Two Letters on Indian Inscriptions.—By Fitz E. Hall, M. A.
[We have received the following letters from Mr. Hall, in America; —they were enclosed in a letter, dated Troy, New York, Nov. 17th, 1859.——Ens.]
To the Secretary, Asiatic Society of Bengal.
Sir,—My agent in this place has instructions to make over you, in my name, an inscription-stone, now on its way hither from Benares. This monument I wish to present to the Museum of our Society. It was found among the ruins of Páṭan, a decayed city near Rátgurh in the Saugor District.
The inscription, as you will see, is well-nigh effaced. With some distrust, I read the beginning of it as follows:
(
Indic characters)
'Auspiciousness! Year of Samvat, 1115: Thursday, the 8th day of the dark fortnight of Phálguna.
'May S’ambu's son—with exudation falling on his cheeks, with brilliant tusks, protector of the earth, checker of all darkness, waving his ears, adorned with a mace-like proboscis, obdurate as adamant, potent in removing mental impediments—protect you!'
All the rest is abundantly doubtful. Even the little that I have decyphered of it may, therefore, admit of correction. According to my reading, there was a Bráhman in the west, apparently a royal personage, by name Kandukádripa, of the Vásala (?) gotra and Udgara anwaya; and among his ascendants was one Ráma. Kandukádripa's wife was called Sávitrí; and this pair had issue two sons, Purukárva (Purukárya?) and Mahodadhi; and a daughter Lakshmí.
