is a friend
of those who was are gentle in behaviour.