6 Restoration and Translation [Jan. 



golden-sided mountain (Mem), — by whom Meru himself might be box*ne 

 aloft in the piercing talons of his mighty arm, — the great grandson of the 

 great king Gupta, — grandson of the great king Ghatotkacha, — son of the 

 great king, the sovereign of kings, Chandra-gupta, — maternal grandson 

 of Ltcchavi, — born of the great goddess-like Cuma'ra-de'vi, — the great 

 king, the sovereign of kings, SAMunRA-GuPTA,— 



Of him, when the accepted son was pronounced to be the son of De'vI, 

 daughter of Maha'daitya, the incomparable worshipper of the supreme 

 Bhagavat (Crishna), the great king, the sovereign of kings, Chandra- 

 gupta, — then his son, before addicted to illiberality, and a man of great 

 parsimony, was purified by the waters of destiny. Such was the excellent 

 blessedness of the worshipper of the supreme Bhagavat, the great king, 

 the sovereign of kings, Cuma'ra-gupta, celebrated for his mildness of 

 disposition, and of subdued passions united to accumulated fame, — a 

 blessedness pervading even the forests and desert lands. 



Verse. 



Having well surmounted the calamities that oppressed the earth, the 

 chief and unique hero of the Gupta race, of face like a lotus, displays the 

 glory of conquest : even he, by name Scanda-gupta of distinguished and 

 spotless renown, — who in the spirit of his own dreadful deeds danced 

 in the fierce dance, (SivA-like after his vengeance for Sita's death.) 



Possessed of a clear insight into the profound wisdom of the Tantras, 

 ■with a spirit of unceasing silence (on their incommunicable mysteries — 

 and in accordance with their precept and discipline) mangling the flesh of 

 the refractory in successive victories; — he by whom their challenge to 

 battle being accepted and answered, forms a splendid spectacle in every 

 quarter of the earth, — is declared even by alien princes to be one whose 

 mind could not be shaken by sudden and unexpected calamity. 



For afterwards by him to whom the keeping of his treasure was com- 

 mitted, — the boundary which was given as a sacred deposit, and worthy 

 to be extended to the extremities of the earth — was treacherously taken 

 away, and the prosperity of the family removed from it, — (even by him 

 the minister aforesaid) coveting the wealth of that family, having previ- 

 ously professed much attachment in words, but destitute of the light (of 

 truth), and followed by calamitous defection. 



Yet (having conquered) the land, his left foot was fixed there on a 

 throne yet untrodden by mortals, and having obtained excellent room, 

 and laid by his weapons, he reposed from war on his (inaccessible) moun- 

 tain. His pure and noble exploits, the exploits of a man of unspotted 

 fame, although long opposed by the kings of the excellent seven hills, are 

 now sung* even by them. 



In every region did men surround that young prince, when his father 

 had gone to heaven, as one who had attained most illustrious prosperity : 

 whom his father's brother and the other chiefs did first (thus surround, 

 hailing him) as their new sovereign, in the midst of the joy of conquest, 

 with tears in their eyes. 



