Bhitari pillar inscription of Skandagupta

Inscription

Genealogy

• ! The son of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Samudragupta, who was the exterminator of all kings; who had no antagonist in the world; whose fame was tasted by the waters of the four oceans; who was equal to Dhanada and Varuna and Indra and Antaka; who was the very axe of Kritanta ; who was the giver of many millions of lawfully acquired cows and gold; who was the restorer of the ashvamedha-sacrifice, that had been long in abeyance; who was the son of the son's son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Gupta; who was the son's son of the Mahârâja, the illustrious Ghatôtkacha; who was the son of the Mahârâjâdhirâja, the glorious Chandragupta, the daughter's son of Lichchhivi, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Kumrâdêvî,
• - the most devout worshiper of the Divine One, the Mahârâjadhirâja, the glorious Chandragupta, who was accepted by him; who was begotten on the Mahdâdêvî Dattadêvî; who was himself without an antagonist.
• -His son the most devout worshipper of the Divine One, the Mahârâjadhirâja, the glorious Kumâragupta, who meditated on his feet, who was begotten on the Mahdâdêvî Dhruvadêvî.

  Self-presentation of Skandagupta

• -The son of him, the king, who was renowned for the innate power of mighty intellect whose fame was great, this king, by name Skandagupta, who possesses great glory; who subsisted on the wide-spreading waterlilies which were the feet of father; whose fame is spread far and wide; -who is amply endowed with strength of arm in the world; who is the most eminent hero in the lineage of the Guptas; whose great splendour is spread far and wide; by whom, practicing behaviour, the conduct of those who perform good actions is not obstructed; who is of spotless soul; who is well disciplined in the understanding of musical keys :-
• -By whom,-having, with daily intense application, step by step attained his object by means of good behaviour and strength and politic conduct,-instruction in the art of disposition was acquired, was employed as the means of enemies who had put themselves forward in the desire for conquest that was so highly welcome :-

  Defeat of the Pushyamitras

• -By whom, when he prepared himself to restore the fallen fortunes of family, a night was spent on a couch that was the bare earth; and then, having conquered the Pushyamitras, who had developed great power and wealth, he placed left foot on a foot-stool which was the king :-

  Military prowesses of Skandagupta

• -The resplendent behaviour of whom, possessed of spotless fame,-inherent, by........ and patience and heroism which are emphatically unequaled, which destroy the efficacy of the weapons,-is sung in every region by happy men, even down to the children:
• -Who, when father had attained the skies, conquered enemies by the strength of arm, and established again the ruined fortunes of lineage; and then, crying "the victory has been achieved" betook himself to mother, whose eyes were full of tears from joy, just as Krishna, when he had slain enemies, betook himself to Dêvakî;-
• -Who, with his own armies, established lineage that had been made to totter............, with his two arms subjugated the earth, shewed mercy to the conquered peoples in distress, has become neither proud nor arrogant, though his glory is increasing day by day; whom the bards raise to distinction with songs and praises:-

  Defeat of the Hunas ([Kidarites])

• -By whose two arms the earth was shaken, when he, the creator of a terrible whirlpool, joined in close conflict with the Hûnas;...... among enemies...... arrows............ proclaimed............ just as if it were the roaring of Gangâ, making itself noticed in ears.
• -...... the fame of his father........... an image of some kind or other , he, the very celebrated one, made this image of that Shârngin, . And, having here installed this, he, whose commands are well-established, has allotted this village, in order to increase the religious merit of father.
• -Accordingly, this image of the Divine One, and which has been here agreed to, -both of these, he, the pious-minded one, has assigned for the religious merit of father.