The Ghatotkacha cave inscription is a rock-cut epigraphic record incised on the left end of the back wall of the verandah in the Ghaṭotkacha cave situated in the Aurangabad district, Maharashtra. Originally consisting of twenty-two lines, the inscription has suffered significant damage. It is engraved in the box-headed Brāhmī script and composed entirely in graceful Sanskrit verse, utilising various meters such as Indravajrā, Upajāti, and Vasantatilakā.
The primary object of the inscription was to record the excavation of a Buddhist vihāra cave by Varāhadeva, the chief minister of the Vākāṭaka king Hariṣeṇa. The record famously opens with a reverent invocation to the Buddhist trinity, the Buddha (described as the sage among sages), the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. The text outlines a succession of prominent ministers who served successive Vākāṭaka kings, mentioning Hastibhoja (minister to Devasena) and his son Varāhadeva (minister to Hariśena).
Editor's Comment:1. munirmunīnāmaromarāṇām gururgurūṇām pravaro varāṇām | jayatyanābhogavibuddhabuddhirbuddhābhidhāno nidhiradbhutānām ||
2. dharmmastato dharmmavidā praṇītastathā gaṇaścāgryatamo gaṇānām | bhavanti yasminnihitāḥ supātre kārāpakārāstanayā hyudārāḥ ||
3. asti prakāśo diśi dakṣiṇasyām vallūranāmnām dvijasattamānām | ā bramhaṇassambhṛtapuṇyakīrttirvvaśo mahīyānmahito mahadbhiḥ ||
4. tasminnabhūdāhatalakṣaṇānām dvijanmanām prāthamakalpakānām | bhṛgvatrigarggāṅigarasām samāno dvijarṣabho yajñaḥ prakāśaḥ ||
5. tadātmajo deva ivāsa deva kṛtī gṛhastho nayavānkriyāvān | sarājakam rāṣṭramupetya yasmindharmyānakriyāpārttha iva pracakkre ||
6. somastataḥ soma ivāparobhūtsa brāhmaṇakṣatriyavamśajāsu | śrutismṛtibhyām vihitārtthakārī dvayīṣu bhāryyāsu mano dadhāra ||
7. sa kṣatriyāyām kulaśīlavatyāmutpādayāmāsa narendracihnam | sutam surūpam ravināmadheyam kṛtādhipatyam viṣaye samagre ||
8. dvijāsu cānyāsu sutānudārānsa prāpa vedeṣu samāptakāmān | vallūranāmnām diśi dakṣiṇasyāmadyāpi yeṣām vasati dvijānām ||
9. ravessuto bhūtpravarāmidhānaḥ śrīrāmanāmātha babhūva tasmāt | tasyātmaja kīrttirabhūtsukīrttirbbabhūva tasmādatha hastibhojaḥ ||
10. vākāṭake rājati devasene guṇaiṣikośo bhuvi hastibhojaḥ | adyāpi yasyābhijanapradāna - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ||
11. dhīreṣu dhīmatsu sahotthiteṣu kṛtyapramāṇeṣu guṇānviteṣu | - - - - - - - - - - - - - nṛpateryade - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ||
12. yasyāsanārddham suraṣā - - - - - - - - mātsamsadi - - - - - - -| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -||
13. atha devarājasūnurhariṣeṇo - - - - - - - hastibhoja - - - - - - - | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -||
14. śaśikaradhavalām nirīkṣya kīrttim - - - - - - - - - - - -|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -||
15. atha guṇaśatasambhṛtātmabhūtaḥ priyatanayo - - - - - - - -|- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ||
16. tasyātmajeṣu bahuṣu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ||
17. phalamakhila - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -||
18. samyagvibhāvita ihāsti varāhadevaḥ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -||
१। मुनिर्मुनीनामरोमराणाम् गुरुर्गुरूणाम् प्रवरो वराणाम् । जयत्यनाभोगविबुद्धबुद्धिर्बुद्धाभिधानो निधिरद्भुतानाम् ॥
२। धर्म्मस्ततो धर्म्मविदा प्रणीतस्तथा गणश्चाग्र्यतमो गणानाम् । भवन्ति यस्मिन्निहिताः सुपात्रे कारापकारास्तनया ह्युदाराः ॥
