inscriptions in the hassan district

Belur Taluq. 73
Ballala in all circumstances. A todar he had on his left leg, but it was like
the ring bound on the leg of an elephant to strengthen it, while the images
engraved on it resembled ministers whose words fail in the time of trouble
clinging to his feet through fear. The pearl pende round his lotus foot
resembled the serpent Sesha which Murahan (Vishnu) coiled round Kanakadii
(mount Meru); while the golden todar was like the garland of katnnikdra
forest with which he surrounded that mountain: and the two wore as signet
rings stamping as genuine the word he uttered. The tinkling of the anklets
and ornaments on his left foot was like a voice proclaiming that his word
alone could be trusted He was thus both a hand-mirror and a dagger to
Ballala-Deva. The clusters of pearls in his ganda-penddra shone like the stars,
and the golden todar on his ruddy left foot like the fresh opening champaka
blossom — tokens of the acceptance of the devotion to and union with his
master of the general Kumara-Lakshma, no others being thus marked with
approval. The radiance of the pearls in the pende on Kuvara-Lakshma's foot
resembled that of the polar regions in the heavens
When the great king Ballala, as a token of his union with him, bestowed
on him the todar, — pleased at his faithfulness to his master, and in order
that he might not be dishonoured, — as the (celebrated) Suggala-Devi gave her
word to king Jayasimha, — so, gaining the praise of all the world, did Suggala-
Devi now give to king Ballala's dear son, the general Kumara-Lakshma, her
word not to desert him, like other women, who after eating, dwelling and
passing a time with a man, leave him for another, — and in token thereof
she bound a todar on her left lotus foot.
The celebrated ? Sakti and king Sudraka had each fifty warriors, bound to
thorn by an oath; but the general Kuvara-Lakshma had heroes so bound to
him to the number of one thousand. Those who abandoned instead of dying
with their ruler, and escaped, — such have we truly known, but not such as
gave up their lives and died at the same time with him, the exceeding great
warriors who had devoted themselves to the general Kuvara-Lakshma.
The vira-sasana stone which he set up proclaimed the greatness of his
fame to the eight points of the compass: who is equal to Kuvara-Lakshma in
fulfilling the vows he has given?—thus did the world piaise with affection Hoysala-Itaya's
lusty elephant. As if laughing at shameless ministers who, having
devoted themselves to their master's service, take care of their own wealth,
and without shame break their word and forsake him in the tune of trouble,—
such was the vira-kasana, as if saying, who in the earth is equal to the Yadu
king's minister Lakshma? Laughing at those who set up stones containing
non-existent and impossible promises, — was the stone which proclaimed the
glory of Kuvara-Lakshma as far as the walls of the cardinal points. As
evidence that in faithfulness to his master Garuda alone was his equal, and
10