An Incomplete Copper-Plate Grant Belonging to the PIla Ruler NayapIla

Gouriswar Bhattacharya

Sometime back an English art-collector sent me the black-and-white photo of an inscribed copper-plate attached with an inscribed seal. The legend on the seal was not very clear. The gentleman wished to buy this plate fiom the art-dealer 'Bodhicitta' and to donate it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He requested me to study the writing on the plate and let him know the importance and genuineness of it.

After a careful study of the writing and the seal I found that the plate is genuine but the text on it is incomplete, the donative portion of the record being not given, but nevertheless this is the only copper-plate grant belonging to the PZla ruler Naya- piila, son and successor of the famous Pgla ruler MahipZla 0. The text of the plate stops suddenly afier recording the genealogy of the ruler in verses followed by the prose portion referring to the victorious camp fiom where the grant was to be made.

The English gentleman did not feel encouraged to buy an incomplete document and donate it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is still lying with the art-dealer 'Bodhicitta' in New York. I am glad to get the kind permission to publish the text of the only copper-plate, so far known to us, of the Piila ruler Nayapiila.

The single plate measures.39 X 36.3 cm and the royal seal measures 20 X 14 cm. There was a male figure drawn with vermillion on the plate; perhaps the owner's family worshipped the plate which is a common feature in the country. The author of this article saw that the newly discovered copper-plates of the PZla dynasty were being worshipped with various deities in the temple of the local Zamindar at Sibbati near Biigga& in the DinZjpur District of West-Bengal.

Although the writing of the plate is incomplete, i.e. it does not contain the grant portion, it is an important document of the PHla dynasty. Truely, it does not mention the regnal year of the ruler, nor the name or names of the donor or the donees or of the gifi village or villages, but it mentions the name of the victorious camp (juya-skundhi- vrSra) of the ruler which was not known to ua from my record of the Pills dynasty.

3 16 ( i. I lhn~tuch~ i~ yn - - - - -

The incomplete inscription contains twenty-nine lines written in Sanskrit and in the gaufiya script.' The text is written mostly in verse (thirteen in number) and a short portion in prose.

So far five stone inscriptions, one stone image inscription and two Buddhist manuscripts belonging to the regnal year of NayapIla were known to us (see SIRCAR 1982b: 16-17).' The two stone inscriptions fiom the temples at Gayl are dated in the fifteenth regnal year of Nayapiila fiom which it is possible to say that king Nayaplla had ruled at least for fifteen years. The noted epigraphist D.C. SIRCAR alloted a ruling period, c. 1027-43 AD, to Nayiipala, but after the important discovery of the three copper-plates, one belonging to Mahendrapda, son and successor of Devaplla (see BHAITACHARYA 1988: 171 -73; RAMESH & IYER 1992: 6-29),3 and two belong- ing to GopIla (II), son and successor of ~ i i r a ~ l l a @) (see BHA~ACHARYA 1996) the chronology of SIRCAR has to be modified. Both the rulers were unknown to SIRCAR. Anyway, it is certain that Nayapiila ruled in the eleventh century.

From the colophon of the Paiicarahyd manuscript, now preserved in the Cam- bridge University Library, dated in the fourteenth regnal year of Nayap2la (see BENDALL 1883: 175, Add. 1688) we get the name of his queen as Uddlkl, who was a staunch Buddhist (pravara-mahdydna-y@ini, param-opcSsikcS, r4Gir).4 According to the colophon of the two Buddhist manuscripts dated in his fourteen regnal year, King Nayaplla is described as a devout Buddhist (parama-saugata) (see BENDALL 1883:

Earlier epigraphists could not give a satisfactory name to the script, but following al-Biriini D.C. SIRCAR called i t gm& or gm&ya (see SIRCAR 197 1: 120).

The following are the eight records of the period of Nayap2la: a) Rijaunii (Bihar) stone image inscription of the regnal year 13, see BANERJEE 1975: 108-09. b) Palm-leaf PaiicarabG manuscript of the regnal year 14, now preserved at the Cambridge

University Library, see BENDALL 1883: 175, No. 1688, also SARASWATI 1978: 40, no. 5. c) Palm-leaf Dhzrani manuscript of the regnal year 14, now preserved at the Los Angeles County

Museum of Art, Alice and Heeramaneck Collection, see SARASWATI 1978: 40, no. 6. d) Gay2 (Bihar) mnadv2rik2 temple stone slab inscription of the regnal year 15, see PUIAITREYA

