Ancient History of the Deccan c3.s5.10

c3.s5.10

I regret I cannot accept this theory. On the contrary, the inscriptions themselves clearly show that Gautamiputra and Puḷumāvi have reigned in succession. Indeed, Gautamiputra, in the year 24, states distinctly that the cave was excavated under the orders of his mother and himself : "Pious gift of ours"; and in the inscription of queen Balaśrī in the 19th year of Puḷumāvi, the queen mother makes a solemn gift of the cave in her own name. This can be explained in only one way : the excavation of the cave was begun under the orders of Gautamiputra and his mother before the 18th year of Gautamiputra and was finished only after the death of Gautamiputra and during the reign of his son Puḷumāvi; we have proof of it in the fact that it was the latter king that had it embellished with paintings. The cave not having been consecrated officially, this consecration took place only in the 19th year of Puḷumāvi. Since the king Gautamiputra was dead, the queen Balaśrī made the gift officially herself.