३। अस्ति प्रकाशो दिशि दक्षिणस्याम् वल्लूरनाम्नाम् द्विजसत्तमानाम् । आ ब्रम्हणस्सम्भृतपुण्यकीर्त्तिर्व्वशो महीयान्महितो महद्भिः ॥
४। तस्मिन्नभूदाहतलक्षणानाम् द्विजन्मनाम् प्राथमकल्पकानाम् । भृग्वत्रिगर्ग्गाङिगरसाम् समानो द्विजर्षभो यज्ञः प्रकाशः ॥
५। तदात्मजो देव इवास देव कृती गृहस्थो नयवान्क्रियावान् । सराजकम् राष्ट्रमुपेत्य यस्मिन्धर्म्यानक्रियापार्त्थ इव प्रचक्क्रे ॥
६। सोमस्ततः सोम इवापरोभूत्स ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियवम्शजासु । श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्याम् विहितार्त्थकारी द्वयीषु भार्य्यासु मनो दधार ॥
७। स क्षत्रियायाम् कुलशीलवत्यामुत्पादयामास नरेन्द्रचिह्नम् । सुतम् सुरूपम् रविनामधेयम् कृताधिपत्यम् विषये समग्रे ॥
८। द्विजासु चान्यासु सुतानुदारान्स प्राप वेदेषु समाप्तकामान् । वल्लूरनाम्नाम् दिशि दक्षिणस्यामद्यापि येषाम् वसति द्विजानाम् ॥
९। रवेस्सुतो भूत्प्रवरामिधानः श्रीरामनामाथ बभूव तस्मात् । तस्यात्मज कीर्त्तिरभूत्सुकीर्त्तिर्ब्बभूव तस्मादथ हस्तिभोजः ॥
१०। वाकाटके राजति देवसेने गुणैषिकोशो भुवि हस्तिभोजः । अद्यापि यस्याभिजनप्रदान - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥
११। धीरेषु धीमत्सु सहोत्थितेषु कृत्यप्रमाणेषु गुणान्वितेषु । - - - - - - - - - - - - - नृपतेर्यदे - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥
१२। यस्यासनार्द्धम् सुरषा - - - - - - - - मात्सम्सदि - - - - - - -। - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥
१३। अथ देवराजसूनुर्हरिषेणो - - - - - - - हस्तिभोज - - - - - - - । - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥
१४। शशिकरधवलाम् निरीक्ष्य कीर्त्तिम् - - - - - - - - - - - -।- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥
१५। अथ गुणशतसम्भृतात्मभूतः प्रियतनयो - - - - - - - -।- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥
१६। तस्यात्मजेषु बहुषु - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -। - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥
१७। फलमखिल - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -। - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥
१८। सम्यग्विभावित इहास्ति वराहदेवः - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -। - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥
Verse 1
munirmunīnāmaromarāṇām
gurur gurūṇām pravaro varāṇām |
jayatyanābhogavibuddhabuddhir-
buddhābhidhāno nidhiradbhutānām || (upajāti)
Verse 2
dharmmastato dharmmavidā praṇītaḥ
tathā gaṇaścāgryatamo gaṇānām |
bhavanti yasmin nihitāḥ supātre
kārāpakārās tanayā hy udārāḥ || (upajāti)
Verse 3
asti prakāśo diśi dakṣiṇasyāṃ
vallūranāmnām dvijasattamānām |
ā brahmaṇas saṃbhṛtapuṇyakīrtir
vvaśo mahīyān mahito mahadbhiḥ || (indravajrā)
Verse 4
tasminn abhūd āhatalakṣaṇānām
dvijanmanām prāthamakalpakānām |
bhṛgv-atrigarggāṅgirasām samāno
dvijarṣabho yajñaḥ prakāśaḥ || (upajāti)
Verse 5
tadātmajo deva ivāsa deva
kṛtī gṛhastho nayavām kriyāvān |
sarājakam rāṣṭram upetya yasmin
dharmyānakriyāpārtha iva pracakkre || (upajāti)
Verse 6
somastataḥ soma ivāparobhūt
sa brāhmaṇakṣatriyavamśajāsu |
śrutismṛtibhyām vihitārthakārī
dvayīṣu bhāryyāsu mano dadhāra || (upajāti)
Verse 7
sa kṣatriyāyām kulaśīlavatyām
utpādayām āsa narendracihnam |
sutam surūpam ravināmadheyam
kṛtādhipatyam viṣaye samagre || (upajāti)
Verse 8
dvijāsu cānyāsu sutānudārān
sa prāpa vedeṣu samāptakāmān |
vallūranāmnām diśi dakṣiṇasyām
adyāpi yeṣām vasati dvijānām || (upajāti)
Verse 9
ravessuto bhūt pravarāmidhānaḥ
śrīrāmanāmātha babhūva tasmāt |
tasyātmaja kīrttir abhūt sukīrttir
bbabhūva tasmād atha hastibhojaḥ || (upajāti)
Verse 10
vākāṭake rājati devasene
guṇaiṣikośo bhuvi hastibhojaḥ |
