The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c17.s1.59

v2.c17.s1.59

**Brahmesvara :—**To the east of the last, at a distance of a little over half a mile, there is a magnificent temple, most sumptuously carved, and having a porch to match. Unlike all other temples at Bhuvaneśvara, it is built on a high mound formed into a terrace. It is singular too in having its interior as well as its exterior most elaborately carved and decorated ; in all other temples, not excepting the Great Tower, the carving being confined to the outside. The divinity of the place is a *liṅgam* of small size, and devoid of the Yoni mark. According to the *Ekāmra Purāṇa* (Chapter 14) Śaṃkara, after an elaborate exposition of the merits of Bhuvaneśvara as his chosen seat and secret retreat on earth, advised Brahmā to erect a temple at a distance of 1130 fathoms to the north-east of the Great Tower ; and Viśvakarmā built the temple in compliance with Brahmā's instructions ; and the temple now existing is believed by the pious to be the same which Brahmā established after his interview with Mahādeva, whence its name Brahmeśvara or the Lord of Brahmā. But whatever be the claim to antiquity of the *liṅgam*, the temple has no such pretension. The inscription referred to under the head of Ananta-Vāsudeva, (p.[83]), describes it as a monument erected by a pious lady named Kolāvatī, mother of Udyotaka Keśarī. Udyotaka is said to be the 7th from Janamejaya ; but this Janamejaya has not been defined. According to two copper-plate inscriptions published by Babu Raṅgalāla Banerji in the *Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal*, the father of Yayāti, the founder of the Keśarī dynasty, was Janamejaya. If this be the prince meant, and the descendants be supposed to have belonged to a junior branch, the age of Udyotaka would fall at about the middle of the 8th century. But if we take this Janamejaya to be the same with the 12th prince of the Keśarī line who reigned in 754 to 763, the time of his seventh successor would be placed in the third quater of the 9th century The genealogy given in the inscription includes the names successively of : 1, Janamejaya ; 2, Dīrgharava ; 3, Apavara ; 4, Vicitra (he belonged to a junior branch and a son of Apavara followed on his dying without issue) ; 5, Abhimanyu ; 6, Caṇḍīhara (wife Kolāvatī) ; 7, Udyotaka. The 4th is described to have come from Teliṅgānā, and assumed the sovereignty of his cousin in Orissa. But the temple records of Puri do not recognise any of these names, except the first. The surname Keśarī, however, shows that the princes belonged to the dynasty established by Yayāti, but being members of a junior branch, had to occupy a subordinate position as chieftains of a small principality included in Orissa. The character used in the inscription would place it between the 8th and the 10th centuries, and, taking the second Janamejaya of the Keśarī line to be the prince named, I take the inscription, and consequently the temple, to be of the 3rd quarter of the 9th century. The florid style of ornamentation used in the decoration of the temple would place it at about the same time.