Ajaṇṭā Cave Inscription of Varāhadeva

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Ajanta Cave inscription is a rock-cut epigraphic record incised on the left-side wall outside the verandah of Cave XVI at Ajanta. Engraved in the box-headed Brāhmī script, the text was composed entirely in Sanskrit verse (comprising thirty-two stanzas). The record exhibits excellent calligraphy despite suffering significant weather damage and flaking on its left side. Although undated, it belongs to the reign of the Vākāṭaka monarch Hariṣena, placing its creation in the late fifth century CE (circa 475–500 CE), a date corroborated by the architectural style of the cave itself.

The inscription was executed by Varāhadeva, the minister of king Hariṣeṇa, to record the dedication of a magnificent rock-cut cave-dwelling to the Buddhist saṅgha. Varāhadeva, whose father Hastibhoja had served as minister to the previous king Devasena, made this pious dedication for the religious merit of his parents. The text provides a vivid architectural description of the cave, noting that it was adorned with windows, doors, beautiful picture-galleries, ledges, and statues of Indra's nymphs. Furthermore, the dwelling housed a temple of the Buddha inside, was provided with a large reservoir of water, and featured a shrine dedicated to the lord of the nāgas.

Editor's Comment:

It provides extensive geographical data regarding the military zenith of the Vākāṭaka empire, recording that King Hariṣeṇa conquered and held sway over Kuṇṭala, Avanti, Kaliṅga, Kośala, Trikūṭa, Lāṭa, and Āndhra.

Original Text
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1. udīrṇṇalokatrayadoṣavahninirvvāpaṇam - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - -yatim praṇamya pūrvvām pravakṣye kṣitipānupūrvvīm ||

2. mahāvimarddeṣvabhivṛddhaśaktiḥ kruddhassurairapyanivārryavīryyaḥ | - - - - - - - - -raṇadānaśaktiḥ dvija- -prakāśo bhuvi vindhyaśaktiḥ ||

3. purandaropendrasamaprabhāvaḥ svabāhuvīryyārjjitasarvvalokaḥ | - - - - uddhṛtakamṭakānā. babhūva vākāṭakavaṃśaketuḥ ||

4. raṇeṣu svaharya yuddhatareṇujālasañchāditārkkassa ca karma - - | - - - - - - - - - - -narātīn kṛtvābhivādapravaṇāmścakāra||

5. vinirjitārissurarājakāryye cakāra puṇyeṣu param prayatnam | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|| arinarendramaulivinyastamaṇikiraṇalīḍhakramāmbujaḥ |

6. pravarasenastasya putrobhūdvikasannavendīvarekṣaṇaḥ || ravimayūkha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| sarvvasenaḥ pravarasenasya jitasarvvasenassutobhavat||

7. satputraḥ pārtthivendrasya praśaśāsa dharmmeṇa medinīm | kuntalendram vijitya - - - - - - -śrīvimdhyasenaḥ nṛpobhavat || pravarasenastasya putrobhūtpravarorjitodāraśāsanaḥ pravaraḥ |

8. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -|| tasyātmajaḥ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| - - - - - - - - - - -mavāpya rājyamaṣṭābdako yaḥ praśaśāsa samyak ||

9. tasyātmajobhūnnaradeva - - - - - - - - - - - - -bhuvi devasenaḥ | yasyopabhogairllalitairvvi-- - - - - - - -devarājasya - - - - - - -bhūḥ || puṇyānubhāvātkṣitipasya

10. samyak - - - - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - guṇādhivāsaḥ śrīhastikośo bhuvi hastibhojaḥ || pra - - - - - - - pṛthupīnavakṣāssaroruhākṣa kṣapi-

11. tāripakṣaḥ | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - bāhurddiggandhahastipratimo babhūva || hito vinītaḥ praṇayapradhāno manonukūlonuvidhānavarttī | niratyayam

12. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -kaśca || tataiva lokasya hitāśayatvātsukhena samyakparipālanena | piteva māteva sakheva nityam priyobhigamyaśca babhūva

13. satyam || - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | svasthassamāveśya sa tatra rājā sasañja bhogeṣu yatheṣṭaceṣṭaḥ || atha tasya suto babhū-

14. va rājā . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .| harirāmaharasmarevakānti rhariṣeṇo harivikkramapratāpaḥ || sa kuntalāvantikaliṅgakosalatrikūṭalāṭāndhra-

