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)