1319 BS (1912 AD): 110; SIRCAR 1964: 84. e) Gay2 (Bihar) Namsiqha temple stone slab inscription of the regnal year 15, see SIRCAR 1964: 86. f ) Binga& (Din2jpur Dist., West Bengal) undated stone slab inscription, see SIRCAR 1975: 135. g) Siyh (Birbhh Dist., West Bengal) undated damaged and fragmentary stone slab inscription, see

SIRCAR 1973: 39 and 1982a: 102. h) Gays (Bihar) undated fragmentary stone slab inscription, (doubtfully ascribed to NayapHla), see

SIRCAR 1964: 88. Unfortunately RAME~H & IYER have misunderstood the text of this extremely important inscrip-

tion in various places. The inscription needs a careful re-editing. Both LOSTY (1982: 30) and PAL (1991) are wrong in rpelllng the name ofNayap81a1s queen as

U d W . BENDALL has given the name as U d W . Howwrr, PAL & MP.BCH-PEKARIK (1988: 339) an right in rpelling the name as Uddikll.

Coppor-l'lnlo ( ira111 I \ Q ~ I I I I ~ I I I ~ 10 Nnyupdla 317

175; SARASWATI 1978: 40; PAL & MLBCII-YKKAKIK 1988: 36), and this is also the case with the Tibetan tradition. But this is not true. According to the BbgaQh (Dinaj- pur Dist., West Bengal) stone slab inscription (undated) King Nayapala became a disciple of the Saiva teacher Sarvdiva, and later of MiirtiSiva, brother and disciple of Sarvdiva (see SIRCAR 1975: 135ff.; BHATTACHARYA 1994: 93-99). This MiirtiSiva was responsible for the excavation of big tanks and hundreds of gardens, and he added several structures to the temple of Bhavbi (i.e. PWati) and Sambhu (i.e. Siva) at Bing*, most probably constructed by Mahipiila (I), father and predecessor of Nayapiila, and donated to Indrdiva earlier. In the SiyZn (Bi rbhh Dist., West Bengal) fragmentary stone slab inscription belonging perhaps to the time of Naya- pZla, references are made to the construction of temples and images of Hindu deities, mostly Saivaite, but no mention is made of any Buddhist monastery or image. (See SIRCAR 1973: 39ff.; 1982a: 102-22).

Unfortuntely the fhd-spot of the present, incomplete copper-plate is not definitely known to us. But we may assume that the plate, most probably, was found some- where in the northern part of Bangladesh. About the incompleteness of the plate we may point out to the readers that the copper-plates with the incomplete text, i.e. with- out the grant portion, were preserved at the royal archives, and were taken out at the time when the grant was made and the grant was approved by the ruling monarch through his emissary (dzita or dCtaka). Our copper-plate is of that type.

A very fine example of this type of plate is the well-known Chittagong copper- plate of Kiintideva (see WDAR 1952: 3 13-1 8; also BHA~ACHARYA 1993: 332). The Buddhist ruler of the Harikelbmandala of about the ninth century is known only from this record. The inscription is undated and the grant postion is missing. But it refers to the capital (jaya-skandhivdra) VardhamZnapura of the ruler. Our plate is also not dated, and it refers to the capital fiom where the charter was to be issued, We discuss the contents of the royal seal and the copper-plate below.

The beautifdly engraved seal resembles the usual royal seal of the Pda dynasty (Fig. 1). At the lower portion which is soldered to the plate two ornamental branches are engraved and the circle inside the oval-shaped top-portion is divided in two halves with a broad line. On top of the line two antelopes with dharmacakra in the middle, the so-called Shiith-symbol, is shown and below the line the legend reads: iri-nayapdla-devasya. It is written in the gau@ya characters of about the eleventh century. Around the circle a row of beads surmounted with the design of flame is engraved, and on top chatrivali of a cairya (perhaps thirteen in number) flanked on both sides each with a danda (rod) and a dhvqja (banner).

The writing on the plate is hazy in revenl placer, but as all the verses (thirteen in number) and the following prose ponlon rhrdy aocur In other plates of the dynasty

Fig. 1

it is not difficult to restore the text. We have shown the hazy spots of the inscription with brackets. As it is usual with the inscriptions of the Piilas the verses are not num- bered. We have given the verse number and the corresponding name of metre of each verse in the notes.

All the corrections and suggestions have also been given in the notes. As all the verses have already been translated earlier we refer only to the relevant sources occasionally giving our views, if necessary.

