South Indian Inscriptions

INCRIPTIONS OF THE KALACHURIS OF TRIPURI

here occurs also in the Naishadhīyacharita (Canto XIV, v. 66). The present inscription seems to connect the caste with a sage named Kāchara.

The tendency to trace the origin of royal families to well-known legendary heroes or sages was widely prevalent in the middle ages; but the name of Kāchara as an eponymous hero occurs nowhere in ancient mythological or legendry literature.¹ It would seem, therefore, that an attempt has been made here to give legendry explanation of the name of the caste which had become current in the eleventh century A.C.² From the introductory verse of the second part of the present record, viz., v. 34, the poet’s intention seems to have been to show that the Kāyasthas belonged to the Brāhmaņa caste. It looks strange, therefore, that he should refer in verse 36 to a Śūdra (turīya-janman) as a Kāyastha and the progenitor of that caste, and describe his son as having his head purified by the dust from the feet of earthly gods (i.e., Brāhmaņas). Owing to the unfortunate mutilation of the lower part of the inscription, it is now impossible to say how the Śūdra origin of the caste referred to in vv. 36-38 was reconciled with the claim to Brāhmaņhood which seems to have been made in verse 34.³

The names of the distinguished members of Kāyasthas family, who seem to have served Kalachuri kings as their minister, have been lost with the single exception of Sōmēśvara. This latter is eulogized in vv. 46 and 47, as one who had dedicated himself to the welfare of the people and distinguished himself by his prowess as well as by intelligence. The mention of Lakshmaņarāja’s name in one of the preceding verses suggests the identification of this Sōmēśvara with the homonymous son of Bhākamiśra, who was a minister of Lakshmaņarāja as stated in the Kārītalāi stone inscription.⁴ A careful comparison of the descriptions in the two records would show, however, that the identification cannot be upheld. For, Sōmēśvara of the Kārītalāi inscription was undoubtedly a Brāhmaņa, as he is called Bhatta therein⁵ and is said to have belonged to the Bharadvāja gōtra.⁶ From the lengthy description of his accomplishments in that record we learn that he was proficient in various arts, but we do not find therein a single reference to his skills in the use of use of arms.⁷ Sōmēśvara of the present inscription, however, was a Kāyastha, distinguished as much for personal valour as for intelligence. Besides, he does not seem to have been a contemporary of Lakshmaņarāja himself, but of his successor; for, from verses 43-46 we learn that he was the son of a person who was honoured by Lakshmaņarāja. He is not, therefore, likely to have been identical with Sōmēśvara of the Kārītalāi inscription

Most of the geographical names occurring in the present record find mention
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¹In the Ajayagadh inscription of Nāna, a minister of the Chandēlla Bhōjavarman, the origin of the Kāyadthas is traced to the sage Kāśyapa (see J.A.S.B., Vol. VI, p. 882).
²Is kāchara, like khachara (Ind. Ant., Vol. XL, p. 31), identical with Khazar? ³ It is, of course, possible to take turīya-janmā in the sense of a Brāhmaņa by dissolving the compound as turīyārtham (yajñārtham) janma yasya sah, i.e., one who is born for (the performance of) a sacrifice, a Brāhmaņa. Both the St. Petersberg Lexicon and The Vāchas patyam give this sense of turīya, citing the Śatapatha Brādmaņa, IX, 2, 3, 11 etc., in support of it. But such an explanation would appear forced, since the word does not bear that sense in classical Sanskrit. Halāyudha gives turīya-varņa in the sense of a Śūdra. Note also agrajanman (first-born) which means a Brāhmaņa. Besides, the expression yō bhūmi-dēva-pada-pānśu- pavitra-maulih in 1. 21 suggest that the son did not belong to the caste of the earthly gods or Brāhmaņas.
⁴See verses 7-17 of No. 42, above.
⁵Ibid., v. 9.
⁶Ibid., v . 2.
⁷It must, however, be stated that verse 16 of the inscription mentions that Sōmēśvara’s deeds were praised by bards in the force-front of the battlefield.