Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v4.c17.40

v4.c17.40

The name of the king of Aśmaka is not mentioned. In the inscription in Cave XVII a line of kings feudatory to the Vākāṭakas is mentioned. Ravisāmba and his elder brother (name lost), sons of Kṛṣṇadāsa, of this feudatory line, are stated therein to have conquered and ruled over Aśmaka.¹ We learn further from that inscription that Ravisāmba predeceased this elder brother, who after the demise of his younger brother led a very pious life. Cave XVII was excavated by him. He was contemporary of the Vākāṭaka emperor Hariṣeṇa (circa A.D. 475-500). Considering the approximate date of our inscription, we may presume that it was either Ravisāmba’s elder brother himself or the latter’s son and successor who was king of Aśmaka at the time of the excavation of Cave XXVI.