Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions/Appendix II :A Note on the Name of the Mother of Budhagupta and Narasimhagupta
Concept Publishing Company Delhi, 1978
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Appendix II :A Note on the Name of the Mother of Budhagupta and Narasimhagupta
In this connection we have four inscriptions at our disposal:
(i) Nalanda Clay Seal of Narasimhagupta (No. 47)
(ii) Bhitari inscribed copper-silver Seal of Kumaragupta III (No.49).
(iii) Nalanda baked Clay Seal of Kumaragupta III (No. 50.)
(iv) Nalanda Clay seal of Budhagupta (No. 53).
In No. 49, L. 6, Sircar 1 takes the reading Candradevi for the mother of Narasirhhagupta. It has been read as 'Srivatsa- devi' by Fleet. It has been checked by me and the reading taken by Fleet is found to be correct. The same reading is also found in No. 50, L.6. 2
In No. 47, L.7, Candradavi is found to be the name of Narasimhagupta's mother. Hirananda Shastri reads the name as 'Srivainyadevi' but he amends the reading as 'Candradevi'. 3 Sircar also accepts 'Candradevi' as the correct reading.4
In No. 53 Candradevi is mentioned as the mother of Budhagupta. 5 But Sircar takes the reading 'Sri Mahadevi' though himself considers it to be doubtful. 6
Now we find that the inscriptions No. 49 and 50 mention 'Srivatsadevi' as the mother of Narasimhagupta while in No. 47 Candradevi is clearly the name of Narasimhagupta's mother. In No, 53 'Candradevi' is also mentioned as the name of Budhagupta's mother.
These different readings have created a confusion about the names of Budhagupta's and Narasimhagupta's mothers. In the genealogical table Mookerji mentions 'Candradevi' as the mother of both Budhagupta and Narasimhagupta. 7 Sircar writes, "We cannot be sure about the name of Budhagupta's mother ; but she seems to be different from Candradevi, mother
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of Narasimhagupta". 8 But the objection of Sircar is not valid, as in the inscriptions No. 49 and 50 Srivatsadevi and not Candradevi is mentioned as the mother of Narasimhagupta.
The real difficulty is created by inscriptions No. 47 and 53 when they mention Candradevi as the mother of both Budhagupta and Narasimhagupta.
References
1. Sircar, Hz. p. 330; also see f.n. 3.
2. XJ. No. 66, p. 66, see the plates attached in the last portion of the Journal; Plates VIII (c) and (d).
3. Ibid., p. 65.
4. JJ. XIX, p. 273; Hz. p. 339, f.n. 3.
5. XJ. No. 66, p. 65; The reading has been checked by me in Plates VIII (B) and VIII (C) affixed at the last portion of the Journal.
6. JJ. XIX, p. 273; Hz. p. 339.
7. Mookerji, Ag. pp. 104-105.
8. JJ. XIX, p. 274.
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