adyāpi yasyābhijanapradāna - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - || (upajāti)
Verse 11
dhīreṣu dhīmatsu sahotthiteṣu
kṛtyapramāṇeṣu guṇānviteṣu |
- - - - - - - - - - nṛpateryade - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - || (upajāti)
Verse 12
yasyāsanārddhaṃ suraṣā - - - - - - - -
mātsamsadi - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|| (upajāti)
Verse 13
atha devarājasūnurhariṣeṇo - - - - - - -
hastibhoja - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - || (āryā)
Verse 14
śaśikaradhavalām nirīkṣya kīrttim
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|| (puṣpitāgrā)
Verse 15
atha guṇaśatasaṃbhṛtātmabhūtaḥ
priyatanayo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - || (puṣpitāgrā)
Verse 16
tasyātmajeṣu bahuṣu - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - || (vasantatilakā)
Verse 17
phalamakhila - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|| (puṣpitāgrā)
Verse 18
samyagvibhāvita ihāsti varāhadevaḥ
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -|| (vasantatilakā)
श्लोक: १
मुनिर्मुनीनामरोमराणाम्
गुरुर् गुरूणाम् प्रवरो वराणाम् ।
जयत्यनाभोगविबुद्धबुद्धिर्-
बुद्धाभिधानो निधिरद्भुतानाम् ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: २
धर्म्मस्ततो धर्म्मविदा प्रणीतः
तथा गणश्चाग्र्यतमो गणानाम् ।
भवन्ति यस्मिन् निहिताः सुपात्रे
कारापकारास् तनया ह्य् उदाराः ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ३
अस्ति प्रकाशो दिशि दक्षिणस्यां
वल्लूरनाम्नाम् द्विजसत्तमानाम् ।
आ ब्रह्मणस् संभृतपुण्यकीर्तिर्
व्वशो महीयान् महितो महद्भिः ॥ (इन्द्रवज्रा)
श्लोक: ४
तस्मिन्न् अभूद् आहतलक्षणानाम्
द्विजन्मनाम् प्राथमकल्पकानाम् ।
भृग्व्-अत्रिगर्ग्गाङ्गिरसाम् समानो
द्विजर्षभो यज्ञः प्रकाशः ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ५
तदात्मजो देव इवास देव
कृती गृहस्थो नयवाम् क्रियावान् ।
सराजकम् राष्ट्रम् उपेत्य यस्मिन्
धर्म्यानक्रियापार्थ इव प्रचक्क्रे ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ६
सोमस्ततः सोम इवापरोभूत्
स ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियवम्शजासु ।
श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्याम् विहितार्थकारी
द्वयीषु भार्य्यासु मनो दधार ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ७
स क्षत्रियायाम् कुलशीलवत्याम्
उत्पादयाम् आस नरेन्द्रचिह्नम् ।
सुतम् सुरूपम् रविनामधेयम्
कृताधिपत्यम् विषये समग्रे ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ८
द्विजासु चान्यासु सुतानुदारान्
स प्राप वेदेषु समाप्तकामान् ।
वल्लूरनाम्नाम् दिशि दक्षिणस्याम्
अद्यापि येषाम् वसति द्विजानाम् ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ९
रवेस्सुतो भूत् प्रवरामिधानः
श्रीरामनामाथ बभूव तस्मात् ।
तस्यात्मज कीर्त्तिर् अभूत् सुकीर्त्तिर्
ब्बभूव तस्माद् अथ हस्तिभोजः ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: १०
वाकाटके राजति देवसेने
गुणैषिकोशो भुवि हस्तिभोजः ।
अद्यापि यस्याभिजनप्रदान - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: ११
धीरेषु धीमत्सु सहोत्थितेषु
कृत्यप्रमाणेषु गुणान्वितेषु ।
- - - - - - - - - - नृपतेर्यदे - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: १२
यस्यासनार्द्धं सुरषा - - - - - - - -
मात्सम्सदि - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥ (उपजाति)
श्लोक: १३
अथ देवराजसूनुर्हरिषेणो - - - - - - -
हस्तिभोज - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥ (आर्या)
श्लोक: १४
शशिकरधवलाम् निरीक्ष्य कीर्त्तिम्
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥ (पुष्पिताग्रा)
श्लोक: १५
अथ गुणशतसंभृतात्मभूतः
प्रियतनयो - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥ (पुष्पिताग्रा)
श्लोक: १६
तस्यात्मजेषु बहुषु - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ॥ (वसन्ततिलका)