The most important information which the text of the present plate offers to us is the name of the victorious camp or capital (iaya-skandhchrtra) Phasphagriima of the Piila ruler Nayapiila (lines 27-28). In no other Piila record, so far known to us, the name of this jaya-skandhchcira does occur. Quite surprisingly, the name of this place occurs much later during the rule of the Sena rulers, viz. Laksmeasena, Sikyasena and Viivariipasena. While edting the Miidhiiinagar (Piibnii Dist., Bangladesh) copper- plate inscription of Laksmqasena, MMUMDAR (1929a: 1 1 1, line 25) read the name phasphagrrtma as Dhrnagriirna, for example, dh5gyagrcima-parisarasam~rtsita . . ., and in the Edilpur (Faridpur Dist., Bangladesh) copper-plate inscription of KeSa-

vasena (1929b: 124, line 38) and Madanapiidii copper-plate inscription of ViSvae~a- sena (1929~: 136, line 3 1)' the name phasphagrrtma as PhalgugrHma, for example,

S noth MadhSinn~nr and Edilpur copper-plnte inxcripllonn wrrr pllhlished by BANERJI, see ~ A N D Y O P A ~ ) I I Y A Y A 1010: 40 nnd PnNI:lcJI 1014: rcql,n'(lvrlv. I l~~l ; i<J l ' s title of llie r:dilpur inscriplion i3: Etl~lpllr (;rrlll( c,l'Kr$nvnsrnr~. 111 tllr I ; I ~ I ~ ] , I I I ) v ~ n l l l I ~ A N I 1111 r rn t l (p. 10%. I I I I C IN):

iha khalu p h a l g ~ g r G r n a ~ c ~ r . i . ~ ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ v ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ t ~ ~ t t ~ ( ~ , , ( ~ ~ * ( ~ , v h ~ ~ t ~ ( / l ~ ~ v f i t . ~ ~ . " 11) the lll~ow5l copper-plate inscription of l,aksln;~~!;~scrl:~ ; ~ l s o I I ~ C nnlnc occurs as phasphugriimtr, but BHATTASALI read it also wrongly as I)h51.yy;1gl4ma (see BHAVASALI 1927: 90,

line 24).7 This misreading was corrected by SIRCAR while he re-edited the Madana- pii@ copper-plate inscription of Viivariipasena (see SIRCAR 1963: 323, line 3 l).* Un- fortunately SIRCAR has taken the wrong reading of BANDYOPADHYAYA (1916: 473, line 25) and MAJUMDAR (1929a: l l l , line 25) in his latest volume (l983b: 127, line 25: dhcfryagrcima for ~hasphagriima).~

Now we see that Phasphagriima was not only a victoriuous camp or capital during the period of the Sena ruler Laksmwasena and Viivariipasena but had existed much earlier, i.e. in the ruling period of Nayapiila. Unfortunately none of the scholars hntl tried to identify this important place in North Bengal. It appears to us however, that Phasphagriima has to be located in the Piibnii District of ~an~1adesh.l '

khaluphalgugrdmaparisaraSrimajjayaskandhbdrdt and in the MZdhiinagar grant @. 473, line 25): . . . nirgate khalu dhd?yyagrdmaparisarasamavcZsitm'rimahcirfjjcidhir~a . . . (the expression Srimaj-

jqaskadhcFvdr6t missing). It appears that WDAR (1929b: 124 and 125 respectively) accepted the titles and readings of BANERn (BANDYOPADHYAYA).

In 1929b: 124, line 38, ~~ATUMDAR omitted the expression samcivdsita afterparisara. W- DAR (1929) followed the titles of the copper-plate inscriptions as given by BANDYOPADHYAYA (BANERJI), but SIRCAR gave the title of the former plate correctly as Edilpur copper-plate of Sfirya- sena, regnal year 3 (see SIRCAR 1982b: 29-30, no 2), and commented that there was no king of the Sena dynasty called Kekvasena @. 30).

It was RANDLE who, while re-editing the Bhowgl copper-plate inscription of Labmqasenn. doubted about the correctness of reading of the name Dh%yya@ma, for he (1952: 10, note 9) com- mented, "Majumdar reads nirgate Dh6yvagrc?ma-, etc. It seems clear that the India Office plate follows the M5dhZhagar plate in this line. . .. The place-name may be the same as in the M5dhHinag;lr plate. As it stands I should read Phupphagrcima. But corrosion produces such strange effects that whut looks like Phu might once have been Dha. Superscript r easily disappears, so that the second akrhortr might be -wa." It is a pity that RANDLE did not stick to his own reading which was nearer to tllc correct name. SIRCAR (1983a: 127) re-edited the MHdhHinagar grant of Laksmqasena but took lllc

doubtful readings of BANEM and W D A R . His note 10b for dhd~yagrdma-parisara-samdv6si111 is however missing. Perhaps he wanted to disagree with the reading dhdwagrZma. His text of line 25 where he adds Srimaj-jaynskndhcivdrdt instead of Sri-mahdrfjjcidhirijja is what is expected but i t hits been inserted in a confused way.

