Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s7.t9: No. III
Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s7.t9
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- English
No. III
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Inscription in the Nail-headed character of the Mori Princes of Cheetore, taken from a column on the banks of the lake Mansurwur, near that city.
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By the lord of waters may thou be protected! What is there which resembles the ocean? on whose margin the red buds of honey-yielding trees are eclipsed by swarms of bees, whose beauty expands with the junction of numerous streams. What is like the ocean, inhaling the perfume of the Paryata (1), who was compelled to yield as tribute, wine, wealth, and ambrosia (2)? Such is the ocean!—may he protect thee.
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Of a mighty gift, this is the memorial. This lake enslaves the minds of beholders, over whose expanse the varied feathered tribe skim with delight, and whose banks are studded with every kind of tree. Falling from the lofty-peaked mountain, enhancing the beauty of the scene, the torrent rushes to the lake. The mighty sea-serpent (3), o'erspent with toil in the churning of the ocean, repaired to this lake for repose.
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On this earth's surface was Maheswara (4), a mighty prince, during whose sway the name of foe was never heard; whose fortune was known to the eight quarters (5); on whose arm victory reclined for support. He was the light of the land. The praises of the race of TWAST'HA (6) were determined by Brahma's own mouth.
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Fair, filled with pride, sporting amidst the shoals of the lotos, is the swan fed by his hand, from whose countenance issue rays of glory: such was RAJA BHEEM (7), a skilful swimmer in the ocean of battle, even to where the Ganges pours in her flood (8) did he go, whose abode is Avanti (9). With faces resplendent as the moon, on whose lips yet marked with the wound of their husband's teeth, the captive wives of his foes, even in their hearts does Raja Bheem dwell. By his arm he removed the apprehensions of his enemies; he considered them as errors to be expunged. He appeared as if created of fire. He could instruct even the navigator (10) of the ocean.
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From him was descended Raja BHOJ (11). How shall he be described; he, who in the field of battle divided with his sword the elephant's head, the pearl from whose brain (12) now adorns his breast; who devours his foe as does RAHOO (13) the sun or moon, who to the verge of space erected edifices in token of victory?
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From him was a son whose name was MAUN, who was surcharged with good qualities, and with whom fortune took up her abode. One day he met an aged man: his appearance made him reflect that his frame was as a shadow, evanescent; that the spirit which did inhabit it was like the seed of the scented Kadama (14); that the riches of royalty were brittle as a blade of grass; and that man was like a lamp exposed in the light of day. Thus ruminating, for the sake of his race who had gone before him, and for the sake of good works, he made this lake, whose waters are expansive and depth unfathomable. When I look on this ocean-like lake, I ask myself, if it may not be this which is destined to cause the final doom (15).
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The warriors and chiefs of RAJA MAUN (16) are men of skill and valour—pure in their lives and faithful. RAJA MAUN is a heap of virtues—the chief who enjoys his favour may court all the gifts of fortune. When the head is inclined on his lotos foot, the grain of sand which adheres becomes an ornament thereto. Such is the lake, shaded with trees, frequented by birds, which the man of fortune, SRIMAN RAJA MAUN, with great labour formed. By the name of its lord (Maun), that of the lake (surwur) is known to the world. By him versed in the alankara, PUSHHA, the son of NAGA BHUT, these stanzas have been framed. Seventy had elapsed beyond seven hundred years (Samvatisir), when the lord of men, the KING OF MALWA (17) formed this lake. By SEVADIT, grandson of KHETRI KARUG, were these lines cut [800].
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(Note 1).—The Paryata is also called the Har-singar, or ‘ornament of the neck,’ its flowers being made into collars and bracelets. Its aroma is very delicate, and the blossom dies in a few hours.
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(Note 2).—Imrita, the food of the immortals, obtained at the churning of the ocean. The contest for this amongst the gods and demons is well known. Vrishpati, or Sookra, regent of the planet Venus, on this occasion lost an eye; and hence this Polyphemus has left the nickname of Sookracharya to all who have but one eye.
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(Note 3).—His name Matolae.
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(Note 4).—A celebrated name in the genealogies of the TAKSHAC Pramara, of which the Mori is a conspicuous Sac’ha or branch. He was the founder of the city of Maheswar, on the southern bank of the Nehrbudda, which commands the ford leading from Awinti and Dhar (the chief cities of the Mori Pramaras) to the Dekhan.
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(Note 5).—The ancient Hindu divided his planisphere into eight quarters, on which he placed the Koonjerries or elephants, for its support.
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(Note 6).—TWASTHA, or Takshac, is the celebrated Nagvansa of antiquity. All are Agniculas. Cheetore, if erected by the Takshac artist, has a right to the appellation Herbert has so singularly assigned it, namely, Tacsila, built by the Tâk; it would be the Tâk-sillā-nagar, the ‘stone fort of the Takshac,’ alluded to in No. I.
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(Note 7).—Raja Bheem, the lord of Avanti or Oojein, the king of Malwa, is especially celebrated in the Jain annals. A son of his led a numerous colony into Marwar, and founded many cities between the Looni river and the Aravulli mountains. All became proselytes to the Jain faith, and their descendants, who are amongst the wealthiest and most numerous of these mercantile sectarians, are proud of their Rajpoot descent; and it tells when they are called to responsible offices, when they handle the sword as well as the pen.
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(Note 8).—Ganga-Sagur, or the Island at the mouth of the Ganges, is specified by name as the limit of Bheem’s conquests. His memoria may yet exist even there.
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(Note 9).—Avanti-Nat’h, Lord of Avanti or Oojein.
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(Note 10).—*Paryataca*, a navigator.
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(Note 11).—*Raja Bhoj*. There is no more celebrated name than this in the annals and literature of the Rajpoots; but there were three princes of the Pramara race who bore it. The period of the last Raja Bhoj, father of Udyadit, is now fixed, by various inscriptions discovered by me, A.D. 1035, and the dates of the two others I had from a leaf of a very ancient Jain MS., obtained at the temple of Nadole, namely, S. 631 and 721, or A.D. 575 and 665. Abulfazil gives the period of the first Bhoj as S. 545; but, as we find that valuable MS. of the period of the last Bhoj confirmed by the date of this inscription of his son Maun, namely, S. 770, we may put perfect confidence in it, and now consider the periods of the three, namely, S. 631, 721, and 1091—A.D. 567, 665, and 1035—as fixed points in Rajpoot chronology.
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(Note 12).—In the head of that class of elephants called Bhadra, the Hindoo says, there is always a large pearl.
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(Note 13).—The monster Rahoo of the Rajpoot, who swallows the sun and moon, causing eclipses, is Fenris, the wolf of the Scandinavians. The Asi carried the same ideas West, which they taught within the Indus.
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(Note 14).—Kadama is a very delicate flower, that decays almost instantaneously.
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(Note 15).—*Maha-pralaya*!
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(Note 16).—The MS. annals of the Rana’s family state that their founder, Bappa, conquered Cheetore from Maun Mori. This inscription is therefore invaluable as establishing the era of the conquest of [801] Cheetore by the Gehlotes, and which was immediately following the first irruption of the arms of Islam, as rendered in the annals of Mewar.
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(Note 17).—As Raja Maun is called King of Malwa, it is evident that Cheetore had superseded both Dhar and Awinti as the seat of power. A palace of Maun Mori is still shown as one of the antiquities in Cheetore.¹
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¹ [For this Inscription see ASR, Progress Report West Circle, 1903–4 p. 56.]