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96
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
(VOL. VIII.
TEXT. 1 Sidhar Sakaśa Dâmachikasa (1) 2 leghakas Vudhikasa podhi (2).
REMARKS. (1) G. Dama . – (2). G, pögth, As. podkj.
TRANSLATION. “Srocess! A cistern, (the gift) of the Saka Dâmachika, the writer Vudhika."
No. 9.-DHAR PRASASTI OF ARJUNAVARMAN :
PARIJATAMANJARI-NATIKA BY MADANA.
BY PROFESSOR E. HULTZSCE, PA.D.; HALLE (SAALE). This inscription was discovered recently at Dhør (west of Mhow), the ancient capital of the Paramâra kings of Malava and the present chief town of a State in Central India. The news of the discovery reached me through Mr. K. K. Lele, Superintendent of Education, Dhår, who was good enough to send me a copy of his well written Summary of the dramatio inscription found at the Bhoja Shala (Kamal Maula Mosque), Dhar, O. I., in November 1903.' According to Mr. Lele," the slab of black stone (5 feet 8 inches by 5 feet) upon which this interesting Sanskrit inscription is engraved, was attached to the northern wall of the principal mihrdb in the mosque, with the writing turned inside." -"The slab was taken out in November 1903, and is kept framed at the mosque." Oo receipt of Mr. Lele's 'Summary,' I requested Mr. Marshall to send me mechanical copies of the inscription. In compliance with this request, Mr. Marshall kindly instructed Dr. Vogel to forward me an inked estampage. Subsequently Mr. Cousens sent me two excellent inked estampages, one of which is reproduced on the three accompanying Plates.
The insoription consists of 82 lines. On the whole it is well preserved; but the end of lines 70-80, the first few letters of 11. 63-68, and the first letter of some other lines are broken away.
The alphabet is an early variety of Nagari and exhibits several peculiarities. In the old Brahmi alphabet the initial i consisted of three points. In the subjoined inscription the two apper points are represented by circles, and the lowermost one by a symbol which consists of & vertical line and of a flourish (see e.g. iva in l. 2); but in five instances (kahai, 1. 56, indranila, 1. 62, mandabháinin, 1. 64, si, 1. 66, and mandabháinie, 1. 80) there are two distinot flourishes instead of one, and in a single case (itthíu, I. 22) one of the two oiroles is omitted. Tho initial i occurs once in vanassainan, 1. 40). The initial whas two different shapes: The loop attached to it is turned either downwards or upwards; both forme may be seen together, e.g. in 1. 22, where chaütthie shows the second and itthíu the first form. The initial ooours foar times in riu, 1. 19, namiona, 1. 81, nihariúna, 1. 85, and kalauda, 1. 51), and the initial ri three
1 The stone seems to have suffered additional damage since the first estampage had been prepared. The first letter of some lines is still partially visible in the latter, while it is missing in the two fresh estampage.
As the three photographs overlap one another, line 28 appears both at the bottom of Plate L and at the top of Plate II, and likewise 1. 54 both on Plates II, and III. Through the carelessness of the Hallo printer (not of Gebr. Plettner, who prepared only the collotypes), the figures on the left of the second and tbird Plates have been placed near the top of the corresponding lines, while they ought to stand opposite the centre of overy sooond line.
