Ghosundi Stone Inscription of the brahmin King Bhagavata. Script: Brahmi of Ist century B.C. Language: Sanskrit Provenance: Ghosundi, near Nagari, Chittorgarh District, Rajasthan. References Kaviraj Shyamal Das, J.B.B.R.A.S., LVI, Pt. i, No. 77 ff,.K.P. Jayaswal. Ep.Ind., XVI. p. 27, Luders List. No. 6, D.C. Sircar, Select. Inss., I, pp.90-91. Text 1. (कारितो अयं राज्ञा भागव) (ते) न गाजा यनेन पाराशरो-पुत्रेण स 2. ( र्वतातेन अश्वमेध-या)- जिना भगव (द ) भ्यां संकर्षण-वासुदेवाभ्यां 3. (अनिताभ्यां सर्वेश्वरा) भ्यां पूजा-शिला-प्राकारो नारायण-वाटका
हिन्दी अनुवाद गांजायन-वंशी, पाराशरी के पुत्र, सब के पिता, अश्वमेध-याजी राजा भागवत
English Translation of the Inscription is
“This enclosing wall, round the stone (object) of worship (or the stone enclosure for the place of worship}, called Narayana-vataka (compound) for the divinities Sankarshana and Vasudeva. who are infallible (or unconquered) and are the Lords of all, has been caused to be made by the King Bhagavata, a Gajayana and the son of a lady of Paragara Gotra, and who is like a father-to all, a devotee of Bhagavat” (i.e. Vishnu and the performer of Asvamedha sacrifice)
(Sankarshana and Vasudeva were being worshipped as divinities)
Footnote
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind., XVI, The last portions in the beginning of the three lines have been restored with the help of the facsimile and the text of the almost identical hathibada Inscription, Ep.Ind., XVII, p. 203 f. and the reading supplied, ibid, of Chosundi-Bassi fragments. 2. D.C. Sircar accepts it as the name of the king. He thinks that the name actually may be सर्वत्रात But I am inclined to differ. The personal name of the King is evidently भागवत, which naturally follows his royal title, राज्ञा, Wedged in between the adjectives, पाराशरी -पुत्रेण, and अश्वमेध-याजिना Sarvatata cannot but be another adjective, not a personal name, of which the natural place is after राज्ञा Emendation of तात into the Greek title त्रातर (Soteros), too, is unnecessary. सर्वतात, i.e. Father to All, was presumably assumed by the King as a title, like प्रियदर्शन by Asoka. The king’s patronymic, गाजायन , and matronymic, पाराशरी -पुत्र,-, both point to his Brahmana lineage. Gadayana (possibly å mistake for Gajayana) is mentioned in the Matsya Purana as an individual gotra falling under the Kanva division of the Angiras Cana. Hence the conjecture that Bhagavata (or Sarvatata, as the other scholars name him) was a Kanva king, though his name does not figure in the Puranik lists of Kanva rulers). he must have been a powerful prince, not a local ruler, as Dr. Sircar supposes. Asvamedha sacrifice had not become a farce at his early age, and petty rulers are not known to have laid claim to its performance, as we find in very late times. If a Kanva, his capital must have been in Magadha, and as this inscription indicates his empire included Ghosundi in Rajasthan. 2. This is the earliest record of Sankarshana and Vasudeva being worshipped as divinities. Then comes the Nánäghāt inscription of Satakarni, who opens with obeisance to both. The earlier Besnagar Garuda Pillar Inscription does honour to one of them namely vasudeva, as a divinity. 2. Read – वाटक: A stone enclosure for the place of worship (or an enclosure for the पूज़ा शिला i.e Salagrama) called the Narayana Vataka. It is supposed to be the structure now known as the Hathibada, at Nagari.
