No. 26 - NAGARJUNIKONDA INSCRIPTION OF THE TIME OF ABHIRA VASUSHENA, YEAR 30
EI, XXXIV, No. 30, D. C. SlRCAR, Ootacamund

An inscription recently unearthed at Nаgаrjunikoндa has been noticed with an illustration in the Indian Archaeology 1958-59—A Review, p. 8, Plate Va. The notice reads as follows: "On the bank of the river Kriшна, in the north-eastern corner of the valley (i.e. the Nаgаrjunikoндa valley), long rows of pillared maндapas had previously been noticed, superimposed by medieval rubble structures. These later structures were removed to expose the plans of the underlying early Ikшvаku buildings. During this operation, a slab bearing an inscription (Pl. Va), dated in the 9th regnal year of the Аbhиra king Vаsiштhиputra Vasuшенa and recording the construction of a wooden image of Aшtabhujasvаmin, was discovered. The record further mentioned mahаtalavara mahаgrаmika mahаdaндanаyaka Щivasеna of Kauщika-gоtra, the Yavana princes of Saгjayapurи, Щaka Rudradаman of Avanti and Viшнurudraщivalаnanda Sаtakarнi of Vanavаsa, who appear to have had some share in the consecration of the image and benefactions made in the reign of the Аbhиra king.'\1
The characters belong to the Middle Brаhmи stage of South India and resemble those in the inscriptions of the Ikшvаkus found at Nаgаrjunikoндa and in the neighbourhood and belonging to the latter half of the third century A. D. and the early part of the fourth. The language of the inscription is an admixture of Sanskrit and Prakrit.

TEXT

Sиddhaм ||
1 namо bhagavatо dеva-parama-dеvasya purанa-puruшasya Nаrаyaнasya [|*] ra(rа)jги Vаsе(si)штhi-putrasya Аbhиrasya Vasuшенasya sa[м]vatsara(rе) [30] vа-pа [7]
2 [d]ivasa(sе) 1 ma[h]аgrаmikеna(нa) ma[hа]talavar[еna(нa)] mahаdaмдanаyaka(kе)na Kauщika-[sa]gоtrеna(нa) Pеribiдеhанам(nам) Щivasеbеna Saмjayapur[и]нa-Yоrаjibhi[х*]
3 Аva[nta]kеna Щakеna Rudradаm[е]na Vаnavаsakеna [cha] Viшнurudraщiva[lа]nanda-[Sаta]-karннinа [s]th[а]nа(na)tо=pi na chаlitо(ta) [е]шa bhagavам(vаn) ruмbara-bhavо Аштaмjasvаmi
4 [Sедa]-giriya sth[а]pitо(taх) parv[va]tasya cha prаkаrо chitаpitо vа[pi] cha Mahа[naм]dа sи(що)dhitа taдаgаni cha 2 Щедa-giriyaм Muдеrаya cha khанitаni tala-vaнаni cha
5 rоpitаni [|*] yо(yaщ)=cha Brаhmaн-аrt[th]е mitr-[аr]tthе cha prанa[m=a*]pi na pari[tya*]kшati guнataщ=cha [Sa]rvv-аtithi[х*] [sarvva-sakha][х*] kрtajгa[х] sa[t]ya-[v]ra[ta][х*] щatru-ga[н=а]vamardri(rdи) [|*] ru(р)jur=[vvaтa]-nyаsana=pr[е]ma-[n]i-
6 [штhо] yо [dhа*]rmika[х*] s[а]dhu-jan-аbhinaмdi(dи) |[|*] [ulеkhaga 27]=ch=аs[y]a Sемbaka-Vardhamаna[kо] Bharadvаja-sagо[trе]нa amаtyеna Tiшyasaмmенa 28 Bhagavach-[chhakty]ах(ktyа) kрta[м] 29 [|*] svasti gо-vrаt[еbh]yaх 30 |

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From impressions. (DS)
Sanskrit siddham || namо bhagavatе dеva-parama-dеvаya purанa-puruшаya Nаrаyaнаya. The first word is enaraved in the left margin near the beginning of lines 1-2. The punctuation is indicated a double daндa followed by a slanting stroke. (DS)
L. 1. This is a contraction of Prakrit Vаsa-pаkhе=Vassa-pakkhе=Sanskrit varшa-pakше (for va-pa)(DS)
L. 2. (for Щivasеbеna) Sanskrit -щеpеna; as indicated above, this may be a mistake for Yоnarаjabhiх (Sanskr Yavanarаjaiх). We can also read Samjayapurиtо. But the epithets Аvantaka and Vаnavаsaka applied to two other persons in the same context suggest that Saмjayapurинa is preferable. (DS)
L. 3. Sanskrit -dаmnа (for Rudradаm[е]na); read ruмbara-bhavо=штabhujasvаmи. The deity's name Aштabhujasvаmin is known from another inscription. Instead of the akshara bhu, which has been left out by the engraver, тa is engraved below штa. (DS)
L. 4. Sanskrit Sетa-girau (for [Sедa]-giriya); Sanskrit prаkаraщ=chitritaх (for prаkаrо chitаpitо); read vаpи cha or vаpiщ=cha (for vа[pi] cha); Sanskrit taдаgе cha 2 Sетa-girau Muдеrаyам cha khаnitе; Sanskrit tala(tаla)-vanаni (for tala-vaнаni). (DS)
L. 5. This (фafter guнataщ=cha)is followed by a stanza in the Upajаti metre; even though na (in -nyаsana) is followed by a conjunct, it has to be regarded as a short syllable owing to a convention according to which short syllables may not be lengthened before pr, hr, br and kr (cf. Apte's Pract. Sans.-Eng. Dict., 1924, p. 1035). (DS)
L. 6. The akshara ja (in s[а]dhu-jan-) is incised above the akshara dhu; Sanskrit ullеkhaka- (for ulеkhaga); Sanskrit -щarmaна (for Tiшyasaмmенa); the word idam is understood here (kрta[м]). Cf. asya above in the same line; the intended reading (for gо-vrаt[еbh]yaх) may be gо-brаhmaнеbhyaх. (DS)