11. Meharauli Iron Pillar Inscr. of Chandra (Bh. No. 1543)
J. Prinsep, JBAS, Vol. III. p. 494 (1834) - lithograph of it - Plate xxx; J. Prinsep, JBAS, Vol. VII. p. 629 ff.(lithograph - Plate xxxiii); Bhau Daji, JBBRAS Vol. X (1875), p. 63 ff.;Fl. No. 32; C. H. Chakravarty, ABI. Vol. VIII (1927), p. 172-76; D. R. Bhandarkar, JAHRS. Vol. X (1936-7), pp. 86-88; D.C. Sircar SI. Bk. III, No. 14, p. 275-77; & JRASB. (Lt.) Vol. V (1939), p. 407; Jagan Nath, JIH. Vol. XXI (1942) pp. 161-62; B. Upadhyava, SAII. pt. II, p. 53 & Pl.; R. B. Pandey, HLI. (1962), pp. 80-81.
The identification of this Chandra is controversial but scholars mostly identify him with Chandragupta II of Imperial Gupta dynasty.


TEXT.

1 Yasy=оdvarttayataх pratиpam=urasа щattrуn=samеty=аgatаn=Vaкgешv=аhava-varttinо=bhilikhitа khaдgеna kиrttir=bhujе
2 tиrtvа sapta mukhаni yеna samarе Sindhоr=jjitа Vаhlikа yasy=аdyаpy=adhivаsyatе jalanidhir=vvиryy-аnilair=ddakшiнaх [||*]
3 Khimnasy=еva visрijya gам narapatеr=ggаm=ащritasy=еtarам mуrt[t*]yа karmma-jit-аvaniм gatavataх kиrt[t*]yа sthitasya kшitau
4 щаntasy=еva mahа-vanе hutabhujо yasya pratаpо mahаn=n=аdyаpy= utsрijati praнащita-ripоr=yyatnasya щешaх kшitim [||*]
5 Prаptеna sva-bhuj-аrjjitaг=cha suchiraг=ch=aikаdhirаjyaм kшitau Chandr-аhvеna samagra-chandra-sadрщим vaktra-щriyaм bibhratа
6 tеn=аyaм praнidhаya bhуmipatinа dhаvеna 4 Viшно(шнau) matiм prаnщur=Vviшнupadе girau bhagavatо Viшноr=dhvajaх sthаpitaх [||*]


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Commentaries and variants

Fleet: From the original pillar.
L.1 Metre, Щаrdуlavikrидita, throughout. (Fl).
L.2 Prinsep also read vаhlikа; but Bhau Daji, varying in also the first syllable, read bаlhikа.- In the first akshara, the v is imperfect on the right side, through the closing up of the metal. In the second akshara, the h is turned in the opposite direction to that in which it is turned in аhava, line 1 and mahаvanе and mahаn, line 4. But, that the akshara is hli, not lhi, is certain; because l can only be formed to the left; whereas, at this period, h was formed sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right; and, in the present inscription, it is turned to the right, as here, again in hutabhujо, line 4, and аhvеna, line 5. (Fl)