Jain Journal 1980 01

SR No.: 520057
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1980
Total Pages: 37
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 2 MB

Page 19

JANUARY, 1980
91
contains a few letter quite short in comparison to other letters. The shortening of length of a letter owing to the presence of vowel mark is also visible in other letters of this inscription. It may be retaining some earlier forms of writing or it may be some provincial variations. Thus, we cannot rule out these possibilities simply by saying a scribal mistake. The letter apparently seems to be long “vi”. In this way the reading comes as :
line
left
right
ví 80 (4)
nā ye rām ni (va)
middle rāya bhagava caturāsiti - va sāli mālini the majhimikā
(se) (ye) (ye)
The purport of this inscription is not clear. Sali Malini, appearing in the third line, seems to be a proper name of a lady, who had some relation with Madhyamika, a town situated near Chittor. As succeeding letters of this inscription are missing no correct meaning can be traced out. From the first two lines it is clear that in the year 84, of some era, this inscription was got engraved. It perhaps refers to the construction of Jaina structure by Sali Malini. D.C. Sircar suggests its date as 1st century B.C., basing on the date of Sunga Bhagavata's inscription of Bhilsa. C.S. Upasaka takes it not earlier than second century B.C. G.H. Ojha ascribes it to 443 B.C., while K.P. Jayasawal gives its date as 374-373 B.C. In this way the following problems are still connected with this inscription.
(i) Whether this inscription is connected with Jainism? (ii) Whether it is a Pre-Mauryan record?
The word "vira" is apparently connected with Lord Mahavira. Therefore, the inscription relates to Jainism. Recently from Darah (Dist. Kota) inscriptions datable to 2nd century B.C. mentioning the names of some Sramanas are noticed.11 This also indicates that the Jainas were having close relations with the Southern Rajasthan. No other meaning of first letter can be taken.
It is very difficult to conclude about specific date of this inscription. According to our present state of knowledge no such definite inference can be taken. A good number of scholars take the Mahasthan stone
1 "सि पिसेन समणो भद्दल अपरा देसवासी" This inscription was recently noticed by
Giriraj Kumar.