202 Dr. B. Hamilton, on Inscriptions in South Bihdr. 



carved on a ledge of rock ; and is so small, and so besmeared with oil and 

 red lead, that I am not sure of its form. It seems, however, to represent a 

 woman sitting on a man's knee ; but not in the form usual in Bihar, which 

 is called Hara-gauri. Adjacent to the image, a cavity in the rock has been 

 enlarged by one or two pillars in front, supporting a roof, so as to form a 

 shed, to which the priest, and a man who sells offerings and refreshments for 

 votaries and passengers, daily repair. A few persons assemble in the month 

 of Srdvan. But the chief profit arises from passengers ; who are very nu- 

 merous : and all who can afford, give something. The priest is a Sannijdsi. 

 Above the shed, the Moslenians have erected a small mosque, in order to 

 sliow the triumph of the faith : but it is quite neglected. The image is 

 usually attributed to the Cherds : and many small heaps between the place 

 and Sahasram, are said to be ruins of buildings erected by the same people. 

 But a long inscription, carved on the rock within the slied, refers to Vijay.\ 

 Chandra, sovereign ofCanoj." 



That inscription was strangely misinterpreted by the Patidita attached to 

 the survey on which Dr. Buchanan Hamilton was engaged. The Pandita 

 supposed the chieftain, Pratapa dhavala, to premise an intention of com- 

 memorating his descendants ; and to proceed to the mention of Vijaya 

 Chandra, proprietorof Cawo; ; and Satrughna, son of the Mahdrdj : whence 

 Dr. Hamilton inferred, that Vijaya Chandra was son of Pratapa dhavala. 

 Dr. Hamilton observes, indeed, that others gave a totally different interpre- 

 tation : considering it as " an advertisement from Pratapa dhavala, that 

 he will not obey an order for giving up two villages, which, he alleges, had 

 been procured by corruption from the officers of Vijaya Chandra, King of 

 Canoj." 



The oriental scholar, upon inspection of the fac simile, will have no diffi- 

 culty in perceiving that the latter was the right interpretation ; and it is 

 therefore needless to pursue remarks which were built upon the Pandita^s 

 grossly erroneous translation. 



The style of the protest is singular ; and, on that account alone, I should 

 have thought it very deserving of notice. It Sf^rves, however, at the same 

 time to sliow, that the paramount dominion of Canyacubja, extended to the 

 mountains of South Bihdr : and it presents an instance of the characteristic 

 turbulence of Indian feudatories. 



The second inscription, bearing the name of the same chieftain, Ndyaca 

 Pratapa dhavala deva, with the date 1219, (A.D. 1163.) Saturday 4. 



