Collection of Prakrit and Sanskrit Inscriptions

Author(s): P Piterson
Publisher: Bhavnagar Archiological Department

Page 13

Tod had found the writing on the rock; but neither he nor any one else at that time could read it, or show the interpretation thereof. That achievement was James Prinsep's ; and it is extremely interestiny to us in Bombay to note that the transcript of the strange characters of the Junaghar rock, on which Prinsep worked, was furnished to him by the good Dr. John Wilson of our city, Dr. Wilson was the first to take a transcript of the whole inscription, and he forwarded a copy of his transcript to Prinsep, who was known to have discovered a key to the character employed. This he had done il connection with certain pillar inscriptions of king Asoka which do not fall within the compass of our book. On them the same character is employed. Prinsep found his key to this entirely unknown character by one of those happy guesses which deserve to be called inspirations. He was dealing with a series of isolated short inscriptions in the same character from the great Budellist tope at Saneli. It was known that pious Buddhists were in the habit of contributing to such a work votive offerings of pillars, rails, and other architectural fittings. It struck Prinsep that a group of two syllables which constantly recurred at the end of these short inscriptions might very probably stand for dânam," the gift" (Latin donum), On this hiut he worked. If he was right, the syllable before this constant group, which was itself constant, could only be ssa, the sign of the genitive, "the gift of." By similar slow steps Prinsep succeeded in deciphering the pillar inscriptions; and it was while he was thus engaged that, by Wilson's kindness, a transcript of this all-important rock inscription was put into his hands. IIis sense of obligation may fitly be reproduced here in his own Words: “ After completing the reading of the pillar inscriptions, my attention was naturally turned to those in the same character from the west of India, but I soon found out that the copy sent was not suffici ently well done to be thoroughly made out; and I accordingly requested Mr. Wilson to favour me with the fac-simile itself, which, with the most liberal frankness, he immediately sent round under a careful hand by sea." It was one of countless acts of liberal frankness of the same kind by which the good missionary, whose other pressing and more sacred avocations alone provented him from taking very high rank indeed as a scholar, endcared linself to three generations of learned men and left a fragrant and a lasting memory in more than one field of science. Prinscp's pioneer labours over the Girnar inscription were followed up by a host of illustrious workers, one of the most illustrious
Ahol Shrutgyanam