Ancient History of the Deccan c3.s5.9

c3.s5.9

At Nāsik, there are two inscriptions of Gautamiputra dated in the years 18 (insc. No. 1125 of Lüders's list) and 24 (insc. No. 1126). Professor D. R. Bhandarkar who has discussed this subject recently (Ind. Ant., Vol. XLVII, page 152) says : "Sir Ramkrishna Bhandarkar contends that all " these dates pertain to the reign of Puḷumāvi and that he " reigned conjointly with his father, the former over Mahā- " rāṣṭra and the latter over the hereditary Śatavāhana " dominions. The latter view alone can be correct. For in in- " scription No. 5, Gautamiputra Śātakarṇi, who is the donor " there along with his mother, issues a grant in favour of " Buddhist monks, who, it is expressly stated were staying in " the cave which was the pious gift of theirs. This cave which " was a pious gift of Śātakarṇi and his mother must doubtless " be cave No. 3 which, as we have seen above, was excavated " and given over to the Bhadrāyaṇiyas. But then we have " also seen that this cave was presented to these monks in the " 19th regnal year, not of Śātakarṇi but of Puḷumāvi." " (Dekkan of the Śātavāhana Period by Prof. D. R. Bhandar- " kar).