15. - - - - - jānimān | - - - - - - - - - - - - śauryyaviśrutānapi svanirddeśaguṇāti - - - - - - -|| prathito bhuvi hastibhojasūnussacivastasya mahīpaterbbabhūva | sakalakṣiti-

16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . || rāja prajeṣṭaḥ sthiradhīracetāstyāgakṣamaudārryaguṇairupetaḥ dharmmeṇa dharmmapravaṇaśśaśāsa deśam yaśaḥ puṇyaguṇāmśu-

17. - - -|| viśeṣataḥ . . . . . . . . . prati puṇyopacayam param cakāra | yata ūrdhvamimām sahāyadharmmāniratolokagurau cakāra kārām || āyurvayovittasukhāṇini

18. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - cañcalāni | uddiśya mātāpitarāvudāram nyavīśadveśma yatīndrasevyam || sajalāmbudavṛndalambitāgre bhujagendrādhyuṣite mahīdharendre |

19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vīraśrīpatinā dharāni kuñje || gavākṣaniryyūhasuvīthivedikāsurendrakanyāpratimādyalaṅ-kṛtam | manoharastambhavibhaṅga-

20. bhūṣitam niveśitābhyantaracaityamandiram || - - - - - - -talasanniviṣṭam vitāna- - - - manobhirāmam | - - - prakāmāmbumahānidhānam nāgendraveśmādibhira-

21. rapyalaṅkṛtam || - - - - - - rmmahati samīraṇe samantāt- - - - - - vividhavilāsa- - -- - - -| grīṣmārkkasya ca kiraṇopatāpataptam sarvartuprathitaguṇopabhogayogyam ||

22. . . . . . . . . . surendramandirāṇām rucimanmandarakandarānurūpam | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . janairyathepsitam || asamasya virocane girervika-

23. . . . . . . . . . . . . śramāntakatayā nivahena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . || - - viśālamiti yasya janena nāma prītiprasādavikacapraṇayena cakre | etasya

24. - - - - - - - - - - rlayanam surendramauliprabhopacitamaṅgalasamgrahāya || nivedya saṅghāya suveśma bhaktyā sabandhuvarggassa varāhadevaḥ | nṛdevasaukhyānyanubhūya samyak

25. dharmeṇa śāstā sugatapraśastaḥ || sāndrāmbhodabhujaṅgabhoga nikarairyyāvat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -nūtnamanaḥ śilālakapilairyyāvatkarairbhāskaraḥ | tāvacche-

26. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -sevyatāmantarmaṇḍaparatnametadamalam ratnatrayodbhāvitam || vividhalayanasānussevyamāno mahadbhirggiriraya-

27. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ddhyaḥ | jagadapi ca samastam vyastadoṣaprahāṇādviśatu padamaśokam nirjvaram śāntamāryyam ||

Translation

Verse 1 
Having bowed to the sage (Buddha) who extinguishes the rising flames of the sins of the three worlds... I shall give a eulogy about a succession of kings.

Verse 2 
There was a Brāhmaṇa (a twice-born man) on earth named Vindhyaśakti, whose strength increased in great battles, whose valour, when he was enraged, was irresistible even by gods, and who was mighty in fighting and charity.

Verse 3 
He, whose majesty was like that of Indra and Upendra (Viṣṇu), who, by the might of his arm, conquered the whole world and who destroyed the up-rooted thorns, became the standard of the Vākāṭaka race.

Verse 4 
He, eclipsing in battles the sun with the masses of dust raised by the hoofs of his horses, making the enemies... made them intent on salutation to him.

Verse 5 
Having subdued his enemies for accomplishing the work of the gods, he made a great effort to acquire religious merit...

Verse 6 
His son was Pravarasena I, whose lotus-like feet were kissed by the rays of jewels worn on the heads of hostile kings and whose eyes resembled fresh, blooming lotuses.

Verse 7 
The rays of the sun... Sarvasena was Pravarasena I’s son who defeated all armies.

Verse 8 
The illustrious Vindhyasena, the noble son of the lord of kings, governed the earth righteously, having conquered the lord of Kuntala...

Verse 9 
His son was Pravarasena II, who became exalted by his excellent, powerful and liberal rule...

Verse 10 
His son... who, having obtained the kingdom when eight years old, ruled well.

Verse 11 
His son became king who, on earth, was known as Devasena... by whose lovely enjoyments the earth... of the lord of gods.

