632 Inscriptions on an image of [July, 



tion of the former, while the latter hearing- of a pillar at Airan hastened 

 off by dak to visit it, and was rewarded with the two inscriptions which 

 follow, and a few insulated names in various styles from the Airan pil- 

 lar and temple. Of the monuments he has kindly promised a full de- 

 scription ; the history of their origin as derived from the inscriptions 

 themselves however may be succinctly told : — 



The temple was built by Dhanya Vishnu the confidential minister 

 of raja Ma'tri Vishnu the son of Hari Vishnu, grandson of Varu'- 

 na Vishnu and great grandson of Indra Vishnu ; in the first year of 

 the reign of raja Tar a pa ni of Surdshtra (? J : and 



The pillar was erected by Vaidala Vishnu the son of Hasti 

 Vishnu, also grandson of Varuna Vishnu, and at the cost of 

 Dhanya Vishnu on the 14th of Asarh in the year 165, in the reign 

 of Budhagupta in Surdshtra, comprehending the country between 

 a river whose name, though partially erased, may be easily made out as 

 the Kalinda or Jumna and the Narmada, or Nerbudda. 



Here is a new scion of the Gupta race of kings to be added to our 

 lists, and a well defined date, if we could but determine by what era it 

 should be interpreted. As yet however we must leave this point un- 

 settled, until, by comparison with other records, we may be able to 

 arrive at the solution of the problem. 



Transcript of the inscription on the Vardha image. 



