South Indian Inscriptions

INCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF TRIPURI

(V. 31) Is there any (adequate) word of praise for him, the righteous-minded one, who is the sole abode of the three royal powers,¹ (and) a mine of virtues? This is, however, prayed for by wise persons─‘May the earth have always a good king only because of you !’

(Line 32) From his glorious and victorious camp fixed at Prayāga,─the Paramabhattāraka, Mahārājādhirāja, and Paramēśvara, the illustrious Karnadēva, the devout worshipper of Mahēśvara, the lord of Trikalinga, whose person is adorned by the multitude of such qualities,² who meditates on the feet of the Paramabhattāraka Mahārājādhirāja, and Paramēśvara, the illustrious, Vāmadēva, being in good health, duly honours, informs and commands the following and other (officers) whether named or not, (viz.,) the Mahādēvī,³ the Mahārājaputra,⁴ the Mahāmantrins,⁵ the Mahāmātya,⁶ the Mahāsāndhivigrahika,⁷ the Mahādharmādhikaranika,⁸ the Mahākshapatalika,⁹ the Mahākarnika,¹⁰ the Mahāpratīhāra,¹¹ the Mahāsāmanta,¹² the Mahāpramātri,¹³ the Mahāśvasādhanika,¹⁴ the Mahābhāndāgārika,¹⁵ (and) the Mahādhyaksha─¹⁶

(L. 36) “Be it known to you that on Saturday, the second (tithi) of the dark fortnight of Phālguna, on the occasion of the first annual śrāddha¹⁷ of our father, the illustrious Gāngēyadēva at this very place. We, having bathed in the Vēnī, having worshipped with great devotion and with the five kinds of offerings made with a collection of food and having performed the śrāddha with unequalled faith, have given as a grant with a libation of water, the village Srusī included in the bhūmi of Kāśī,––together with mango and madhūka trees,¹⁸ inclusive of pits, (cultivatable) land, water and waste land, together with the produce of mines, quarries and so forth, extending to the four boundaries and limits,––to the illustrious Pandita Viśvarūpa, the son of Nārāyana, grandson of Vāmana, (and) great grandson of Āmaha,¹⁹ of the Vājasanēya śākhā, the Kauśika gōtra (and) the three pravaras Auddālaka, Dēvarāta and Viśvāmitra,²⁰ who has emigrated from the village Vaiśāli.”

(L. 41) Wherefore, the illustrious and revered Karnadēva commands all people living in the village Srusī─“Be it known to you. Knowing that this village has been
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¹See above, p. 42, n. 9.
² Viz., those which are described in verses 28-31.
³ The Great Queen, the Queen-consort.
⁴ The Great Prince, the heir-apparent to the throne.
⁵ The Chief counselors. The word appears in the singular in other Kalachuri records.
⁶ The Chief Executive Officer.
⁷ The Chief Minister for Peace and War.
⁸ The Head of the Department of Religion.
⁹ The Chief Keeper of Records.
¹⁰ The Chief Secretary.
¹¹ The Chief Usher.
¹² The Chief Feudatory.
¹³ The Chief Surveyor. He was probably the Chief Revenue Officer.
¹⁴ The Great Equerry. For his duties, see the Arthaśāstra of Kautilya (II, 30). There the officer is called Aśvādhyaksha.
¹⁵ The Chancellor of the Exchequer, called Sannidhātri in the Arthaśāstra (II, 4).
¹⁶ The Great Superintendent, who probably exercised supervision over all departments. He is, however, omitted in the Goharwa plates, The Khairhā plates of Yaśahkarna (No. 55, 1.26) mention him.
¹⁷ See above, p. 239 n.3.
¹⁸ Bassia Latifolia from the blossoms and seeds of which liquor was distilled.
¹⁹ Kielhorn read this name as Maha, see above p. 244, n. 14.
²⁰ Kielhorn proposed to read the names of the pravaras as Audāla, Dēvarā#257;ta and Vaiśvāmitra, but the Gōtrapravaranibandhakadamba gives the pravaras as above.