251. Nagarjuni (Gaya dist., Bihar) Hill Cave Inscr. of Anantavarman (Fl. No. 50; Bh. No. 1605)
M. Hamid, Anc. Monuments in Bihar & Orrisa, ASI. (NIS.) Vol. LI, pp. 40-42; Thapliyal, p, 137-38.

Th: Provenance: Nagarjuni Hill, Gaya District, Bihar.
References: Fleet, CII, III, 226-28, plate XXXI B. For other references, Fleet, op. cit., and Bhandarkar's list no. 1605.
Language: Sanskrit. Except the opening symbol for Siddham, the inscription is throughout in verse.
Metre: Ùàrdólavikrèäita, throughout.
Script: Late Bràhmè of the Northern Class.
Date: Circa first half of the 6th century A.D.


TEXT.
1 siddham [||*] unnidrasya sarîruhasya sakalàm=àkøipya ùîbhàì rucà | s-àvajãaì mahiø-àsurasya ùirasi nyastaõ kvaían-nópuraõ |
2 Dåvyà vaõ sthira-bhakti-vàda-sadðùèì yuãjan=phalån=àrthitàì | diùyàd=accha-nakh-àêùu(khàìùu)-jàla-jaòilaõ pàdaõ padaì saìpadàì ||
3 Àsèd=iøòa-samðddha-yajãa-mahimà ùrè-Yajãavarmmà nðpaõ | prakhyàtà(tî) vimal-åndu-nirmmala-yaùà[õ*] køàttrasya dhàmnaõ padaì |
4 prajãàn-ànvaya-dàna-vikkrama-guíair=yî ràjakasy=àgraíè[õ*] | bhótv=àpi prakðti-stha åva vinayàd=akøîbhya-sat[t*]v-îdadhi[õ*] ||
5 tasy=îdèría-mah-àríav-îpamaraía-vyàpàra-lavdha(bdha)ì yaùaõ tanvànaõ kakudaì mukhåøu kakubhàì kèrt[t*]yà jit-ådaì yugaõ [|*]
6 ùrèmàn=va(ba)ndhu-suhðj-jana-praíayinàm=àùàõ phalaiõ póraya[n*] | puttraõ kalpa-tarîr=iv=àpta-mahimàì(mà) Ùàrdólavarmmà nðpaõ ||
7 tasy=ànantam=ananta-kèrtti-yaùaùî=[¸]nant-àdi-varmm-àkhyayà | khyàtån=àhita-bhakti-bhàvita-dhiyà puttråía pót-àtmanà [|*]
8 à-sórya-køiti-chandra-tàrakam=iyaì puíy-àspadaì vàãccha(ãcha)tà | vinyast=àdbhuta-Vindhya-bhódhara-guhàm=àùritya Kàtyàyanè ||
9 Dhaut-àêhî(tàì hî) paêka-dîøam=amalair=màhànadair=amvu(mbu)bhiõ | vyàdhót-îpavana-priyaêgu-bakulair=àmîditaì vàyubhi[õ*] |
10 kalpànt-àvadhi-bhîgyam=ucca-ùikhari-cchày-àvðttàrkka-dyutiì | [- -] gràmam=analpa-bhîga-vibhavaì ramyaì Bhavànyai dadau ||
__________________________
From the original stone. (JF)
Metre, Ùàrdólavikrèäita, throughout. It is not customary to punctuate the first and third pàdas of a verse; but it was done almost uniformly throughout this inscription. (JF)
L. 1. Fleet has îì instead siddham. Th.: The danda (first) is redundant. Feet puts the (second) danda without bracket. The plate however, does not show it.
L. 2, 3. Th.: The (first) danda is redundant.
L. 4. Th.: The (first) danda is redundant.
L. 5. Fleet puts here danda after yaùaõ within square bracket which is uncalled for.
L. 6. Read mahimà (for -mahimàì). (JF) Th: The (first) danda is redundant.
L. 7, 8, 9, 10. Th.: The (first) danda is redundant.
L. 9. Fleet has only Dhaut-àêhî-mala-.