Epigraphia Indica Vol 08

SR No.: 032562
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: E Hultzsch
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1905
Total Pages: 398
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 198

No. 17.]
EPIGRAPHICAL DISCOVERIES AT SARNATH.
171
assigned to it by Bühler in the expression hetuvatd-chd viya mjanate-cha (rock edict III.), both according to the letter and according to the spirit. The sense attached to it by M. Senart in the Rūpnåth edict is evidently the one to be applied bere also. The Sârnâth inscription, more. over, places it beyond doubt that M. Senart's reading of the corresponding passage in that edict is correct. The original meaning of vyanjana is manifestation, from which that of a royal proclamation can be easily derived. In connection with the Rûpnath legend this interpretation seems to me preferable to that suggested above by Dr. Bloch.
Vivasayitha is the 2nd Plur. Imper, of viváseti. Compare vivasetavaya in the Rūpn&th edict, which M. Senarto translates : il vous faut partir en mission. But as in the Sarnath inscription apparently no reference is made to missionary duties, I feel inclined to assign to it a more general meaning, either to go about for inspecting purposes' as suggested by Prof. Kern, or 'to conduct oneself,' a meaning which could be derived from that of' to spend one's time'attached to Skr. vivasati. That, in any case, vivasayatha, though a causative in form, can hardly have a causative meaning, appears from the following vívásápayatha (1. 11), the 2nd Pers. Plur. Imper. of a verb vivásåpeti which can be nothing but a causative of vivaseti. This prevents me from accopting the interpretation suggested by Dr. Bloch.
L. 11, kota-visavesu.-Prof. Kern agrees with me in explaining visavest as the equivalent of Skr. vishayeshu and quotes the following parallel cases : ussava avasyaya; pavachchhati, v. l. pavechchhati= prayachchhati; tavatinsa =trayastriméa ; kuldvaka=kuldyaka ; kedsdva=kashaya. In the Asöka inscriptions we bave avuti (pillar edict IV.)=Skr. dyukti, and the terminations of the 3rd Pers. Sing and Plar. Opt. ova (Skr. oyat) and ovu (Skr. 'yur), e.g. pdpova (pillar edict IV.)=Skr. prápnwyát.
It is more difficult to explain kota. Prof. Kern proposes to render the compound either by 'territory belonging to the resort of a capital' or by rural district,' as in Tamil kottam has the meaning of an agrionltural town or village. I have translated it as & dvandua compound. That kota, 'a fort, can be used to designate a fortified city, is evident from placenames like Nagar-kot (i.e. Kangrå city) and Pathån-koţ (for Pratishthana-kota).
0,1.- Additional inscriptions on the Agôka pillar. Besides the Agôka ediot, the Sarnath pillar contains two records of a later date, each consisting of only one line. The older of the two (i.e) is incised partly beneath the Asöka inscription, continuing, as it were, its last short line. Though the engraving of the letters, which measure from 1 to 7 cm., is inferior to that of the principal record, there can be little doubt about the reading, with the exception of the first word which is partly destroyed. The length of the line, as far as preserved, is exactly 1 m. I read it as follows :3
....rpårigeyhe rajña Asvaghoshasya chatarise savachhare hematapakhe prathame divase dasame.
"[In the fortunate reign] of Rajan Asvaghosha, in the fortieth year, in the first fortnight of winter, on the tenth day."
It will be seen that the sign for anusvåra is omitted throughout (read: chatarimse, samyachhare, hemantapakhe), and that the long d of rájfia and chatari[mn]de is not indicated, unless the very slight extension to the proper left of the top of rand 1 is meant to serve that purpose. It is probable that at the beginning there was some expression equivalent to the vardhamana-kalyana-vijaya-rdjye of later inscriptions.
1 See Senart, Les Inscriptions de Piyadasi (Paris, 1886), Vol. II. pp. 169ff, and 103 f.
Ibid. p. 182 ff. • The beginning of this inscription is shown on the Piste containing the Aboks adint, and the continuation of i on the second Plate of Sarnath inscriptions. The first letter of Alvaghoshasya appears on both Plates.-E..] • For geyha see Prof. Pischel's Grammatik der Prdlerit-Sprachen, 572.
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