250. Nagarjuni Hill (Gaya, Bihar) Cave Inscr. of Anantavarman (Fl. No. 49; Bh. No. 1604)
Kielhorn, IA. Vol. XX (1891), pp. 189 ff.; Thapliyal, p, 135-36.

Provenance: Nagarjuni Hill, Gaya District, Bihar.
References: Fleet, CII, III, 223f, plate XXXI A; Kielhorn, IA, XX, 189f.; for other references, Fleet, op. cit., and Bhandarkar's list no. 1604.
Language: Sanskrit. In verse, except the opening symbol for Siddham.
Metres: Verses 1 and 2 : Ùàrdólavikrèäita; Verse 3: Sragdharà; Verse 4: Mandàkràntà.
Script: Late Bràhmè of the Northern Class. Date: Circa first half of the sixth century A.D.

TEXT.

1 Siddham [||*] Àsèt=sarvva-mahèkøità(tàì)=manur=iva køattra-sthitår=ddåùikaõ ùrèman=matta-gajåndra-khåla-gamanaõ ùrè-Yajãavarmmà nðpaõ [|*]
2 yasy=àhóta-sahasranåttra-viraha-køàmà sad=aiv=àdhvaraiõ Paulîmè ciram=aùru-pàta-malinàì dhà(dha)ttå kapîla-ùriyaì ||1*
3 ùrè-Ùàrdóla-nðp-àtmajaõ para-hitaõ ùrè-pauruøaõ ùróyatå | lîkå chandra-marèci-nirmmala-guíî yî=[¸]nantavarmm-àbhidhà(dha)õ [|*]
4 dðøò-àdðøòa-vibhóti kartð-varadaì tån=àdbhutaì kàritaì | vimvaì Bhótapatår=guh-àùritam=idaì Dåvyàù=ca pàyàj=jagat ||2*
5 Ansà(aìsà)nt-àkðøòa-ùàrêga-pravitata-saùara-jyà-sphuran-maíäal-ànta-vyakta-bhróbhaêga-lakøma-vyatikara-ùaval-àkhaíäa-vaktråndu-vimva[õ*] |
6 antày=Ànantavarmmà smara-sadðùa-vapur=jjèvitå ni[õ*]spðhàbhiõ dðøòa[õ*] sthitvà mðgèbhiõ suciram=animiøa-snigdha-mugdh-åkøaíàbhiõ ||3*
7 atyàkðøòàt=kurara-viruta-sparddhinaõ ùàrêga-yantrà dvåg-àvidhaõ pravitata-guíàd=èritaõ sauøòhavåna |
8 dóra-pràpè vipathita-gaj-îdbhrànta-vàjè pravèrî vàíî=[¸]ri-strè-vyasana-padavèdåùikî=[¸]nanta-nàmnà(mna)õ ||4*
___________________________
From the original stone. (JF)
Metre, v.1-2 Ùàrdólavikrèäita, v. 3 - Sragdharà, v. 4 - Mandàkràntà.
L. 1. In the original, the symbol for this word, îm, stands in the margin, opposite the commencement of line 3; Sir Charles Wilkins and Dr. R. Mitra both read mahèkøitàì Manur=iva; but there is no anusvàra over the tà. (JF) Fleet has îì instead siddham. Fleet: mahèkøitàmanur=iva. But most probably the reference is to Manu and not to Anu. See also Kielhorn in IA XX. (Th.)
L.3, 4, 12 These marks of punctuation (|) are unnecessary. (JF)
L. 5. Fleet has Ans-ànt-àkðøòa-; -maíäal-ànta- | -vyakta- and in notes: read ànta-vyakta, omitting the mark of punctuation. (JF) Th. not read daíäa.
L. 6. Th (for spðhàbhiõ) We have followed Fleet. The plate, however, does not show the sign for visarga.
L. 7. Read yantràd, omitting the mark of punctuation. (JF) Th has -yantrà dvåg- instead -yantrà- | -d=våg- from Fleet publ. and in notes: Fleet puts a danda here and remarks that the mark of punctuation is unnecessary. But the plate does not show the mark of punctuation.
L. 8. This akøara (for dó) is partly mixed up with the å of då in vidåùavasu, which was subsequently engraved below this inscription, but has no connection with it. This visarga (in -nàmnà(mna)õ) was at first omitted, and then was inserted partially on the first stroke of the following mark of punctuation, when the text was altered from nàmnà to nàmnaõ. (JF) Th. in notes: Fleet writes: "this akshara ... no connection with it". The plate, however, shows only the upper half of the letter da and it is not mixed up with dó of dóra. Fleet refers to a redundants danda after rî, but the plate does not show it.