________________
216
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XI.
and appropriate meaning. Nor can the word be read as bhrada ba, treating ba as-Skt. va or eva, because (1) Skt. v when single is not changed to b here, and (2) neither word would suit the context but only cha. Bhradaba is therefore one word and bhratabba (by rules 1 and 3), which Skt. bhratṛivya, "nephew ;" and the whole phrase Skt. mad-bhrätṛivya-HashṭunaMarēgasya.
Socha has been discussed above (p. 208).
Bhuya Skt. bhūyat, the final t being dropped in Prakrit.3 This word is well chosen bere to convey a less positive meaning than bhavatu. Where the declarant expresses his desire on behalf of other persons he uses the imperative tense, but here in uttering his desire on his own behalf he modestly uses the precative.
Natigra nattika (by rules 1 and 4)=Skt. naptri+ ka.
Sambhatigra sambhattika (by rules 1 and 4)=Skt. sambhaktri+ka, "sharer, favourer" here no doubt" partisan, associate."
Mahisa mahisa, Skt. mahi+isa. It occurs again in 1. 3 B, and, as the persons named are inferior to the Emperor Huvishka, it evidently means a local Raja. There were apparently two Rajas in this part of the country, Vagra Marega and Rohana.
Padiyamsam. This word occurs again in 1. 3 C. It has been fully discussed above (pp. 204 f., 209, 215), where the similar expressions found elsewhere have been mentioned, agrēbhāva pratyamsatāyāstu, agra-pratyaśataye bhavatu, and bhatara Svarabudhisa agrapatiasae. It patiyamsam, (by rule 1) Skt. pratyamsa "division, share," as M. Senart and Prof. Lüders have pointed out. I would translate agra-bhaga-padiyamsam as a "share in a preeminent lot." It is to be noticed that this phrase is used only with reference to the two local Rājas, Vagra Marega here and Rohana in 1. 3 B, whereas full agra-bhaga is applied to Huvishka and Mityaga.
Line 3.
Aroga may-Skt. a-roga, or stand for ärōgga (by rule 3) and Skt. arogya. The meaning is the same, and the latter is probably preferable because arogya dakshinaye is said to occur on an inscription at Mathura.8
Aviya-nabagra.-Aviya is no doubt a mistake for ariya, for the v is as large as the usual size of r and only the small stroke at the top of r is wanting. These words then=ariya
1 Dr. Thomas however thinks that there must be a mistake, and that the word intended is bhradara, genit. sing. of bhrada, that is bhrātā, brother'; è being wrongly written for r as in rajatibaja.
2 Dr. Thomas suspects that it is really an error for so cha and tat cha. Tat appears as tam in Prakrit (Pischel's Prakrit Grammar, §425).
Pischel's Prakrit Grammar, §§ 459, 464.
This word might also be read as mahiya, because and y are often made alike here (see p. 203), and Dr. Thomas would read it so and take it as = mahyam or mama, referring to the donor; but if so, the two passages seem tautological as regards the donor.
5 Bühler read this as satāyās tu, and translated it "(their) share being a preferential one" (E. I., i, 241); but Prof. Lüders takes it as 'fataya astu, and I agree with him. I would translate it thus, "may it tend to the condition of (their obtaining) a share of a pre-eminent existence."
Which Bübler translated as, "may (the merit of this gift) be by preference for their parents" (E. I., i, 390) but I would suggest that agra is short for and the full phrase agrēbhava or agrabhaga, for agra is a noun and means the "foremost or topmost point"; and that the translation should be, " may it tend to their parents' having the condition of (obtaining) a share in a pre-eminent position."
Which Prof. Lüders translates "for the principal share of (my) brother Evarabuddhi"; but I would suggest it means, "(let it tend) to my brother Svarabuddhi's (having a) share in a pre-eminent position."
Referred to in I. A., vol. 83 (1904), p. 155.
⚫ I have to thank Dr. Thomas for this suggestion. He thinks further that nabagra may be a mistake for saragra and näraka, "beings in hell;" 6 being wrongly written for r as in rajatibaja.
