210 



Hindu Inscriptions, 



Most of the piMiices seem to have been votaries of Siva.* Their 

 titles are mostly derived from Mahadeva. All their grants bear the 

 figure of the Lingam, and commence with an invocatory stanza to the 

 Varaha avatar. In several of the beautiful ruins of magnificent tem- 

 ples erected during their time, with which the Southern Mahratta coun- 

 try abounds, the figure of Mahadeva occupies a central position in the 

 sculpture over the entrance, with Brahma on the one side, and Vishnu 

 on the other. But at the same time the most perfect toleration seems 

 to have been extended to all other creeds. Both the Jain and the 

 Buddha faith were openly professed, the former to a great extent, 

 — a considerable proportion of the inscriptions recording grants to 

 temples of that persuation. The occurrence of Buddha titles in the 

 copper grant of Vikramaditya has already been noticed ; a more 

 distinct evidence of the existence of this creed occurs in some inscrip- 

 tions in a deserted temple within the Fort at Dambal, commemorating 

 grants made by the Shetty (Sreshti, or mayor), and the corporations 

 of trading communities during the reign of Vikram II., Saka lOlZj 

 for the endowment of Bhuddhist Vihars. 



Traces of the Ophitic worship are also observable. Frequent men- 

 tion occurs of individuals of the Snake race. Such appears to have 

 been the general of Someswar I., mentioned in note (4) at p. 205. At 

 Bheiranmati, near Bagulkotah, is an inscription made by a Mandales- 

 war, named Sindhu, of Nagavansa, who was born at Ahechhatra, on 

 the Sindhu river, where his parents had gone on a pilgrimage, and 

 who, in consequence of a vow to the Snake king (panagi adipati), 

 was dedicated by them to Aheswara.f Other nobles were of the 

 Ahehya race. J Many of the old temples are filled with sculptured 

 representations of snakes, on separate slabs of stone, as if they had 

 been set up for purposes of adoration, and collections of them 

 may be seen at the entrance of almost every village throughout 

 the country, ranged along some crumbling wall or ruined edifice in 

 the precincts of the town. 



* RanaRagalia has the title, " Hara Cherana raja," fixing his desire on the feet of 

 Hara ; Someswar III. is said to rejoice in the worship of the feet of Hari Hara, and of 

 the lotos-born Brahma ; Someswar Bhatta, the chaplain of Vikram II., bears the title 

 Araddhya, which is peculiar to Seivak priests, and he makes a grant to a temple of Siva, 

 p. 235. But on the other hand, the grant of Vikramaditya, p. 7, records that the raja 

 having taken counsel from his o->vn spiritual guide (Swaguru), Neravidya Pandit Yatipati, 

 bestowed a gift on the Jinendra of Pulikara Nagara ; from which it appears the guru was 

 a Jain, Yati being the distinctive title of that priesthood. 



+ Ins.^No. 1. of I., p. 10. He is called *' Visha Kula tilaka phanna mani kirana 

 vibhasura Nagavansa udbhava," the pride of the poisonous tribe, born of the jewel- 

 adorned, hood-ornamented Snake race. 



% Ins, at Yedravi, No. 31 of VII., p. 223. Nagavi, No. 27 of V., p. 92. 



