1866.] Notes on Gupta Inscriptions from Aphsar and Behar. 273 



sea where dwells all wealth, to the top of the Himalaya, — in chase of 

 his enemies, is seen by mankind with wonder even to this day ; it is 

 like that of the son of Pavana (Hanurnana who spanned the Gulf 

 of Manaar by a single leap). 



7. That king gave birth to a son, even as did Hara to the rider 

 of the peacock.* Forward in battle and of renowned strength, this son 

 was named Kumara Gupta. 



8. He, with a view to obtain Lakshmi, assuming the form of 

 Mount Mandara, churned the milky ocean produced by the forces of 

 the moon-like King Santa Varma,f — an ocean over which was spread a 

 moving mass of waves (his soldiers) comparable to a line of plantain 

 trees put in motion by a passing wind, and in it were whirlpools formed 

 of rising clouds of dust (raised by the soldiers), while the furious and 

 mighty elephants (of his army) represented sunken rocks. 



9. He was firm in truth and valour, and was engaged in the perfor- 

 mance of ceremonies for the relief of the needy ; he worshipped with 

 the flower of truth. He entered into a fire of dried dung as in a sea. J 



10. Of that king S'ri Damodara Gupta was the son. Even as 

 Damodara§ killed the Daityas ; so did he destroy his opponents. 



11. While gloriously dispersing, at the battle of Maushari, the 

 roaring line of elephants of the fierce army of the western Hunas, 

 he fainted, and selected the nymphs of heaven (as his own, saying) 

 they are " mine," and the pleasant touch of their lotus-like hands re- 

 vived him. 



12. That king gave away in marriage numberless Brahmin daughters 

 of youth and beauty, bedecked with ornaments, and adorned with 

 hundreds of necklaces. 



13. S'ri Mahasena Gupta was his most valiant son. In all chi- 

 valric assemblies, he obtained the credit for noble heroism. 



14. Hermits and their wives, lying on the cool shady banks of the 



* Kartikeya, alias Kumara, god of war. 



f The moon rose from the ocean when it was churned by the gods with a 

 view to extract ambrosia from it. Mount Mandara, the backbone of the earth, 

 was on the occasion used as the churning stick. 



J It is not certain whether the author wishes to imply that the king burnt 

 himself to death, or merely performed the penance called Panchatapa. 



§ Yasoda the mother of Krishna, once kept him tied to a churn with a rope 

 round his waist to restrain him from stealing butter; hence the epithet Ddma, 

 " a rope" and " udara" " belly" or " waist." The exploits of Krishna with the 

 Daityas sent by Kansa, king of Mathura, to kill him, are well-known. 



