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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
INCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF TRIPURI (V. 15) While he, who was a store of valour and the sole of (their) happiness, dwelt in the mind of (his) subjects, their inward distress completely disappeared even as the ignorance of the yōgins does when the highest principal (Brahman), which is the repository of lustre and the unique source of bliss, shines in their minds. (V.17) From him was (born) Gāngēyadēva, who threw into the cage of a prison the king of Kīra,1 who looked radiant with the mass of wealth of (the king of) Anga who was fond of defeating (the king of) Kuntala in a (clever) manner, and who, strong as he was in the action of splitting open the temples of lordly elephants, made his (own) arm a pillar of victory on the shore of the (eastern) ocean, after vanquishing (the king of) Utkala. (V.18) By resorting to his divine person the goddess of fortune has now got rid of the infamy that she does not appreciate merit and is fickle. (V.19) Where he bestowed more wealth on suppliants than they desired, the wish-fulfilling tree was (no better than) an ordinary tree.2 He, who was to the enemies’ fame what the sun is to an assemblage of night-lotuses,3 begat the king Karna. (V.20) The feet of him (i.e., Karna) who was skilled in war, appeared lovely, being warm as if because they had trampled over the spreading valour4 of the neighbouring haughty princes. (V. 21) Under the sole guise of (the symbols of) the thunderbolt and the discus on his hands, he bore (with himself) the goddess of fortune herself, who (usually) shines with Indra and Upēndra. (V. 22) His arms, which were long like the trunks of the elephants of the quarters, which have lifted up the earth with their heads, were delighted to rescue the earth with ease.
(V.23) The two large (symbols of) conches on (his) hands were, I imagine, the treasure (of Kubera) which the Creator offered after doubling5 to him who was intently attached to charity. (V. 24) At his march, the spray of water, which issued from the tips of the formidable trunks of the elephants in (his army) and which was turned to particles by their puffing, appeared like an umbrella in the sky. (V. 25) ‘I do not harbour, O Lord ! the families of (your) enemies; nor have I transgressed the past limits.6’—In order as it were, to say this to the King of Chēdi, who was over-running the circuit of regions, the ocean roared in a deep sound, throwing about his arms of waves to scoff at the movements of the trunks of elephants in the army which, being fatigued, (had encamped) in its vicinity.
(V. 26) In his war, when the farthest confines of the circuit of regions were filled
with the noise of the loud clapping of the goblins who were dancing in intoxication caused
by drinking the liquor-like blood flowing from (the bodies of his) enemies wounded by his 1There is a play on the word kīra, meaning (i) a country of that name and (ii) a parrot. The king was
thrown into prison as a parrot is caged. |
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