The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s1.40

v2.c30.s1.40

For the reign of this prince we have the long and interesting *Sasbahu inscription*. This is incised on a slab inside the larger of the two temples, near the middle of the eastern wall of the fortress of Gwalior, which the people call *Sās bahū kā dehrā*. It contains 42 lines of writing and 112 Sanskrit verses. It opens with ‘*Om namaḥ Padmanāthāya*’ and 4 verses invoking Aniruddha, the lord of Uṣā. Then comes the genealogy of the Kacchapaghātas from Lakṣmaṇa down to Mahīpāla. Next follow verses praising the last in fulsome terms familiar to the Indian *praśastikāras*. The main fact recorded is that Mahīpāla soon after his coronation promised to complete the half-finished temple of Hari which was begun by his predecessors, and kept his vow (V. 70). A detailed list of the charitable institutions connected with the temple, the portions of his revenue devoted by him to the erection of the temple buildings, the idols that he gave to the shrine, the ornaments he presented to them, the arrangements he made and the implements he furnished for their worship, are fully stated in verses 71-102. V. 75 tells us that the income of the village of Pāṣāṇapallī was divided into 30 shares, of which a few were allotted to the god, and by far the greater number to Brāhmans. The letters of the inscription were written by Yaśodeva Digambarārka, ‘a poet in all languages,’ and engraved by the *Śilpis* Padma, Māhula, and Siṁharāja. *The praśasti* was composed by Maṇikaṇṭha by order of the king in (V.S.) 1150 (A.D. 1093), when the wise Gaura was serving as his (minister).²