Early History of Orissa

SR No.: 006922
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Amarchand Mittal
Publisher: Jain Cultural Research Society
Publication Year: 1957
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 199

174
AN EARLY HISTORY OF ORISSA
on the right hand side, and the SKEs occupying the whole of the left column. Likewise, on the Jaugadal rock, the two SKEs appear independently within a space enclosed by lines. Further, the fact that all the Rock Edicts were not published in the Province of Kalinga, suggests that they were published after much thought. Rather it would suggest a well-balanced and quite advanced administrative policy-making in so far as the publication of the Edicts are concerned. Therefore their publication in Kalinga must be dated late in Asoka's reign.
In so far as the third point is concerned, it may be argued that the RE III mentions the actual officers who were required to go on tours, whereas the statement in the SKEs is a general one, and hence, might suggest a late date. Dr. Mookerji' also opines that “Ašoka's first conception of the scheme of quinquennial tours for his officers was fully elaborated in some of his Rock Edicts, which are, therefore, later than the Separate Kalinga Edicts” and states further that “....later when RE III was issued, the rule was that his administrative tour (anusamyāna) should be undertaken every five years in each province of the empire (sarvata vijite mama) without any exception."
Now, taking the second point into consideration, we find that Dr. Barua carries the view that Kumāra as mentioned in SKE I cannot necessarily denote ‘Aśoka's son'. As a matter of fact, the Inscriptions of Asoka do not throw
1. At Jaugada, the upper portion of the Separate Kalinga Edicts is marked by a Svastika symbol wbich figures at the two corners, while the lower portion is figured four times by letter ma. HK. Dab (JASB, xvii, p. 232f) opines that the Svastika may be taken as a monogram made up of two Brāhmi letters 0 and ma, tbe final letter indicuting the sacred symbol OM'.
2. Asoka, p. 123, fn. 6. 3. Ibid, p. 124, fr. 3.