* It was SIRCAR who while re-eding the MadanpHdH copper-plate inscription of Vifvariipasenn (SIRCAR 1968: 323, line 31; also 1983b: 135) read the name correctly as PhasphagrSma, and com- mented (1963: 323, note 6), "The name of the locality has been read by previous writers as Phalgli- grdma." He further remarked (1982b: 128) that it seems king Laksmqasena donated land according t o the BhowHl copper-plate inscription from Phasphagriima as is the case with the M2dhZinagar copper-plate inscription.

Most probably he wanted to mnkr n c~mlilrrll err I)l~nrvyn~rhrnn (SIRCAK spells it wrongly ;IS

DhSryagr5ma) in note lob, but he hns li)rgt)tlrl~ 11, 1111 t l ~ r ~ l

I n As Phasphn~:r5rna was sitl~atrtl 111 NOIIII Ilr~~,!nl ( I I I O L . ~ I I I I I I I I I I , I V 111 1111- l)5l>n5 Dist. oI'111o~Irn1 llnn):li~tlrsl~) i l l l t l 1111 W C know 1111lt V I ~ I I I I I I I ~ ~ I I I I I I ( 1 1 1 l11111Lil I11ht . I I I I I I J ~ I I I I I P S I I ) WIIS !11(. (.111)11111 0 1 111('

bhriinfvii tad-anu-malay-opayakii-candane~u/ [kylfva' s h d r a i s = [ t i i r ~ ] ~ ~ -

24 ~u jadatiim Sikarair=abhra-hrlyiih priiley-iidreh kqakam =abhajan yasya senz- gaj-endrcihl/ 38 sa khalu bhiigirathi-patha-pravarttamii[na-nq-

25 nii-vidha-nau-~ii!aka-sam~tidita-setu-v~~andha-nihita-Saila-Sikhara-Sreni- vibhramtit 13' niratiiaya-ghana-ghan-iighana-gha!ci-Syiimci-

26 yamtina-vcisara-la~mi-samtirav14dha-santata-jalada-sama-ya-sandehit/3g

udicin-iineka-nara-pati-prcibhrtikyt-iipramqa-haya-vtihini-

27 ~lara-khur-otkhiita-dhtili-d~aritadi~-antard&' param-eSvara-sevii-samci- . yiit-ti~e~a-jamv'4u-dv~a-bh~pti1-iinanta-piidtita-bhara-namad-ava[ne]hl39

phaspha-grtima- 28 sam~tisita40-~rimaj-jaya-skandh&iiriit 13' parama-saugato mahci-rij-cidhi-

rqa-Snlm-mahzlpiiladma-pd-hudhyiitah param-erivarah parama-bhaf fci-

rako mu-

29 hi-rij-cidhirijah Sri[mtin] nayapiila-devah kuiali/ Sri-pudravarddhana- bhuk[yau] . . .41

* * * The genealogy of the PBla rulers given in the inscription is as follows:

Gopala (I) Dhamunapda VWHla Devapda Jayapda

Vigrahapiila (I) N3xHy~apda Rljyapda I( queen Bhiigyadevl, daughter of R&pakii?a Twiga GopBla ( I I I ) ~ ~ Vigrahapda (11) MahipBla (I) NayapBla

37 correctly tarn.

38 Verse 13, metre manddkrdntd, tr. BANERII 1917-18: 330. This is verse 1 1 of Begadh and verse 14 of Amgkhi. This was the beloved verse of the PZla composers of the inscriptions, and it occurred at first in the B@g@ grant of MahipZla (I).

39 The dapda has been used in this case and in the following ones to indicate hyphen or comma, and it appears in this passage of the PZla copper-plate inscriptions starting from Dharmaplla. How- ever, SIRCAR corrects the text as (a) -vibhramin =niratiSaya-, and (b) -sandehdd=udicin- (SLRCAR, Select Inscriptions, 11, 1983: 83), but elsewhere he comments (ibid.: 79), "Sandhi has been avoided. It is optional in prose composition."