Verse 12 
Through the greatness of the religious merit of that king... properly... there was Hastibhoja, the abode of excellences... the illustrious Commander of the Elephant Force on the earth.

Verse 13 
He, who had a broad and stout chest and lotus-like eyes, and who destroyed the partisans of his enemies, who had... arms... resembled a scent-elephant stationed in a quarter.

Verse 14 
Obliging, modest, loving, agreeable, obedient to the king’s wishes... faultlessly...

Verse 15 
So also, on account of his being a well-wisher of the world as well as by his happy and excellent rule, he was, indeed, always dear and accessible to the people like their father, mother and friend.

Verse 16 
...The king, having entrusted the government of the kingdom to him, became free from care and engaged himself in the enjoyment of pleasures, acting as he liked.

Verse 17 
Then his son became king... Hariṣeṇa, who, in loveliness, resembled Indra, Rāma, Hara, Cupid, and the moon, and who was brave and spirited like a lion.

Verse 18 
He conquered Kuntala, Avanti, Kaliṅga, Kosala, Trikūṭa, Lāṭa, Andhra... which, though very famous for valour...

Verse 19 
The son of Hastibhoja, renowned on earth, became the minister of that king... whole earth...

Verse 20 
Beloved by the king and the subjects, he, who was of staid and firm mind, endowed with the virtues of liberality, forgiveness and generosity, and intent on the performance of religious duty, governed the country righteously, shining brightly with the rays of his fame, religious merit and virtue.

Verse 21 
He amassed a large store of religious merit for... especially, after which he, regarding the sacred law as his only companion, made this sacred dwelling, being extremely devoted to the Buddha, the teacher of the world.

Verse 22 
Realising that life, youth, wealth and happiness are transitory... he, for the sake of his father and mother, caused to be made this excellent dwelling to be occupied by the best of ascetics.

Verse 23 
On the best of mountains, on which hang multitudes of water-laden clouds and which is inhabited by the lords of serpents... in the thickets of the slopes of which... by the lord of the Goddess of heroism.

Verse 24 
The dwelling which is adorned with windows, doors, beautiful picture-galleries, ledges, statues of the nymphs of Indra and the like, which is ornamented with beautiful pillars and stairs, and has a temple of the Buddha inside.

Verse 25 
Which is situated on the top of the mountain, appears attractive... a canopy, which is provided with a large reservoir of abundant water and is also ornamented with a shrine of the lord of the Nāgas and the like.

Verse 26 
...various pleasures... in a fierce wind blowing all round... warmed by the heat of the rays of the summer sun and affording enjoyment of well-known comforts in all seasons.

Verse 27 
Which resembles the palaces of the lord of gods and is similar to a cave in the lovely Mandara mountain... as desired by the people.

Verse 28 
Which... shines on the slopes of this matchless mountain... since it removes fatigue.

Verse 29 
The cave on this mountain... clothed in the brilliance of Indra’s crown, which the people, with their love expanding through joy and gratification, have named—viśāla.

Verse 30 
Having presented the cave with devotion to the Community of Monks, Varāhadeva together with the multitude of his relatives, having enjoyed royal pleasures, ruled righteously, being praised like Sugata (i.e. the Buddha).

Verse 31 
As long as... with the multitude of the hoods of serpents resembling crowding clouds... as long as the sun shines with rays red like fresh red arsenic—even so long may this spotless cave containing an excellent hall (maṇḍapa) dedicated to the three ratnas, be enjoyed!

Verse 32 
May this mountain, the peak of which contains various types of caves, which is inhabited by great people... and may the whole world also, getting rid of its manifold sins, enter that tranquil and noble state, free from sorrow and pain!

Dynasty:	Vākāṭaka
Ruler:	Hariṣeṇa
Date:	c. 475 to 500 CE
Place:	Cave 16, Ajanta, Maharashtra
Donee:	Holy Saṅgha of Ajanta
Language:	Sanskrit
Script:	Box-headed Brāhmī
Nature of grant:	Religious endowment
Purpose:	To record the endowment by the Varāhadeva, in favour of the holy saṅgha at Ajanta
Provenance of inscription:	Cave 16, Ajanta, Maharashtra
Type of Inscription:	Stone inscription
Source:	CII Vol 5, pp. 103-111

Bibliography & Research

Mirashi, V. V. (Ed.). (1963). Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: The Inscriptions of the Vākāṭakas (Vol. V). Archaeological Survey of India.

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Ajaṇṭā Cave Inscription of Varāhadeva

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