178 Nagendranatha Vasu —Susunia Rock Inscription. [Nov. 
base to the highest summit is covered with a deuse jungle of various 
forest trees, some of which may produce good timber; but the hill 
being subject to the usual annual burning, the trees suffer much from 
the fire, and are little used except for fuel and for the framework of the 
thatched houses. 
This hill together with Bihari-nath, Pacliette and several other 
hills, forms the eastern outskirt of the Vindhya ranges, the Susunia 
hill being the easternmost extremity. The whole hill is formed of a 
fine kind of sandstone which is especially valued for paving purposes, 
known in the trade as Burdwan paving stones. A few years ago its 
quarries brought a considerable sum to its proprietors, but during 
recent years stones of a superior quality having been dug at a place 
near the B. N. Railway the Susunia stone trade has greatly fallen off. 
A branch of the Ahalya B Ji’s Road passes by the western side of 
the hill from Chatna to Ranlganj. At a little distance to the east 
from the road and at the south-western base of the hill, there is a 
jierenuial spring called Dhara and some ancient sculptures, the prin¬ 
cipal one being that of Narasimha (an incarnation of Visnu). An 
annual fair is held there cn the Varunl festival, on the 13th day 
of the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra. But the chief object of 
interest to which I endeavour to draw the attention of the meeting is 
the Inscription on the hill, which though so near to the metropolis and 
to a first class Railway Station, has not received the notice it deserves 
from any of our former worthy antiquarians. I here give a brief account 
of it, which, though insufficient, will, I hope, give an idea as to the 
nature and contents of the inscription. 
I was first informed of it last January, by my friend Babu Gopl 
Nath Karmakar, who told me that there was an inscription on 
the north-east side of the Susunia hill, which the people of that locality 
regarded as the work of the Devas, written in three lines in three dif- 
ferent Devaksaras, i.e., characters of the Devas. They also believed it 
to have existed there from time immemorial, and that none can read it, 
and that, if perchance some sddhu (sage) did come and read it, he would 
not disclose its contents to the jDeopleiu general, who are deemedunprivi- 
leged to hear its sacred teachings. I at once concluded that this 
must be some ancient inscription, and requested my friend to send me 
an impression of it. Accordingly he went to that place, but being 
unable to procure an impression of the inscription, which he reported 
to be too large for his materials then at hand, he sent me the annexed 
hand-copy, with a brief description of the locality, nature of the in¬ 
scription, Ac , promising, however, to procure a faithful impression in 
ink when required. Trusting to get it shortly I have ventured to 
make the copy and my reading of it, the subject of my present paper. 
