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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA authority of parallel passages or by the evidence of the context in which it occurs. Notably, in a vast number of instances it is perfectly impossible to decide whether we have to deal with intentional strokes or with accidental cracks of the stone. This observation refers to the vowel-signs, and especially to the anusvâra. The latter, we know, is frequently omitted ; hence it is all the more uncertain in doubtful cases. Fortunately these are details of secondary importance, at least for the interpretation. Is there any need to add that I have scrupulously recorded all the various readings of former editors whenever they are of any interest, i.e. unless they are due to palpable mistakes or to misprints ? The chief value of these documents consists in their throwing light─ though dimly─ on a number of historic, palæographic and linguistic problems. But they are not the only documents of their kind, nor are such documents our only source of information. Though interesting, it is unwise to take up general questions in connection with a partial publication. This manner of proceeding is inevitable in the first period of researches and of discoveries, but later on it is apt to scatter the information inordinately and to hamper its discussion. It is at any rate natural to rescind the explanatory remarks and the historical conclusions. To my re-edition of the texts and to the explanations which it will suggest to me, I propose to add as a postscript the more comprehensive remarks which appear to be called for.
The really useful bibliography of the Kârlê inscriptions comprises only two works[1]─ (1) Inscriptions from the Caves-temple of Western India, 1881 (CTI.), and (2) Reports of the Archæological Survey of Western India, Vol. IV., 1883 (AS.). In the first publication, Dr. Burgess has transcribed and translated the inscriptions in accordance with the readings and remarks furnished by Pandit Bhagwanlal Indraji ; and in the second the texts and explanations have been subjected to a fresh revision by Bühler. Though this edition is more recent and marks in the majority of cases a progress on the first, it has the drawback of assigning texts of the same locality to different chapters according to their official or private character. The new Plates follow Bhagwanlal’s numbering. I have added in brackets the number given in AS. ; “K.” refers to the chapter entitled “Earliest Kârlê inscriptions” (p. 90 ff.) and “Ksh.” to “ Kshatrapa and Andhra inscriptions” (p. 98 ff.). The remarks regarding the position of each inscription are copied from the labels accompanying the estampages.
No. 1, Plate iii. (K. 1). TEXT. Vejayaṁtito seṭhiṇâ Bhutapâlen[â] (1) selaghara (2) pariniṭhapita[ṁ] (3) Ja[ṁ]bu- Dipamhi (4) ûtama[ṁ] (5). REMARKS.
(1) CTI. Bhûtaº. The mark of â seems to exist clearly in nâ ; but it is rather short and,
as there are traces of a crack on its right, it may be the result of the wearing of the stone.─ (2)
AS. and CTI. ºgharaṁ.─ (3) Probably the anusvâra has disappeared in the crack ; it cannot be
said to exist with certainty.─ (4) I feel inclined to explain the development of the central loop
of ja by the presence of an anusvâra.─ (5) AS. utama ; CTI. uttama. The long û appears to [1] The partial attempts at interpretation of Bird (Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Buddha and Jaina Religion, 1847) and Stephenson (J. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. V, p. 152 ff. and p. 426 ff.) possess now only a historical interest. As regards the general description of the caves, the first exact reports are those of Fergusson (J. R. As. Soc. Vol. VIII. p. 30 ff.) and of Wilson (J. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. III. p. 48 ff.). At present exact and methodical information may be found in the Rock¬-cut Temples of India of Fergusson and Burgess, and in the Report of the Archæological Survey of Western Indica, Vol. IV. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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