11. Meharauli Iron Pillar Inscr. of Chandra (Bh. No. 1543)
J. Prinsep, JBAS, Vol. III. p. 494 (1834) - lithograph of it - Plate xxx; J. Prinsep, JBAS, Vol. VII. p. 629 ff.(lithograph - Plate xxxiii); Bhau Daji, JBBRAS Vol. X (1875), p. 63 ff.;Fl. No. 32; C. H. Chakravarty, ABI. Vol. VIII (1927), p. 172-76; D. R. Bhandarkar, JAHRS. Vol. X (1936-7), pp. 86-88; D.C. Sircar SI. Bk. III, No. 14, p. 275-77; & JRASB. (Lt.) Vol. V (1939), p. 407; Jagan Nath, JIH. Vol. XXI (1942) pp. 161-62; B. Upadhyava, SAII. pt. II, p. 53 & Pl.; R. B. Pandey, HLI. (1962), pp. 80-81.
The identification of this Chandra is controversial but scholars mostly identify him with Chandragupta II of Imperial Gupta dynasty.


TEXT.

1 Yasy=îdvarttayataõ pratèpam=urasà ùattrón=samåty=àgatàn=Vaêgåøv=àhava-varttinî=bhilikhità khaägåna kèrttir=bhujå
2 tèrtvà sapta mukhàni yåna samarå Sindhîr=jjità Vàhlikà yasy=àdyàpy=adhivàsyatå jalanidhir=vvèryy-ànilair=ddakøiíaõ [||*]
3 Khimnasy=åva visðijya gàì narapatår=ggàm=àùritasy=åtaràì mórt[t*]yà karmma-jit-àvaniì gatavataõ kèrt[t*]yà sthitasya køitau
4 ùàntasy=åva mahà-vanå hutabhujî yasya pratàpî mahàn=n=àdyàpy= utsðijati praíàùita-ripîr=yyatnasya ùåøaõ køitim [||*]
5 Pràptåna sva-bhuj-àrjjitaã=cha suchiraã=ch=aikàdhiràjyaì køitau Chandr-àhvåna samagra-chandra-sadðùèì vaktra-ùriyaì bibhratà
6 tån=àyaì praíidhàya bhómipatinà dhàvåna 4 Viøíî(øíau) matiì prànùur=Vviøíupadå girau bhagavatî Viøíîr=dhvajaõ sthàpitaõ [||*]


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Commentaries and variants

Fleet: From the original pillar.
L.1 Metre, Ùàrdólavikrèäita, throughout. (Fl).
L.2 Prinsep also read vàhlikà; but Bhau Daji, varying in also the first syllable, read bàlhikà.- In the first akshara, the v is imperfect on the right side, through the closing up of the metal. In the second akshara, the h is turned in the opposite direction to that in which it is turned in àhava, line 1 and mahàvanå and mahàn, line 4. But, that the akshara is hli, not lhi, is certain; because l can only be formed to the left; whereas, at this period, h was formed sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right; and, in the present inscription, it is turned to the right, as here, again in hutabhujî, line 4, and àhvåna, line 5. (Fl)