No. 1. Mevаsа Inscription of Bhartрdаman, Year 205
A.R. Ep., 1963-64, No. B 110; P. R. Srinivasan, EI, XXXVII, No. 24;

A tentative text of this inscription has already been published in the Annual Report of the Rajkot Museum for 1923-24, p. 13 by D.B. Diskalkar who was then the Curator of the Museum. He has stated that he prepared the transcript from a couple of impressions of the record, which he received from Diwan Bahadur Ranchhodbhai Udayaram who had discovered this inscription, long ago in 1898, along with the well known Andhau inscriptions. Diskalkar has also stated that though the existence of this inscription was long known, neither D. R. Bhandarkar who visited Kutch twice in 1905 and 1915 nor R. D. Banerji who visited the island in 1919, nor himself when he had gone there in 1923, had visited the place of the inscription to examine it in situ. The reason for the absence of any detailed study of the record seems to be that unlike the Andhau records which were arranged to be removed to the Bhuj Museum by the above mentioned Ranchhodbhaiji after their discovery, this record was not removed to that institution till recently. It is now exhibited in the galleries of the Museum, erected on a pedestal. The flat stone slab on which the epigraph is engraved is of irregular shape with the top rounded. It measures 70 cm high and 45 cm to 35 cm broad from bottom to top. The writing, including the symbols at the top, occupies a space 50 cm high and 40 cm broad at its maximum. Owing to long exposure to the elements of nature, the slab has suffered much damage. Consequently, a number of letters of the inscription have been disfigured, a нew of them beyond recognition. (PS)


TEXT

1 Siddham [|*] Rаjгo Mahаkшapupasya svаmi-Chaштana-
2 putra-praputrasya rагjo Mahаkшatrapasya Bhartri(tр)dаma-
3 putra-praputrasya | Rаjгo Mahаkшatrapasya | varшa щata
4 2 5 utre Kadaмba-putrasya [Svatиkшava-pratasya] Аbhиrasya
5 Ha[ri]hi[va]kaмda-naptusya Vasudevasya Gu[la]ka-dahitasya
6 Kа[rti]kasa [щukla] 5 rаjye-ddhasya || bhartu[х*] yaттi puштaye
7 . . [штhа]pi[tа]-[le]kha-kama cha kataм [||*]
_________________________________
From impressions.
L. 1. Read Mahаkшatrapasya.
L. 3. This two virаmas (|) is indicated by two dots one below the other.
L. 4. 2 Expressed in the form of two big dots or dashes one below the other, a feature which is rather peculiar; utre - read uttare. This ([Svatиkшava-pratasya]) reading is uncertain.
L. 5. (For naptusya) - read naptroх; read dauhitrasya.
L. 6. Read Kаrttikasya; the two D-like signs (||) shown as facing each other engraved here seem to stand for double daндas, which is superfluous.