The Matharas of Pishtapura
Matharas ruled most of eastern india from their capital Simha-pura, during 4th and 5th centuries CE. Their territory included Kalinga region, parts of Orissa area and Andhra Pradesh.
Matharas defeated Pitribhakta dynasty.
Mathara were devotees of lord Narayana. The important rulers of this dynasty were
1 .Shankara-varman
2. Shakti-varman
3. Prabhanjana-varman
4. Ananta-shakti-varman
Inscription number 12.
Ragolu Plates of Sakti-varman, Regnal Year 13.
Provenance: Ragolu, near chicacole, Ganjam District, Orissa.
Script: Brahmi early southern type.
Language: Sanskrit
References: E Hultzsch, Ep-Ind, XII, pp.1-3.
They seem to have held sway over central and southern Kalinga in the 5th and 6th century A.D.
Footnote 1.
1. From Ep.Ind., XII, Plates. 1b and iiia, between pp- 2 and 3.
2. Hultzsch reads, Mathara, the gotra-pravara, Rishi of
Sakti-varman, and Vasishtha, the
gotra-pravara of his mother, both are listed as such in the Gotra pravara Nibandha Kadamba. (Ep.Ind, XXVIII, pp.230, n.1)
English Translation of the inscription.
Let there be success ! Hail! From the victorious, Pishtapura, the lord of Kalinga, the son of vasishthi, the
glorious Maharaja Sakti-varman, who desires to adorn the Mathara family commands all the immigrants, and the indigenous people in the village of Rakaluva, in the Kalinga vishaya
(i.e, Province):-
This small village has been given by us for the increase of our merit, life and power having made it an agrahara for as long as the moon and the stars (shall exist) to the Brahmana Kumarasarman, a student of the vajasaneyi ( Sakha of the Yajurveda) a descendant of five rishis, and of savarna gotra and to his eight sons thus to this lineage, not to be entered by soldiers and exempted from all taxes an dues. Knowing this You ought to wait on (him) and to supply to him, measurable (produce)and cash (lit gold) etc. according to the old established rules. And the descendants of our family should be told. He who through negligence or through greed, will confiscate this grant, will be guilty of the five great sins and (he requests those who (happen to be) other kings (than our descendants) that they should preserve this (grant) considering that it is the duty of a king.
And with reference to this there are formerly pronounced verses:-
(Here follow three of the customary verses)
In the thirteenth year, on the full moon (tithi) of Vaisakha. Excecuted by myself. Written by the minister
Arjunadatta. Seal” of Maharaja Sri Sakti-varman.
Footnote.
1. Modern Pithapuram in the Godavari district. It is also mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of
Samudragupta (Fleet, Gupta Inss. pp.13, D.C. Sircar, Sel.Inss, I, pp-264, Also supra) the Aihole inscription of Pulakesin 2 (Ep.Ind., III, pp.11, verse 27) and Timmapuram plates of Vishnuvardhana 1 (Ep.Ind,. IX pp.319).