North Indian Inscriptions

THE SIDDAPURA EDICTS OF ASOKA.

19 . . . . . . . . . . sâ porâṇ . . . tî dî[ghâ]vu[s . ] cha heme[va . te]vâsine cha
20 âchariye . . . . . . . . . . thârahaṁ pavatitav .¹
21 . . . . . . . . . . . esa [ta]thâ kaṭaviyê cha [||*] Pa . . . . . .
22 . . . . ṇa² [||*]

No. III.

First Edict.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v . pulaṁ pi .
11 . . . . . . . . sa (?). . . . . . . . the[na] 256

Second Edict.

............................................................... v . v . (?)
10 . . . . tâpitusu . . [si]ta[vi]ya he . e . . . . . â . esu
9 . [hy . ta]v . aṁ sachaṁ vataviyaṁ e . . . . . . . .
8 hevaṁ pa[v]titaviyâ³ ? ? aṁ na te . s . t . va . . . . . . . .
7 . . . taviya hemeva â[chariye] aṁtevâsi[nâ] . . . . . . .
6 . . . [r]âṇâ paki . . . . sita[v]iya . . . . i[v]e
5 . chariy . aṁ . . . . [â]cha[riy . śa] ñâtikâ te . . . . .
4 . . titaviye esâ . râ . [pak]iti di . â . . cha . . . . . . śa . . e . â
3 . . . . . . . vati . . ye hevaṁ [m]e Devâṇaṁ pi[y]e
2 . . . . . . kaṭaviye . ḍena⁴ [likhit]aṁ
1 . . kareṇa⁵ [||*]

TRANSLATION OF No. I.

......The officials in Isila must be wished good health and be addressed thus from Survaṁṇagiri [1]⁶ (Suvarṇagiri) with the words of the Prince and the officials (residing teher) :―

First Edict

......“The Beloved of the gods issues (these) commands :― [2] More than two years and a half [3] (have elapsed), since I (became) a lay-hearer ; but, indeed, I did not exert myself strenuously. One period of six years,― [4] but indeed more than a period of six years, (has elapsed), since I have entered [5] the community of the ascetics (and) have strenuously exerted myself ; but during this time the men who were (considered) true in Jambudvîpa, (have been made to appear) false together with the gods. [6] For this is the result of exertion. For, this cannot be attained by a great man alone. But in any case,[7] indeed, even a small man, who exerts himself, can gain for himself much heavenly bliss. For this purpose this sermon
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......¹ Lines 19 (second half), 20, and 21 (beginning) seem to have contained needless repetitions.
......² The ṇa is in the Northern character.
......³ As far as this word, the text of the second edict seems to have been in good order. The following five lines exhibit a great confusion. The copyist seems to have repeated the same sentences twice or even three times.
......⁴ The ḍe is somewhat abnormal and looks almost like a mutilated da, for which I mistook it when writing the note in the Vienna Oriental Journal, Vol. VII. pp. 29 ff. The space between ye and ḍe looks too small for two letters, and remnants of one only are visible. It seems, therefore, probable that there was no cha after kaṭaviye, and that the idea of reading the name Chapaḍa, mentioned as possible in the Vienna Oriental Journal, Vol. VII. p. 32, must be given up.
......⁵ This is written in Northern or Kharôshṭrî letters. Indistinct remnants of pi are visible to the right of ka.
......⁶ The figures within crotchets refer to the remarks given below.