Damaged by nature, below is what is left of the inscription. It tells a list of kings who raided Asmaka and other kingdoms and then violently shifts towards the construction of the cave with a hefty praise on Harisena, the Vakataka Emperor. This is a bit incongruous to the fact that Asmaka’s overlord was Harisena. Either he destroyed this kingdom which started the cave and then completed the cave himself or he commissioned these brothers(Ravisamba and his brother) to bring the feudatories like that of Asmaka to line. It gives a list of nine rulers, Dhritarashtra, Harisamba, Saurisamba, Upendragupta, Agaja or Kacha I, Bhikshudasa, Niladasa, Kacha II, Krishnadasa and Ravisamba. The inscription also states Krishnadasa’s two sons of which Ravisamba is the younger one conquered Asmaka and due to the premature death of Ravisamba, his brother, the king turned an ascetic. It is interesting to note that just by having a foresight to name the dynastic list, we come to know about a kingdom, obscure and probably never independent and with zero impact on Indian history. The only thing this inscription tells, of note, is that it reinforces the fact that Harisena existed.
(Verse 1) Having bowed to the sage (Buddha) who has completely mastered the three lores and who is a thunderbolt to the tree of worldly existence, … I will set forth a description of the excellences of the donor of the Vihara whose deeds are pure
(V. 2) To the lord of man (named …) , who wore a parasol (over his head) and who made his name significant by the protection of the people, was born a son, Dhritarashtra by name, who had a white parasol
(V. 3) [The son] of that king was Harisamba, whose face was lovely as a lotus and the moon. Again, the son of that king was king Saurisamba, endowed with spotless beauty
(V. 4) The resplendent Upendragupta of wide-spread famé . [was begotten] by him. Then he had a younger son who became well-known as king Kacha (I).
(V 5) [From him was descended] … Bhiksudasa in order to deposit his splendour and glory [on the earth.] A son of that lord of men was a king named Niladasa, renowned on the earth.
(V 6) His son of brilliant fame became well known as Kacha (II), Then to that king was born Krishnadasa, who augmented the splendour of (his) race and line
(V 7) His wife was Atichandra, the daughter (of) clad in garments as white as the rays of the moon, whose face resembled the full moon and whose ornaments were modesty and virtuous conduct
(V 8-9) [He] obtained (her) who brightened the land in the form of suppliants. From her he had two sons resembling Pradyumna and Samba, who had longish, lotus like eyes and lovely bodies like burnished gold The elder [of them] bore the title of a king, while the second bore the appellation Ravisamba.
(V 10) Havig subjugated prosperous countries such as Asmaka [the two princes] whose prowess had become fruitful, shone like the sun and the moon,
(V 11) While they, whose honour was dependent on and whose creeper-like affection and glory had grown very much, were living always in concord and happiness, —
(V 12) [Fate] whose decree is not to be evaded even by superhuman beings and whose dread power was produced by the deeds done in a previous life, announced the thunderbolt of impermanance in the case of the younger (brother)
(V 13) [Having overcome] as if with firmness, the diseases of the body and the mind, [the elder brother], having always the consciousness of transience, made thereafter the great tree of religious merit grow
(V 14) He served those who, who possessed great learning, liberality, compassion, contentment, friendship, forgiveness, courage and wisdom, and who felt pleased with
(V 15) He, who was of pure conduct, habitually imitated in his deeds honourable kings of noble conduct
(V 16) He made The suppliants being satisfied (with gifts) spread, in the same way, the fame of other suppliants.
(V 17) He released by the power of the expenditure of wealth whose eyes were suffused through fear, as though they were his (own) dear sons
(V 18) Even he who had been treated affectionately like a son repeated, like a knowing human being, the excellent and pure thoughts in his heart
(V 19) (Rich persons) failed to attain, because of their wealth, the siddhi rightly so called (obtainable) by devout meditation on the Omniscient (Buddha)
(V 20) He adorned the whole world by the light of his fame, bright like the rays of the moon by collecting materials
(V 21) While that moon among the princes, Harishena, whose face resembles a lotus and the moon, and who does what is beneficial for (his) subjects is protecting the earth
(V 22) He, who has a very marvellous store of merit adorned the earth with Stupas and Viharas, and caused the joy of suppliants by conferring gifts (on them)
(V 23) On a spur of the Sahya (mountain), looking beautiful with clouds, which, with the confused noise of always pass over it (as if) to provide it with a canopy
(V 24) (He excavated) this monolithic excellent Hall, containing with in it a Chaitya of the king of ascetics (i.e., of the Buddha) and possessing the qualities of stateliness
(V 25) Having expended abundant [wealth], he caused to be made this donated [Hall] which is almost measureless and which cannot be even imagined by little-souled men
(V 26) He caused to be dug (near it) a large cistern pleasing to the eyes and filled with sweet, light, clear, cold and copious water
(V 27) delightful to the eyes and the mind In another part of it in the west he caused to be made a grand Gandhakuti
(V 28) May all the blessings desired for the attainment of siddhi caused by devout meditation on the lord of sages (i.e. Buddha) attend him, who in all his deeds strives for the welfare of the people
(V 29) May this Hall out of affection cause the attainment of well-being by good people as long as the sun dispels darkness by its rays
cbkwgl 