This record, discovered in Vasai and currently housed in the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), Mumbai, belongs to the reign of the Śilāhāra king Mallikārjuna. Engraved on a stone slab, the inscription features two Śiva liṅgas and a yoni paṭṭa. The Sanskrit text is characterised by the Nāgarī script.
The inscription records a series of religious acts such as the repairs of a Śiva temple by the mason Laṣaṇa Vaṅgaka under the guidance of rājaguru Vedaśiva and bhopaka Vyomaśiva. Additionally, the record commemorates the excavation of a well at the preceptor's residence and the formal grant of Lonavāṭaka village, situated within the Pāṭālasaka division of the Kaṭashaḍi viṣaya, to an individual named Lāṣaṇa Upādhyāya. These endowments were made when the state administration was overseen by mahāsāndhivigrahika Prabhākaranāyaka and mahāpradhāna Anantapaiprabhu.
1. siddham | svasti | śaka saṃvat 1083 vṛṣasayasarāntargata
2. pauṣe māsi va di 15 somadine || sūrya parvvaṇi
3. adyeha samadhigatāśeṣapaṃñcamahāśabda mahāsāmantā-
4. dhipatitagarapuraparameśvara | śrīśilāhāranarendra-
5. ityādisamastarājāvalīvirājitaśrīmallikārjunadeva-
6. rājye | mahāsāndhivigrahikaprabhākaranāyakaḥ śrī-
7. karaṇe prathamasyapāṭimahāpradhānaśrī-anantapai prabhu dvitī-
8. sthapāṭi-amukaḥ | satyetasmin kāle pravartamāne sati
9. rājaguruśrīvedaśivaḥ | bhopakavyomaśiva | vivekamūlo
10. guṇapallavaudhaḥ || saṃpatisāpaḥ sa ca kīrtipuṣpaḥ sreyaḥphale
11. jayācakakalpa vṛkṣaḥ | śrībhopakavyamasivo vibhāti || tābhyāṃ ca pu-
12. ruṣābhyāṃ sa jīrṇoddhāraḥ kāritaḥ | mahadugivajñāsutalākha-
13. ṇavaṅgakena kṛtaḥ ………..prasādena | tābhyāṃ gurukule
14. vāpī ca ……..kaṭaṣaḍīviṣayantaḥ pātī | paṭālasakasa | lo-
15. navāṭako | lākhaṇa upādhyāyāya dattaḥ | tathā dhamādāyastapaḥ saukh-
16. yārtha saṃpradattaḥ | jaśca puruṣaḥ | etatpālyati ta vāpaḥ tapi sa dhanaṃ la-
17. bhate . . . . . . na kenāpi prativijñātavyaḥ | yastu paripanthī bhaveta
18. tasya mātā gardabhena . . . . .
Line 1-8
Success! Hail! In the śaka Year 1083, on Monday, the 15th tithi of the dark fortnight of the month Puṣya (Pauṣa) included in the cyclic year Vṛṣa, on the holy occasion of a solar eclipse, on this day here, during the reign of the illustrious Mallikārjuna, who has obtained all the five mahāśabdas and who is adorned with all royal titles such as mahāsāmantādhipati, tagarāpura-parameśvara and the illustrious Śilāhāra king, while the administration is carried on by the mahāsāndhivigrahika Prabhākaranāyaka, the senior sthapāti (treasurer) of the Government, the illustrious mahāpradhāna Anantapaiprabhu and the junior sthapāti (treasurer) Amuka—at such a time, when the holy Vedaśiva is the Rājaguru and Vyomaśiva, is the Bhopaka—
Line 9-18
There shines the illustrious Bhopaka Vyomaśiva, who is a Kalpavṛkṣa (wishfulfilling tree) to suppliants, having discrimination as its root, merit as its mass of foliage, wealth as its branches, fame as its flowers and spiritual well-being as its fruit.
These repairs have been caused to be made by those two. The work has been executed by Lakhaṇa Vaṇgaka, son of Mahadugiva Jhā. By the same two a well has been dug at their preceptor’s place, Loṇavāṭaka in the territorial division of Paṭālasaka included in the viṣaya of Kaṭaṣaḍi has been donated to Lakhaṇa Upādhyāya. This religious gift has been given for the penance and happiness of the donor.
That person who would preserve this gift… … would obtain wealth. None should object to this gift. The mother of him, however, who would cause obstruction… … by an ass.
Glossary
Bhopaka – Title of an officer, here Vyomaśiva.
Kalpavṛkṣa – Mythical wish-fulfilling tree; metaphor for Vyomaśiva’s virtues.
Mahāsāmantādhipati – High royal title, “lord over great feudatories.”
Mahāsāndhivigrahika – Minister for peace and war, here Prabhākaranāyaka.
Rājaguru – Royal preceptor, here Vedaśiva.
Śaka 1083 / Vṛṣa – Date of the inscription, corresponding to 1161 CE.
Sthapāṭi – Treasurer or finance officer in administration.
| Dynasty: | Śilāhāra |
| Ruler: | Mallikārjuna |
| Date: | 17th January 1162 CE (Vṛṣa year, Pauṣa Kṛṣṇa 15, Monday, Śaka 1083) |
| Place: | Bassein (Vasai) |
| Donee: | Lakhaṇa Upādhyāya |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Deities: | Śiva |
| Nature of grant: | Land donation |
| Purpose: | For penance and spiritual welfare of the donors |
| Provenance of inscription: | Bassein (Vasai), Maharashtra |
| Type of Inscription: | Stone Inscription |
| Source: |
Bibliography & Research
- Hemachandra. (1900). Kumārapālacarita. Canto VI, v. 40-70. Nirnaya Sagar Press.
- Mirashi, V. V. (Ed.). (1977). Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. VI: Inscriptions of the Śilāhāras. Archaeological Survey of India, pp xviii-xix and 153-156.
- Sankalia, H. D., & Upadhyaya, S. C. (1935–1936). Six Śilāhāra inscriptions of the Prince of Wales Museum. Epigraphia Indica, 23, 269-281, here 274-276.
