330 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVI, 1920.] 
ing araka in line 2 of our record cannot in any way be avoided. 
For it occurs once more in line 4 where at any rate a different 
grouping like the one proposed i3 not, possible. I have there- 
fore no hesitation in looking upon Bihler’s grouping of the 
letters as more reasonable. 
The most perplexing word of the inscription is vasasataya 
which has been differently interpreted by Bhagwanlal,' 
Buhler? and Fleet.2 In epigraphic literature it occurs only 
once again in the Banavasi inscription o Vinhukada 
Cutukulanamda ; but this inno way helps us in ascertaining its 
true meaning. According to Bhagwanlal, vasasataya is an 
equivalent of varsasatyam, meaning ‘ in the century of years.’ 
The date would be in his opinion in accordance with the 
calculation of an era with hundreds omitted. But Biihler has 
tion, contends that “ the word vasasataya evidently represents, 
not vasattayah as has been supposed, but varsha-satlayah. It 
means ‘ of the year—existence’ that is ‘ of the continuance for 
one year more.’ And the record thus marks the specified day 
of the act registered in it, the first day of the seventh fortnight 
of the season Hemanta, as the accession-day or the coronation - 
day of Haritiputa-Satakanni.” “ Similarly by the same expres- 
sion,” he contends, “the inscription from China in the Kistna 
District, Madras (EI, I, 96), marks the fifth day of the fourth 
fortnight of Hemanta as either the accession-day or the corona- 
tion-day of Siri-Yafia-Satakani.” (J.R.A.S., 1905, pp. 304— 5). 
But this interpretation again can hardly be regarded as satisfac- 
tory. That the given date is the ‘ accession’ or ‘ coronation ’ 
day of the king and that the two records are dated on the 12th 
and 27th coronation days respectively, do not as a matter of 
culties I propose to take vasasalaya as corresponding to vamsa- 
satiayam which means ‘ during the existence, (i.e. the rule) of 
the family or dynasty,’ and Siriyana-Satakanisa vasasataya 
hesitation, but none better suggests itself to me. 
1 Inser. Cave-temp. of W. Ind., p. 100. 
2 Loc. cit. 38 J.R.A.S., 1905, pp. 304-5. 
