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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA TEXT OF iii. a.
1 Mahârajasya Kaṇishkasya saṁ 3 he 3 di 22
REMARKS. Line 1.─ It is doubtful whether the depression at the top of the ra represents an â-stroke or not. The form mahârajasya, however, is quite distinct in the Bôdhisattva inscription. The spelling Kaṇishkasya with lingual ṇ has already been noticed above. L. 2 f.─ There can be no doubt as to the reading saddhyevihâri, with e in the second syllable, here and also in line 6. At first I felt inclined to read sarddhyavihâri, which would yield an etymologically more intelligible form : but pre-consonantic r is expressed by a perpendicular and not by a slanting stroke. See e.g. purvaye (l. 2) and sarvasatvanaṁ (l. 9). In the Śrâvastî image inscription also I should prefer to read saddhyevihârisya.
L. 3.─ The third akshara of trepiṭakasya resembles ṭha, which is evidently due to the stone being worn. Compare trepiṭikaye (l. 7 f.). L. 4.─ The vowel-stroke of the last syllable of pratishṭhâpito is indistinct. In one of the Bôdhisattva inscriptions we have clearly -to. L. 5.─ The first letter of Bârâṇâsiye is open at the top and would, therefore, represent pa. But there can be little doubt that this is due either to the disintegration of the surface or to a clerical error. The vowel-stroke also cannot be said to be absolutely certain. For the ending compare Sâvastiye in the Śrâvastî inscription.─ It is doubtful whether the inscription has chaṁkrame or chaṁkame. I have chosen the Prâkrit form which is found in the Śrâvastî inscription. L. 6.─ For the reading upaddhyâyâcherehi I am indebted to Prof. Kern, who remarks that the form âchera for Skr. âchârya occurs also in the Jâtaka (ed. by Fausböll), Vol. IV. p. 248, l. 9, in a verse, i.e. in a dialect different from Pâli. L. 8.─ Is perhaps Vanaspharena to be read ? The Bôdhisattva inscription has clearly Vanashparena. L. 9.─ The letter (or letters ?) following the second cha is indistinct. At first I felt inclined to reads sahâ cha sarvâhi parishâhi, but finally chose the expression sahâ chatuhi parishâhi, which occurs also in the Mathurâ inscription of Dhanabhûti. Compare Cunningham, A. S. R. Vol. III. p. 36, No. 21, Plate xvi., and Senart, Journal Asiatique, série 8, Vol. XV. p. 119. TRANSLATION.
In the 3rd year of Mahârâja Kanishka, the 3rd (month) of winter, the 22nd day,
on this (date specified as) above,[1] was (this gift) of Friar Bala, a master of the Tripiṭaka[2] and
[1] The Mathurâ inscriptions afford many variants of this expression such as etasya pûrvvâyam, asyâṁ purvvâya and the like. See Bühler, Ep. Ind. Vol. I. p. 37 ff. and Vol. II. p. 195.
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