Inscription number 151.
Pauni Stone Inscription of the Bhara King Bhagadatta.
Provenance: Pauni, on the right bank of Wainganga, about 50 Km south of Bhandara, Bhandara district,
Maharashtra.
Script: Brahmi of early first centuy AD
Language: Prakrit.
References V.V. Mirashi, EP.Ind., XXIV, pp.11-14 .
As per hindu mythology, Bhagadatta was born from a limb of the asura called Baskala. He was a renowned warrior, and was known to be a great friend of Indra. When Arjuna embarked on a conquest to help his brother Yudhishthira perform the Rajasuya Yagya, Bhagadatta was one of the first kings to be conquered by him. Arjuna shoots Bhagadatta.
Bhagadatta was particularly skilled in the use of elephants in warfare. Riding on his elephant Supratik, he fought valiantly in the battle of Kurukshetra on behalf of the Kauravas. He had long history of enmity with the Pandavas. His father was Narakasura who was killed in the hands of Shree Krishna. He was succeeded by his son Vajradatta.
After his death, his son, Vajradatta became the king. Later, he was also killed by Arjuna in another battle. King Shailaya, was Bhagadatta’s grandfather, who had attained Indraloka because of the greatness of his penance.
In Kalika Purana, Harshacharita, Puranas and in other epics; Naraka is said to have sons namely Bhagadatta, Mahasirsa, Madavan and Sumali. Vajradatta and Pushpadatta are sons of Bhagadatta
Text.
1. भार-रायस भगदत पादुगा पट:
संस्कृत छाया
भार- राजस्य भगदत्तस्य पादुका-पट्टः ।।
हिन्दी अनुवाद
भार राजा भगदत्त का अर्थात् द्वारा स्थापित पादुका-पट्ट |
English Translation of the inscription
A slab with footprints (dedicated by) of bhagadatta, the king of the “Bharas”
Footnote
1. From the facsimile in EP.Ind. facing pp.14.
2. Mirashi considers it probable that the Bharas mentioned here are the same clan that came to be known in Gupta-vakataka times as the Bharasivas when they became staunch
Saivas.
3. Mirashi The footprints carved on the slab could either be those of the Buddha or of same Hindu
divinity, in particular, Vishnu, whose foot-prints are known to have been worshipped in ancient India (see Pattan
of plates of Vakataka Pravarasena 2,
Ep.Ind. XXIII, pp.85 ff.7 infra Volume III, A9, II, pp 22-23, and Podagad stone Inscription of the Nala king Skandavarman, (EP.Ind.. XXI,, pp.156, Infra Volume II, No 18, I.5)