40 AS expected, it should bephaspha-grdma-parisara-samr3vdsita. See SIRCAR 1963: 323, plate i, b, line 32. Unfortunately SIRCAR has omittedparisara-.

41 Forthetranslation, see BANERJI 1917-18: 330. Only the following change has to be made, viz. 'From the illustrious, victorious camp pitched at Phaaphr-grlmr . . .

Thin ruler WM ro far known M GoplIla (11) to the rcholm, but we BHATTACHARYA 1996.

All the thirteen verses and the incomplotc pronc punuugc ure known from the published

copper-plate inscriptions of the dynasty.

For the text and English translation of the verses one to eleven and thirteen, and of

the prose portion, see BANEM 191 7- 18: 327-28 and 328-30 respectively, and for the text and English translation of the verse twelve see also BANEM 1925: 296, 300, respectively. Actually, it appears to us that the text of the B&ga& copper-plate

inscription of MahipBla (I) of his 9th regnal year (BANEM 1917-1 8: 324) was the model for our incomplete copper-plate inscription of NayapBla.

References

BANDYOPADHYAYA, R5khda D&a 19 16 MBdhHinagar Grant of Lakgnaqa Sena, Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic

Sociep of Bengal, V, l l (December 1909): 467-476. BANERJEE, P.

1975 Some Inscriptions from Bihar: 2. Inscription of NayapHla, Year 13, Journal of Ancient Indian History, VII, 1-2, 1973-74: 108-109.

BANERJI, R.D.. 19 14 Edilpur Grant of Kesavasena, Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of

Bengal, X, 3 (March 1914): 97-104. 1917-18 The Bangarh Grant of Mahi-Pala I: The 9th Year, Epigraphia Indica, XIV: 324-

330, reprinted 1982. 1925 The Amgachhi Grant of Vigraha-Pala 111: The 12th Year, Epigraphia Indica, XV

(1 919-20): 293-301, reprinted 1982. BENDALL, Cecil

1883 Catalogue of the Buddhist Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Universiq Librav Cam- bridge. Cambridge.

BHATTACHARYA, Gouriswar 1988 The New PHla ruler MahendrapHla. Discovery of a valuable charter, South Asian

Studies, 4: 71-73, London. 1993 An Inscribed Metal Vase Most Probably fkom Chittagong, Bangladesh, South Asian

Archreology 1991: 323-338, Berlin. 1994 Inscribed image of a bivdcdva from Bengal, South Asian Archaeology 1993, I:

93-99, Helsinki. 1996 The New Pda ruler GopHla (11), Monthly Bulletin of the Asiatic Socieq of Bengal,

(to be published). BHATTASALI, Nalini Kanta

1927 The lost Bhowal Copper-Plate of Labmapa Sena Deva of Bengal, Indian Histo- rical Quarterly, 111: 89-96.

Losru, Jeremiah P. 1982 The Art of the Book In India. Thr Brltlrh Llbruy, London.

1 ?4 ( 1 I ! I I ~ I I ! ~ I C ' I I : I ~ ~ ~ I - - --

MAITREYA, h i Aksllny Kullllr

1319 BS (1912 AD). G'u~r~trl~~klrtir~~~~I~i (1'1.ri1hama Sfavaka), Varendra Research Museum, Rajshahi, Bangladcsh.

MAIUMDAR, Nani Gopal 1929a Midhiinagar Copper-Plate of Laksbasena , Inscriptions of Bengal, 111: 106- 1 15. 1929b Edilpur Copper-Plate of Keiavasena, Inscriptions of Bengal, 111: 1 18- 13 1. 1929c Madanpiidi Copper-Plate of ViSvariipasena, Inscriptions ofBengal, 111: 132-139.

MAJIIMDAR, RC. 1952 Chittagong Copper-plate of Kantideva, Epigraphia Indica, XXVI (1 94 1-42): 3 13-

3 18, reprinted 1985. PAL, Pratapaditya and Julia MEECH-PEKARIK

1988 Buddhist Book Illuminations. Ravi Kumar Publishers, New York. PAL, Pratapaditya

1991 Itihke upeksita Pi1 rijfii Udd5ki [in Bengali], KathcIsiihitya, 42,2. RAMESH, K.V. and Subrarnonia S. IYER

1992 Mildi District Museum copper-plate charter of MahEndrapBladEva, Year 7, Epigraphia Indica, XL11 (1977-78): 6-29.

RANDLE, H.N. 1952 India Offlce Plate of Lakshmanasena, Epigraphia Indica, XXVI (1 94 1-42): 1-13,

reprinted 1985. SARASWATI, S.K.

