Allahabad Posthumous Stone Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta
(Line 2g.)-This lofty column (is) as it were an arm of the earth, proclaiming the fame,-which, having pervaded the entire surface of the earth with (its) development that was caused by (his) conquest of the whole world, (has departed) hence (and now) experiences the sweet happiness attained by (his) having gone to the abode of (Indra) the lord of the gods,-of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Samudragupta,
(L. 1.)-[Who] . . . . . by his own kinsmen . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .;-whose . . . . . . . . . . .;-
(L. 3.)-[Who] . . . . twanging (of the bow-string) . . . . . . . . . . burst open and scattered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dishevelled . . . . . . . . . . .;
(L. 5.)-Whose happy mind was accustomed to associate with learned people; who was the supporter of the real truth of the scriptures; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . firmly fixed . . . . . . .;-who, having overwhelmed, with the (force of the) commands of the collective merits of (his) learned men, those things which obstruct the beauty of excellent poetry, (still) enjoys, in the world of the wise, the sovereignty of the fame (produced) by much poetry, . . . . . . and of clear meaning;-
(L 7.)-Who, being looked at (with envy) by the faces, melancholy (through the rejection of themselves), of others of equal birth, while the attendants of the court breathed forth deep sighs (of happiness), was bidden by (his) father,--who, exclaiming "Verily (he is) worthy," embraced (him) with the hairs of (his) body standing erect (through pleasure) (and thus) indicative of (his) sentiments, and scanned (him) with an eye turning round and round in affection, (and) laden with tears (of joy), (and) perceptive of (his noble) nature,-[to govern of a surety] the whole world;
(L. 9.)-Whose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . some people (were accustomed to) taste with affection, displaying exceeding great joy when they beheld (his) many actions that resembled nothing of a mortal nature; (and) whose protection other people, afflicted by (his) prowess, sought, performing obeisance, . . . . . . . . .. . . . .;--.
(L. 11.)-[Whose] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . doers of great wrong, always conquered by his arm in battle, . . . . . . to-morrow and to-morrow . . . . . . . . . . . . pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . repentance, with minds filled with contentment (and) expanding with much clearly displayed pleasure and affection, . . . . . . . . . the spring (?);-
(L. 13.)-By whom,-having, unassisted, with the force of the prowess of (his) arm that rose up so as to pass all bounds, uprooted Achyuta and Nâgasêna . . .;-(by whom), causing him who was born in the family of the Kôtas to be captured by (his) armies, (and) taking his pleasure at (the city) that had the name of Pushpa, while the sun . . . . . the banks . . . . . .;-
(L. 15.)-(Of whom it used to be said),- "The building of the pale of religion; fame as white as the rays of the moon, (and) spreading far and wide; wisdom that pierced the essential nature of things; . . . . . calmness . . . . . . . .; the path of the sacred hymns, that is worthy to be studied; and even poetry, which gives free vent to the power of the mind of poets; (all these are his); (in short) what (virtue) is there that does not belong to him, who alone is a worthy subject of contemplation for those who can recognise merit and intellect ?;"-
(L. 17.)-Who was skilful in engaging in a hundred battles of various kinds;-whose only ally was the prowess of the strength of his own arm;-who was noted for prowess;-whose most charming body was covered over with all the beauty of the marks of a hundred confused wounds, caused by the blows of battle-ayes, arrows, spears, pikes, barbed darts, swords, lances, javelins for throwing, iron arrows, vaitastikas, and many other (weapons);-
(L. 19.)-Whose great good fortune was mixed with, so as to be increased by (his) glory produced by the favour shewn in capturing and then liberating Mahêndra of Kôsala, Vyâghraraja of Mahâkantâra, Mantarâja of Kêrala, Mahêndra of Pishtapura, Svâmidatta of Kottûra on the hill, Damana of Êrandapalla, Vishnugôpa of Kâñchi, Nîlarâija of Avamukta, Hastivarman of Vengî, Ugrasêna of Palakka, Kubêra of Dêvarâshtra, Dhanamjaya of Kusthalapura, and all the other kings of the region of the south;-
