Captain Tod's CommetUs on a Sanscrit Inscription. 141 



as he wore a silver anklet at the time, when Hinduism received its first 

 stab, the ornament is forbidden to all Chohdn children. The anecdote is 

 in itself puerile, certainly ; but to see the fact pursued through so many 

 ages, marks strongly the impression which remained of a great event in 

 their particular history, as well as in that of the nation at large. 



Sdmbhari was the earliest possession of the Chbhdns. The town stands 

 not far from the celebrated salt lake of the same name, and which supplies 

 a great part of India with salt, and forms a considerable branch of the re- 

 venue accruing to the prince in whose territory it lies. PrithwirAja is 

 called by Chand to the very last, though enjoying the imperial sovereignty, 

 the Prince oi Sdmbhari, " Sdmbhari- Rao." 



Thirty years ago, when the knowledge of Indian antiquities was first dis- 

 closed by Sir William Jones, this distinguished character obtained in- 

 scriptions from the celebrated pillar, called Firoz Lath, in one of this 

 monarch's palaces at Delhi ; and laid a translation of it before the Asiatic 

 Society of Bengal. It was of PrithwirAja, and dated only six years pos. 

 tenor to that on which I have been commenting. At this period he 

 (PrithwirAja) was in the very zenith of his power. Major Wilford also 

 made comments on it, but not in a manner to elucidate the subject : in- 

 deed, the reverse ; for, taking Sdcambhari to be the Cambher, or Cambhtr- 

 nere of Mexvar, he transferred the actions of the Cluihamdnas to a distinct 

 race. Mr. Colebrooke, our Director, gave the most correct version ; justly 

 pronouncing Sdcambhari to be Sdmbhar. This pillar is mentioned by the 

 bard Chand, in his works, as the Jai-Khambha {Jaya-stambha), or pillar of 

 victory. But the many very ancient, and still undecyphered characters 

 upon it, give the original erection of the pillar a very remote antiquity. 

 It would be of the highest consequence could they be decyphered ; they 

 might, perhaps, have reference to the Yddava power, which possessed uni- 

 versal sovereignty, and whose capital cities were placed on the great rivers 

 of India ; and I discovered a rock, near Jonagarh Girindr (another great 

 seat of this race), covered with the same characters ; likewise a triumphal 

 pillar, in a lake in Meywdr. 



There is another pillar, now prostrate, and in detached masses, with the 

 same characters inscribed on it, to the N. W. side of the city of Delhi; and 

 one on the site of the ancient Hindu fortress of Hisdr, but without any 



* See Asiatic Reeearclies, Vol. I. 379. 7—175 and 511. 9—188 and 445, 