1978 PG1 Yuger CitrakalG [in Bengali], Ananda Publishers Private Ltd., Calcutta. SIRCAR, D.C.

1963 Madanpada Plate of Visvarupasena, Epigraphia Indica, XXXIII (1959-60): 3 15- 326.

1964 Inscriptions of two Brahmana Rulers of Gaya, Epigraphia Indica, XXXVI (1965- 66): 81-94; 1) Inscription of Visvaditya, Year 15 of Nayapala: 84-86; 2) Inscription of Visvarupa, Year 15 of Nayapala: 86-88.

197 1 Introduction to Indian Epigraphy and Palaeography, Journal of Ancient Indian History, IV, 1-2 (1970-71): 72- 136. University of Calcutta.

1973 Three East Indian Inscriptions of the Early Mediaeval Period, Journal ofAncient Indian History, VI, 1-2 (1972-73): 39-59, University of Calcutta; 1. Siyik Stone Slab Inscription of the time of Nayapila: 39-47.

1975 BiQgacjh Stone Inscription of the Time of Nayapiila, Journal of Ancient Indian Histoly, VII, 1-2 (1 973-74): 135-158.

1982a Silalekha-tamrasasanadir Prasanga [in Bengali], Sahityalok, Calcutta. 1982b Pal Sen Yuger Vamsanucharit [in Bengali], Sahityalok, Calcutta. 1983a Midhiinagar Copper-plate Inscription of Lakshmqasena (c. 1179-1206 A.D.),

Select Inscriptions, 11: 124- 1 30. 1983b Madanpi6 Copper-plate Inscription of Siiryasena (c . 12 10- 15 A.D.) - Regnal year

2, and of ViSvariipasena (c. 1206-22 A.D.) - Rcgnnl ycnr 14. Select Inscriptions, 11: 137- 139.

Fig. 2

Inhalt / Contents

HARIVALLABH C. BHAYANI Stop Insertion in Prakrit Clusters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

KLAUS BRUHN Ludwig Alsdorf's Studies in the Åryå . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

KLAUS BUTZENBERGER Ancient Indian Conceptions on Man's Destiny After Death. The Beginnings and the Early Development of the Doctrine of Transmigration. I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

THEO DAMSTEEGT Narrative Characteristics of Ambikådatt Vyås's Novel“Ÿcaryav¡tånt” (1893) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

CHRISTOPH EMMRICH Die lange und die günstige Zeit. Strukturen religiöserZeiterfahrung im Sutta-pi¶aka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

HARRY FALK Aramaic Script and the Kharo¹¶hï – A Comparison . . . . 151

MICHAEL HAHN Die Einladung der Pratyekabuddhas. GopadattasMeghajåtaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

JENS-UWE HARTMANN, Indrasenas Beichte. Ein Sanskrit-Text in uigurischerKLAUS WILLE, PETER ZIEME Schrift aus Turfan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

ADELHEID METTE Beschreibung eines Kultbildes im Gilgit-Manuskriptdes Kåra½ avy÷ha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

CHRISTOPHER MINKOWSKI Nividica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

R. NAGASWAMY The Sixty-Four Yoginïs and Bh÷ta Worship as Mentioned by ˜a¼kara in His Commentary on the Bhagavadgïtå . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

HELMUT NESPITAL Verbal Aspect in Indo-Aryan and Dravidian Languages.The Relation of Simple Verbs to Verbal Expressions(“Compound Verbs”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

THOMAS OBERLIES Die Erzählungen vom Kåmpilya-König Brahmadatta. Eine Untersuchung im Anschluß an Vorarbeiten von ERNST LEUMANN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

GOURISWAR BHATTACHARYA An Incomplete Copper-Plate Grant Belonging to the Påla Ruler Nayapåla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315

ADALBERT J. GAIL Buchkunst in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327

GERD J.R. MEVISSEN Chidambaram – N TTASABHÅ. Architektur, Ikonographie und Symbolik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

FALK REITZ The Jasmalnåtha Mahådeva Temple at Asoda (Gujarat)– A Little-Known PAÑCÅYATANA Complex . . . . . . . . . 421

MARUTI NANDAN TIWARI ˜ïtalå in Indian Art and Tradition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451

R. VASANTHA History of Penugonda and Its Surroundings in Pre-Vijayanagara Times – An Epigraphical Study . . . . . . . 463

Mitarbeiter / Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483