श्लोक: १७
फलमखिल - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥ (पुष्पिताग्रा)
श्लोक: १८
सम्यग्विभावित इहास्ति वराहदेवः
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -।
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -॥ (वसन्ततिलका)
Verse 1
Victorious is he who is called the Buddha, the sage among sages, the teacher among teachers, the immortal among immortals, the best among the eminent, and a store of marvels, who attained enlightenment by abstention from the enjoyment of worldly pleasures.
Verse 2
Victorious next is the law promulgated by him who knows the law; and victorious also is the Community, the best among all communities, having done service to which, a worthy recipient, the sons of men become exalted.
Verse 3
In the southern country is well known a great race of most eminent Brāhmaṇas named Vallūras, which race has accumulated religious merit and glory since the age of Brahmā and is honoured by the great.
Verse 4
In that race was born the famous Yajñapati, an excellent Brāhmaṇa, who resembled the primeval Brāhmaṇas Bhṛgu, Atri, Garga, and Aṅgiras, noted for their good qualities.
Verse 5
His son was Deva, who, being wise, learned, proficient in political wisdom, and engaged in the performance of religious rites, resembled the god Kṛṣṇa; being guided by whom, the whole kingdom together with the king performed religious duties even as Pārtha (i.e., Arjuna) did under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa.
Verse 6
From him was born Soma, a second moon as it were, who, performing religious duties as enjoined by the Vedas and Smṛtis, gave his love equally to wives of the two castes, born in Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya families.
Verse 7
On a Kṣatriya wife of noble birth and character, he begot a good-looking son named Ravi, possessed of marks of royalty, who established his sway over the whole territory.
Verse 8
From other Brāhmaṇa wives he obtained sons who fulfilled their desires in mastering the Vedas, whose habitation, named Vallūra, is even now well known in the southern country.
Verse 9
The son of Ravi was Pravara. From him sprang Śrī-Rāma. His son was Kīrti of good repute, and from him was born Hastibhoja.
Verse 10
When the Vākāṭaka Devasena was ruling, Hastibhoja distinguished himself by his excellences, he whose noble birth and charity... even now.
Verse 11
Among the resolute, intelligent, efficient, and meritorious colleagues... when the king’s...
Verse 12
Occupying a half of whose seat... men... in the assembly...
Verse 13
Then there is Hariśeṇa, the son of Devarāja... Hastibhoja...
Verse 14
Observing his fame as white as moonbeams...
Verse 15
Then was born to Hastibhoja a dear son, who was his very self, possessed of a hundred qualities...
Verse 16
Among his many sons...
Verse 17
... the entire reward...
Verse 18
Here is Vārāhadeva, thoroughly examined...
| Dynasty: | Vākāṭaka |
| Source: | |
| Ruler: | Hariṣeṇa |
| Date: | c. 475 to 500 CE |
| Place: | Ghatotkach Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra |
| Donee: | Holy Saṅgha of Ajaṇṭā |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Nature of grant: | Religious endowment |
| Purpose: | To commemorate the excavation and donation of the cave to the Buddhist saṅgha |
| Provenance of inscription: | Ghatotkach Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra |
| Type of Inscription: | Stone inscription |
