Epigraphia Indica Vol 01

SR No.: 032555
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1893
Total Pages: 528
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 15

EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
I.--A PRÅKRIT GRANT OF THE PALLAVA KING SIVASKANDAVARJAN,
By G. BÜHLER, Ph.D., LL.D., C.I.E., VIENNA. For the edition of the subjoined grant I have used a photograph and two rubbings (A and B), made over to me by Dr. J. Burgess, O.I.E., Director General of the Archeological Survey of India. The original plates were purchased from Chennappa, & mer. chant of Hirahadagalli in the Bellari district. They are eight in number and measure each 8 inches by 3". They are numbered with the ancient numeral signs of the ataharapalli; but, contrary to the ordinary usage, the figures are found on the first side of each sheet. The plates are held together by a single ring which passes through holes in the upper right-hand corners.
The technical execution is extremely rude and so careless that the holes for the ring have been cut, after the engraving had been done. Portions of several aksharas, e.g., of the second on plate IIa, 1. 1, have thus been destroyed. The preservation is good. Only in the last line of plate IIa one important word has become illegible. The characters closely resemble those used in Sir W. Elliot's grant of Vijayabuddhavarman's queen." The letters fa da and da look frequently much alike, and the same remark applies in some cases to ta and na as well as to ta and bha. The anusvára is indicated by a small cross. Among the numeral signs there are several remarkable forms. Thus the figure 2 is expressed by a dot and a slanting straight line, the figure 3 by a peculiar combination of three straight lines. On the other hand the figure 1 is expressed by a curved stroke, as in the grant edited by Mr. Fleet.
With the exception of the last line, which contains a final mangala in good Sanskrit, the grant is written in a Prakrit dialect, which comes close to the literary Pali, but shows also a number of peculiarities and divergent forms. The majority of the latter is traceable partly in the edicts of Aloka and partly in the inscriptions of the caves of Western India and of the Amaravati Stûpa, while a few occur only in other literary Prakrits. The points which here deserve special mention are the following:
1. The palatal ja is used frequently for ya. It appears throughout in the names, which in Sanskrit end in árya, e.g., Golasamajasa (1. 12), Ayisamajasa (1. 18), i.e., in Sanskrit Agnifarmáryasya, &c. In other words, the change is less constant. Thus we have
1 The same anomaly is observable in Mr. Floot's edition of Sir W. Elliot'o grant of Viyayabaddhavarmaa's queen. where, besides, plate IIB bours the figure 3, while plate III is not marked at all.
Indian Antiquary, Vol. IX. Pp. 101.109. Unfortunately the greater part of the text of this grant makes no in Mt. Yleet's edition. I st fint suspected that his facsimile was not exact. But a comparison of the original plates, which were presented to the British Museum by Sir Walter Elliot, has rouvinced me that it is absolutely trustworthy. A repeated examination of the document and a comparison with our graut have led we, however, to differ from Mr. Fleet with respect to the reading of a number of words. I rond
1. 1. BA dradd dyana instead of Bidraftdyaya. 1. 8. Anlash for about 1. 8. Nivaland and awkeki, for nivaltane, add()ki. 1. 10. Bampadatid tar dlápagdneyik dyattd for samya dattd tash (dida-dwe yekd 200 (60 ) flara.
11. Sapraparidraki pariharashda pariharayant for anya parihariki parikáradhaparikaya. If the last two words are changed te parihara tu and paridrayants (cha), a translation of lines 8-11 is posible, and it will be "(To the temple) of divine Nariyana (a piece of land, four ninarlands 4, has been given by tu, (the gift) having been made means of increasing our length of life and power. Kaowing that (our) officiale living in the village, should exempt it (an/) and chase it to be exempted with all exemptions."
In I. 18 I read pivati instead of decati, because bers, as also in gemeyik (1. 10) the corred line to the right of the consonant which itself comes closer to pa than to da, is meant - oftea iu another class of inscriptious, fur i. I sun muulle to doeipluer liges 1-7, whien remain utterly unintelligible.