Epigraphia Indica Vol 02

SR No.: 032556
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1894
Total Pages: 596
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 282

PILLAR EDICTS OF ASOKA.
245
XX.-THE PILLAR EDICTS OF ASOKA.
By G. BÜHLER, PH.D., LL.D., C.I.E. For the subjoined edition of the Pillar edicts of Asoka the following materials bave been used :
I. Dehli-Sivalik,-(1) Dr. Fleet's facsimiles, published in the Indian Antiquary, vol. XIII, p. 306ff. (2) A paper-rubbing of the second half of edict vii (the so-called circular edict), kindly supplied by Sir A. Cunningham.
II. Dehli-Mirat,- Dr. Fleet's facsimiles, published in the Indian Antiquary, vol. XIX, p. 122ff., and the paper-impressions, according to which the excellent facsimiles bave been prepared.
III. Allahabad, -Dr. Fleet's facsimile, published in the Indian Antiquary, vol. XIII, p. 308.
IV. Radhia (Lauria-Araraj), Mathia (Lauria-Navandgarh) and Rámpúrvá, - Mr. Garrick's facsimiles, published with this paper.
None of the older reproductions have been consulted, because they are of no value whatever. They have been made either according to eye-copies or according to rub'bings,-not impressions--where the outlines of the letters have been afterwards marked in with pencil. The preservation of the Pillar edicts is in general so excellent that, except in the Dehli-Mirat and Allahabad versions, hardly a vowel-stroke is doubtful. For these two versions, especially for the first, a comparison of the original impressions is highly desirable. Unfortunately the originals of the Allahabad version were not accessible to me, and it is therefore not impossible that on a comparison of the squeezes come small corrections may become necessary. Such corrections will not, however, affect the interpretation in any way. Compared with the readings of other scholars, the present ones show very few differences in the Dehli-Sivalik and Allahabad versions, for which accurate facsimiles have been accessible during the last eight years.
The changes in the Radhia and Mathia texts are more numerous and, thanks to the new materials, decidedly for the better. The fragments of the Råmpurva version have been printed once before with my German papers on the Pillar edicts in the Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft, vol. XLV, pp. 144ff, and vol. XLVI, pp. 54ff. According to the account of Mr. Garrick, the Rámpûrva Pillar lies half buried in the ground. Hence only a portion of the inscription is accessible. As the Rampurva version agrees exactly with those of Radhia and Mathia, it is of no great importance for the interpretation of these documents. These three eastern versions have either been engraved according to the same MS., or, at least, according to three MSS. written out by the same Karkun. Their verbal discrepancies are so exceedingly slight that they cannot possibly be ascribed to different draughtsmen. The two Dehli versions are also closely allied to each other. This agreement extends in both cases also to the grouping of the words, which the present edition indicates by hyphens put between those written continuously. I believe that it is advisable to attend to this point, because evidently only those words have been placed close together, which may
These impressions, which Dr. Fleet kindly prevented to me, bave been made over to the Oriental Institute of the Vienna University
See Canningham's Arch. Survey Reporti, vol. XVI, p. 110€.