Ancient History of the Deccan c3.s5.12

c3.s5.12

I think that the meaning of the inscription of the queen Balaśrī has not been correctly understood till now. We wonder why this inscription dated in the reign of Puḷumāvi contains exclusively the eulogies of Gautamīputra. I believe that the real meaning of the inscription, is this: the queen mother, when she was officially presenting the cave, cannot forget that it was under the orders of her son that the excavation of the cave was begun; it was therefore quite natural to eulogise the glorious Gautamīputra. Thus the inscription of Balaśrī has a clear meaning: it is the funeral oration on the great king delivered by an inconsolable mother.