This stone inscription, in cave 16 at Ajaṇṭā, was first published in 1862 by Dr. Bhau Daji. As with the other stone inscription in cave 17 at Ajaṇṭā, this inscription has been damaged by exposure to weather. The inscription was written for Varāhadeva, a minister of the Vākāṭaka king, Hariṣeṇa. The inscription records the excavation and decoration of a cave dwelling, which both Mirashi (1963: 104) and Shastri (1997: 42) believe refers to the creation of cave 16 itself, where the inscription is found at Ajaṇṭā. The donation was made to an order of Buddhist monks.
| Metadata | |
|---|---|
| Inscription ID | IN00178 |
| Title | Ajanta Cave 16 Inscription of Varahadeva |
| Alternative titles | Ajanta Cave XVI Inscription |
| Parent Object | OB00165 |
| Related Inscriptions | |
| Responsibility | |
| Author | Dániel Balogh |
| Print edition recorded by | Dániel Balogh |
| Source encoded | |
| Digitally edited by | |
| Edition improved by | Dániel Balogh |
| Authority for | Own research. |
| Metadata recorded by | Dániel Balogh |
| Authority for metadata | |
| Metadata improved by | |
| Authoriy for improved | |
| Language | संस्कृतम् |
| Reigning monarch | Hariṣeṇa |
| Commissioner | Varāhadeva |
| Topic | excavation and decoration of a cave dwelling (possibly cave 16 itself, where the inscription is found at Ajaṇṭā) and donation to an order of Buddhist monks |
| Date: | |
| Min | 460 |
| Max | 510 |
| Comment | Basis of dating: approximate reign of Hariṣeṇa. |
| Hand | |
| Letter size | 1.8 |
| Description | southern class, Central Indian, no prominent boxheads |
| Layout | |
| Campus: | |
| Width | 122 |
| Height | 107 |
| Description | 27 lines, beautifully and carefully engraved but badly damaged by water, especially in the middle of the first eight lines and the middle of the left-hand side. Also damaged by flaking at the lower left corner and in the centre of lines 25-26. The boxheads are scooped out hollow. Character size estimated. |
| Decoration | None. |
| Bibliography | |
| References | First reported and edited (with eye copy, transcript and translation) in Bhau Daji 1861-63a: 56-58. Re-edited by Bhagwanlal Indraji (without facsimile) in Burgess Indraji 1881: 69-73; by Bühler (with a facsimile [Plate 57] made by Indraji and "somewhat worked up by hand" [according to Mirashi 1963: 103]) in Burgess 1883: 124-128, by Mirashi (with discussion and new estampage) in Mirashi Mahajan 1941-42: 142-147, in Mirashi 1941 and (finally) in Mirashi 1963. Discussed in Mirashi 1940a (also published, without facsimile, as Mirashi 1940b), Biswas 1940-41, ARIE 1958-59: 106, no. 531, App. C, Pandey 1962: 114-118 and Shastri 1997: 41-44. Metrical issues discussed in Kielhorn 1899, Kielhorn 1905-06: 27, Venkatasubbiah 1936a and Venkatasubbiah 1936b. |
| Add to bibliography | B. Upadhyaya, SAII. pt. II, pp. 125-129. |
| Misc notes | |