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No. 3.]
MANUR INSCRIPTION OF MARANJADAIYAN.
63 stai seydom mahasabhai64 yöm mahasabhaiyar (pa]
TRANSLATION. Lines 1-14. Hail! Prosperity! the year thirty-five, and day four hundred and sixtynine of the reign of) King Mārañjadaiyap,-on this day, we, (the members of the mahāsabhā of Māṇanilainallur, a brahmadēya in Kalakkudi-nādu, having proclaimed a general body meeting by beat of drum; and, having assembled in the sacred Govardhana, made the following resolution (vyavasthai) for conducting deliberations in the meetings of the mahāsabhā of this village :
LI. 14-20. In the matter of the share-holders of this village taking part in the deliberations of the assembly, only those who are conversant with Mantra-brähmana inclusive of one Dharma and are of good conduct shall take part in the discussions of the sabha, only one person (representing) & share ;
Ll. 20-26. of those who own (shares) by purchase gift or dowry, only such as are conversant with Mantra-brāhmana inclusive of one Dharma and are of good conduct shall take part in the deliberations ;
Ll. 26-35. in the future, those who exercise their right of property (Srāvanai-puguvar) (acquired) by purchase, gift or dowry, shall not, except by (possessing) full frāvanai, exercise their right and vote (merely) in virtue of a quarter, half or three-quarters of a Srāvanai;
LI. 35-45. among those who acquire shares by purchase, the frāvanai shall be awarded only to such as have passed an examination in an entire Vēda together with the Parisishta; and those who enter upon a trāvanai, by means other than the above, shall take part in the discussions only in accordance with the terms of this settlement (kachcham);
Ll. 46-51. in virtue of this arrangement, those who do not possess a full brāvanai shall not be selected to any kind of vāriyam ;
Ll. 51-61. those who abide by this agreement shall not say nay' and cause any obstruction (to this arrangement); those who cause obstruction and those who abet the obstructionists shall be fined five käsus each, and even thereafter, the terms of this resolution (kachcham) shall be strictly observed.
LI. 61-64. We, the members of the mahasabhā ordered in this wise and made this settlement. The members of the mahasabha........
No. 4 KHAROSHTHI INSCRIPTION ON A BEGRAM BAS-RELIEF.
BY STEN KONow, Po.D., Oslo. Bēgrām, on the confluence of the Ghorband and Panjshir rivers, has been identified with ancient Käpisi. The site has been explored by French archæologists, and M. Barthou has, inter alia, unearthed a damaged sculpture in bas-relief, which has been interpreted as representing the Buddha's first interview with Bimbisāra or the invitation to preach addressed to Bhagavat by Brahma and Indra. Gotama, with a moustache, is seated on a tbrone, raising the right hand in the varada-mudrā and resting the left, which is mutilated, on the lap. To the right stands
1 The continuation on the fourth face seems to be built in. * The word pawik kavum in the context is not easy. I have taken it to mean declare one's opinion,' vote.'
* The expression ipparidu beyinraru (11.51-2) is vague, but obviously it must refer to the persons who enter on brāvanai in an irregular manner, without passing the examination, and are left out of account for the wariyam
. Lit. "Stand in intimate relation with those who cause obstruction."
Cf. A. Foucher, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, VI, pp. 341 ff. .J. Hackin, La sculpture indienne et tibétaine au musée Guimet, Paris 1931, Pl. XI.