'2'28 Major Tod, on an Inscription at Madhttcarghar. 



gatorofan exterminating persecution of heretics (Bauddhas andJainas), ended 

 his own Hfe by committing liimself to the flames (Wilson's Sansc. Diet. 

 Pref. p. xix.) 



(F-) The epigraph of the Bhqja-prabandha, according to most copies of 

 it, names BallAla, as the author. But, in some copies, the name of 

 Vallabha appears. Mr. Wilson considers both to have been by several 

 centuries posterior to Raja Bhoja. CPref. to Sansc. Diet. p. viii.) 



It is not altogether likely that the Bhdja-charitra and Bh6ja-p-aba7idha 

 should have been works of the same author. The discrepancies are too 

 great, to have come from the same pen. 



According to the Bhoja-charitra, Munja was a supposititious child, and 

 older by five years than Sindhula ; whose father Sindhu abdicated in favour 

 of Munja, after disclosing to him his supposititious birth, and recommending 

 Sindhula to his kindness : regardless of which, Munja put out Sindhula's 

 eyes, and afterwards practised against the life of his son, Bhoja. But the 

 Bh6ja-prabandlia makes Munja to have been younger brother of Sindhula, 

 who abdicated in his favour, recommending his son Bhoja to his protection. 

 They differ as widely in many other particulars ; scarcely agreeing in any 

 point, besides the reason of Munja's jealousy of Bhoja, which was an 

 astrologer's prediction that the young prince was destined to reign, and for 

 a very long period (5.5 years 7 months 3 days); tlie circumstance of 

 Bhoja's writing to the tyrant with his own blood ; and the subsequent 

 repentance and abdication of Munja. 



The astrologer's prediction is given in precisely the same words in both 

 works. It is the foundation on which that duration is ordinarily assigned 

 to the reign of Bhoja : and not improbably tiie tale itself is grounded upon 

 a true tradition, that eventually such was the duration of the reign of Bhoja. 



" Fifty-five years, seven months, and three days, the southern tract, 

 together with Gau'da, will be possessed by Bhoja raja."* 



The number is erroneously given by Col. Wilford, quoting Col. Mac- 

 kenzie, for the tradition concerning it, prevalent in the Dekhin. (As. Res 

 ix. 157.) 



(<^) Upon a hunting excursion, as Sindhu was taking a solitary walk on 

 tlie banks of a river, he found an infant lying in a clump of (Munja) grass. 



Bhbja charitra, 1. 88. Bhoja-prabandha, 6. 



