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PILLAR EDICTS OF ASOKA.
247
literations of the Prakrit words into Sanskrit, to elicit a more satisfactory sense than that obtained through the older interpretations. Most philologists will have felt that the hitherto current explanations of chakhudáne-pi-me bahuvidhe dimne, kálanena-va-hakam má palibhasayisanti, nátiká-va-káni nijhapayisamti, etc., do not carry conviction, and could only be regarded as make-shifts which might be excused as long as nothing more plausible offered.
In the fifth edict I have left many names of animals unexplained. Every one of them will probably be traceable, if the medical Samhitás and Nighantus are thoroughly examined, of which for the moment only a small proportion is accessible to me. A special examination of the older Buddhist and Jaina literature, which I have begun, but been unable to complete, will probably furnish the means for the further explanation of some other words, which have still to be translated conjecturally or stand in need of further elucidation. In his contributions to the Academy of 1891, Dr. Morris has shown that something may still be done in this way, and some of my notes will show that the Jaina literature also furnishes contributions for the Aśoka inscriptions. Eventually, and, I believe, in a not very distant future, every word and form of these precious documents will admit of as certain an interpretation as those of the ordinary classical texts.
Dehli-Sivalik.
EDICT I. Dehli-Mirat.
Devânam-piye Piyadasi lajabevam-âhâ [:] saḍuvisati [1] vasa abhisitena-me iyam-dhammalipi likhâpita[:] [2] hidatapâlate dusampaṭipâdaye amnataagâyâ-dhammakâmatâyâ[3] agaya-palikhaya agaya-susûsâyâ agena-bhayena[4] agera-uskberd.] Esa-chu-kho-mama anusathiyâ[5] dhammapekha dhammakâmatâ. cha suve-suve-vadhitâ vaḍhîsaticheva-[6] Pulisâ-pi-cha-me ukasâchâ gevaya-cha majhimâ-châ anuvidhiyamti [7] sampaṭipâdayamti-chala-chapala-mapay itave [] hemevâ-amta [8] mahamåtå-pi [-] Esa-pi- vidhi yaiyam-dhammena - pâlanâ dhammena-vidhâne [9] dhammena- [1] vidhâne dha [m]m...... sukhiyana dhammena-gotî-ti [.] khi [ya]........[2] []
nam dhammena
Allahabad.
Devânam piye Piyadasi laja hevam âhâ [:] saḍuvîsativasâbhisitena me iyam dhammalipi likhâpitâ [:] hidatapâlate dusampațipâd(a) y (e) [1] amnata agâya dhammakamataya agâya palikhaya agaya susûsâyâ agena bhayena [age] na usâhena [.] Esa chu kho mama anusathiya [2] dhammâpek hâ dhammakâmatâ cha suve suve vaḍhitâ vadhisati chevâ[.] Pulisâ pi me ukasa cha gevayâ cha majhimâ cha anuvidhîyamti sampaṭipâdayamti cha [3] alam chapalamaamidapayitave[:]hemeva amtamabâmâtâ pi [.] Esâ hi vidhi ya iyam dhammena pâlanâ dhammena vidhâne dhammen [a] sukhiyana dhammena guti ti chus [4][-]
The sign, read here du, appears exactly in the same shape in the Sânchi inscriptions, e.g., in Pâdukulika, i.e., Pandukulika. With the form saduvisati compare duve, duvala, kudumala.
Possibly the stone may have hi instead of pi, which former appears to be the correct reading.
I give the words ti-chu on the strength of Dr. Fleet's note, Ind. Ant., vol. XIII, p. 310. The vowel sign of ti stands irregularly to the left of the consonant, just as in the Kalsi version of the Rock Ed. XIII, 2 1. 12, in the last syllables of anuvidhiyamti and anuvidhiyisamti.
