Indian Antiquary Vol 56

SR No.: 032548
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1986
Total Pages: 286
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 13 MB

Page 35

FEBRUARY, 1927)
THE DATE OF ASOKA'S ROOK EDIOTS
THE DATE OF ASOKA'S ROCK EDICTS.
By M. H. GOPAL, M,A. In his recent book on Asokal Dr. Bhandarkar of the Calcutta University supports! Mr. Harit Krishna Deb's view, expressed in his Asoka's Dhammalipis, that at least Rock Edicta II and XIII must be later than Pillar Edict VII dated in the 27th regnal year, because their contents are not mentioned in PE VII, which is a résumé of Asoka's work; to quote Dr. Bhandarkar's words, "the carrying out of philanthrophic works (RE II) and the propagation of Dhamma (RE XIII) are such important things that Asoka would most certainly have made mention of them in PE VII, if he had heard, when it was engraved, that they had met with some measure of success in those foreign countries. The omission is signifi cant and shows that RE II and XIII could not have been promulgated prior to PE VII, that is, the 27th regnal year."
Dr. Bhandarkar goes a step further and remarks that all the RE, including the MRE, are in date later than PE VII. We shall, however, discuss this view later on.
There are also a few other scholars, who hold the same view as Mr. Deb and for the same reasons. But on a closer examination we find that this contention fails to stand criticism. True, the absence of any reference to foreign missions is so significant that it requires some oxplanation, and such an explanation may perhaps be found in the fact that by about the 27th regnal year, when PE VII was issued, the foreign missions had been abandoned.
However this may be, Messrs. Deb, Bhandarkar and their school appear to have over looked a very remarkable short passage in RE II, which is almost reproduced both in language and contents in PE VII. RE II says: 4
"Roots and fruits wherever they are not found have been imported and planted. On the roads wells have been caused to be dug and trees caused to be planted for the enjoyment of man and beast. PE VII 6 says "On the roads have I planted the banyan trees. They will offer shade to man and beast. I have grown mango orchards. I have caused wells to be dug at every eight koses. I have made many waiting-sheds at different places for the enjoyment of man and beast."
This shows that PE VII, as a mere résumé of Asoka's acts, must be later than RE II. For this philanthropic work of Asoka is mentioned nowhere in the PE.
Moreover the very position of the edicts (RE II and XIII) goes against Mr. Deb's view. At Shah bazgarhi "the larger portion of the record containing all the inscriptions except the 12th is engraved on both the eastern and western faces of a mass of trap rock," while at Mansera "the first twelve edicts have been found incised on two rocks" and the last two are missing. In the Kalsi group the edicts are in order on a single boulder, though "towards the bottom, beginning with the 10th edict, the letters increase in size." The inscription at Girnar consists of two main divisions separated by a line drawn from the top to the bottom of the rock. The first five edicts are to the left, while the next geven, from 6 to 12, are to the right. "The 13th edict is placed below and on its right is the 14th edict." At Dhauli" the Asoka inscriptions are arranged in three parallel vertical columns, of which the Fourteen Rock Edicts occupy the whole of the middle column and one-half of the right column."
Thus we find that in all these places RE II at least is found along with the others on the same rock and in a regular order following the first edict and being followed by the third.
1 Asoka, by D. R. Bhandarkar, M.A., Ph.D., published by the Calcutta University in 1925. 9 Ibid., p. 47. 3 In this article RE stands for Rook Edicts; PE, for Pillar Edicte; MRE, for Minor Rock Edicta. 4 Bhandarkar's 4 soka, p. 276.
6 Ibid., p. 319. 6 The quotations are all from Bhandarkar's Asoka, PP. 250-4.