North Indian Inscriptions

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS

Sarnāth near Banaras in Uttar Pradesh and were transcribed and translated by Y. R. Gupte in the A.R. ASI., for 1914-15, pp. 124 ff., Nos. XVI and XVII and plate LXIX, ⁰ and p. Both are engraved on the pedestals of Buddha images. The proper left half of the second inscribed stone (B), it seems, had been destroyed but was replaced by a piece of halo of a somewhat earlier period but engraved with the missing part of the inscription. The writings on both these parts belong practically to the same Gupta period but seems to be the works of two different hands.

       The writing on each is in three lines. But what space each originally covered it is difficult now to determine, as the inscriptions are in a fragmentary condition. The average size of letters is 3/8”, The characters belong to the northern class of the Gupta alphabet and are practically identical with those of No. 26. The language is Sanskrit; and the inscriptions are in verse throughout. In respect of orthography, the only point that calls for notice is the doubling of t in conjunction with a following r.

       The inscriptions refer to the reign of the Imperial Gupta king Budhagupta. They are dated, in words, when a century of years increased by fifty-seven of the Guptas had passed away, on the seventh day of the month of Vaiśākha, when the asterism Mūla was visible. These are Buddhist inscriptions; and their object is to record the installation of the images of the Buddha, on the aforesaid date, by Abhayamitra, the same donor as in No. 26.

TEXT

(A)

[Metres: Verses 1 to 4 Anushṭubh]

1 Guptā[nā]ṁ samatikkrāntē sapta-paṁchāśad-uttarē [| *] śatē samānāṁ pṛithiv[īṁ*] Budhaguptē praśasti[||1*] [Vaiśākha-māsa-saptamyāṁ Mūlē= śma-pragatē*]
2 mayā [|*] kārit=Ābhayamitrēṇa ( | ) pratimā [Śāk]yabhikshuṇā || [2*] Imām=u[ddhasta-sachchha]tra-pad[mā]sa[na]-[vibhūshitām*] [| *] [dēvaputravatō divyāṁ]
3 chitra-vinyāsa-chitritāṁ(tām) || [3*] Yad=asti puṇ[ya]ṁ p[ra]timāṁ kārayitvā mam=āstu¹ tat[| *][mātāpittrōr=gurūṇāṁ cha lōkasya cha śam-āptayē*] [|| 4*]

(B)

1 [Guptānāṁ samati][krāntē*] [sapta-paṁchāśa]d-uttarē [|*] śatē samānāṁ pṛithivīṁ Budhagu[ptē*] praśāsati [ || 1* ] Vaiśākha-māsa-saptamyāṁ Mūlē=śma-
2 [pragatē*] [mayā] [|*] [kārit=Ābhayamitrēṇa] pratimā Śā[kya]bhikasuṇā || [2*] Imām[=uddhasta-sachchha*]ttra-padmāsana-vibhū[shitām] [| *] D[ēvapu]- ttravatō [di][vyāṁ]
3 [chitra-vinyāsa-chitritāṁ(tām)*] [|| 3*] [Yad=asti puṇyaṁ pratimāṁ kārayitvā mam=āstu tat*] [|*] māta-pittrōr=g[u]r[ū]ṇāṁ cha lōka[s]ya cha[śa]m-āpta- [yē] [|| 4*]
_____________________

¹ As corrected by Prof. Jagan Nath (JUPHS., Vol. XIII, p. 100; PIHC., 1940, p. 60, No. 7.) He, however, omits tat after mam=āstu.