(L. 21.)-Who abounded in majesty that had been increased by violently exterminating Rudradêva, Matila, Nâgadatta, Chandravarman, Ganapatinâga, Nâgasêna, Achyuta, Nandin, Balavarman, and many other kings of (the land of) Âryâvarta;-who made all the kings of the forest countries to become (his) servants;
(L. 22.)-Whose imperious commands were fully gratified, by giving all (kinds of) taxes and obeying (his) orders and coming to perform obeisance, by the frontier-kings of Samatata, Davâka, Kâmarûpa, Nêpâla, Kartripura, and other (countries), and by the Mâlavas, Ârjunâyanas, Yaudhêyas, Mâdrakas, Abhîras, Prârjunas, Sanakânîkas, Kâkas, Kharaparikas, and other (tribes);-
(L. 23.)-Whose tranquil fame, pervading .the whole world, was generated by establishing (again) many royal families, fallen and deprived of sovereignty;-whose binding together of the (whole) world, by means of the amplitude of the vigour of (his) arm, was effected by the acts of respectful service, such as offering themselves as sacrifices, bringing presents of maidens, (giving) Garuda-tokens, (surrendering) the enjoyment of their own territories, soliciting (his) commands, &c., (rendered) by the Daivaputras, Shâhis, Shâhânushâhis, Sakas, and Murundas, and by the people of Simhala and all (other) dwellers in islands;-who had no antagonist (of equal power) in the world;-who, by the overflow of the multitude of (his) various virtues adorned by a hundred good actions, rubbed out the fame of other kings with the soles of (his) feet;-who, being incomprehensible, was the spirit that was the cause of the production of good and the destruction of evil;-who, being full of compassion, had a tender heart that could be won over simply by devotion and obeisance;-who was the giver of many hundreds of thousands of cows;-
(L. 26.)-Whose mind busied itself with the support and the initiation, &c., of the miserable, the poor, the helpless, and the afflicted;--who was the glorified personification of kindness to mankind;-who was equal to (the gods) Dhanada and Varuna and Indra and Antaka;-whose officers were always employed in restoring the wealth of the various kings who had been conquered by the strength of his arms;-
(L. 27.)-Who put to shame (Kashyapa) the preceptor of (Indra) the lord of the gods, and Tumburu, and Nârada, and others, by (his) sharp and polished intellect and choral skill and musical accomplishments;- who established (his) title of ‘king of poets’ by various poetical compositions that were fit to be the means of subsistence of learned people;-whose many wonderful and noble deeds are worthy to be praised for a very long time;-
(L. 28.)-Who was a mortal only in celebrating the rites of the observances of mankind, (but was otherwise) a god, dwelling on the earth;-who was the son of the son's son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Gupta;- who was the son's son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Ghatôtkacha;--who vas the son of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Chandragupta (I.), (and)- the daughter's son of Lichchhavi, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Kumâradêvî;-
(L. 30.) -(And) chose fame,-ever heaped up higher and higher by the development of (his) liberality and prowess of arm and composure and (study of ) the precepts of the scriptures,- --travelling by many paths, purifies the three worlds, as if it were the pale yellow water of (the river) Gangâ, flowing quickly on being liberated from confinement in the thickets of the matted hair of (the god) Pashupati.
(L. 31.) -And this poetical composition,- (the work) of the Khâdyatapâkika, the son of the Mahâdandanâyaka Dhruvabhûti, the Sâmdhivigrahika and Kumârâmatya, the Mahâdandanâyaka Harishêna, who is the slave of these same feet of the Bhattâraka, (and) whose mind is expanded by the favour of constantly walking about in (his) presence,-let it be for the welfare and happiness of all existing beings!
(L. 33.)-And the accomplishment of the matter has been effected by the Mahâdandanâyaka Tilabhattaka, who meditates on the feet of the Paramabhattâraka.
From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 10-17.