महाराणा कुम्भा (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य के अद्वितीय विजेता, निर्माता व विद्वान्)

Maharana Kumbha.

hibiting the fracture, of Jasper. It is one mass of sculpture; of which a better idea can- not be conveyed than in the remark of those who dwell about it, that it contains every object known to their mythology. The ninth khand or 'storey' which, as I have stated, is seventeen feet and a half square, has numerous columns supporting a vault in which is sculptured Kanaya (Krishna) in the Rasman- dala (celestial sphere), surrounded by the gopis, or muses, each, holding a musical instrument, and in a dancing attitude. Be- neath this is a richly-carved scroll fringed with the sarus, the phenicopteros of ornitho- logy. Around this chamber had been arrang- ed, on black marble tablets,¹ the whole

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¹ A copy of this and the Kumbhalgarh Inscription of Rana Kumbha was taken by a pandit on Phagun Vadi 7th, S 1735 (A.D. 1679), when five tablets of this, and one of the Kumbhalgarh Inscriptions were in existence. Unfortunately only two tablets of this former inscription are now to be found, but two more tablets and a fragment of the third of the Kumbhalgarh Inscription have been recovered. The Kumbhalgarh Inscription originally consisted of five tablets and the Chitorgarh of seven or more. The Chitorgarh In- scription states that it was completed on Monday the Margshir Vadi 5th, S 1517 and Saka year 1382 (A.D. 1460). The author of the inscription was a Brahman named Atri, who was well versed in Logic, Vedanta, Veda, Mimansa and Sahitya. He was the son of Keshava, called Jhoting, and grandson of Narahari and great grandson of Somanath of the Bhrigu family. Atri having died, the inscription was completed by his son Mahesh, a poet. The Maharana gave him as reward, two elephants, two chanwars with gold handles, and a white umbrella (छत्र).

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