1086 Note on Inscriptions from [Dec. 



dance with the Kaling a rdja vansa pura of our inscription,) was one of 

 the twelve places among which the relics of Buddha were distributed 

 at his death. The left canine tooth fell to its share, and Mr. Tur- 

 nour informs us from his Pdli records that the capital of the province 

 was named Dantapura ; evidently in consequence of this circumstance. 

 The frequent contentions that arose in after ages, for the possession 

 of this precious deposit, may have heen the cause of the decline and 

 ruin of this ancient kingdom, which although still known to the na- 

 tives as the appellation of the coast or maritime tract from Cuttack to 

 the Chilka lake, has not now sufficient importance even to be named in 

 ' Hamilton's Hindostan :' — and is only preserved in the name of a 

 small village, Culingapatam, probably once the capital ; for the inscrip- 

 tion teaches us that it was occasionally changed at the pleasure of the 

 sovereign. 



On the other hand I need but refer to page 860 of the present vo- 

 lume to prove what an important position the Kaling a monarchs at 

 one time enjoyed in India. Their capital was probably at this early 

 period the principal emporium of commerce. The inscription tells 

 us that the young prince was instructed in ndva-vapdra ' ship-com- 

 merce.' During the life of Shakya, also, we learn from M. Csoma, 

 the king of Kalinga sent the king of Kosala a piece of fine linen 

 cloth as a present*. It is from these invaluable disclosures of the 

 Buddhist records alone that we can gather any light upon the 'sub- 

 ject of the true Kalinga dynasty, to whom the present inscrip* 

 tion undoubtedly relates. " The ruling sovereign, says Mr. Tur- 

 nour, who received the relic at Buddha's death was BRAHMADATTof. 

 He was succeeded by his son Ka'si, who was succeeded by his son 

 Sunando. These rajas are stated to have been profound Bud- 

 dhists. From the undiscriminating tone in which the ensuing mo, 

 narchs are stated to have ' continued to make offerings to the tooth 

 relic of the divine sage,' it is reasonable to infer that subse- 

 quently to Sunando's reign, Buddhism ceased to be the faith of the 

 rulers of Kalinga. At all events Guhasiwo, who was a contemporary 

 of the Ceylonese monarch Mahase'no must have reigned towards the 

 close of the third century of our era, is admitted to have been of the 

 brahminical faith." 



* Csoma's analysis of the Dulva, Asiatic Researches, XX. 85. " It comes after- 

 wards into the hands of a lewd priestess, who puts it on and appears in public, but 

 from its thin texture appears to be naked." This cloth must therefore have been as 

 fine as the Dacca muslins of later days. 



f I find the name of Brahmadalta, written Bhamadatasa on one of the Buddhist 

 coins of the Ramadatta, series. 



