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266
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA,
[VOL. XI.
MARAVARMAN VIRA-PANDY ADEVA.
117.-In the Vyāghrapādēsvara temple at siddhalingamadam.1 1 Svasti eri [ll] Ko m arapanmar Ntribhuvanachchakkaravattigal srl. Vira
Pandiyadóvarku yandı 15vadu Dhanusu-nayaxru [a]para2 pakshattu ash[ta] m[i]yum Sani-kkilamaiyum perra Attattu nä!.
"In the 15th year (of the reign of king Māravarman, the emperor of the three worlds, the glorious Vira-Pandyadēva, on the day of Hasta, which corresponded to a Saturday and to the eighth tithi of the second fortnight of the month of Dhanus."
The date is incorrect for the reign of the only Māravarman Vira-Pandya ag yet known to history, whose 15th year began between 13th March and 28th July, A.D. 1457. In that year the 12th Dhanus corresponded to Friday, December 9th, A.D. 1457, on which day the 8th tithi of the second fortnight was current at mean sunrise. But the week-day was not Saturday, and the given tithi could not be connected with Saturday; while though the nakshatra at mean sunrise was Hasta by the Brahma-siddhanta having began 2h. 26m. earlier, it was UttaraPhalguni by the equal-space system and that of Garga.
In the previous year the given tithi was current at sunrise on a Monday.
The date, however, is perfectly regular for the 15th year of Jatavarman Vira-Pandys which year began between the 11th November A.D. 1266 and the 18th July 1267. In that 15th regnal year the 14th day of Dhanus corresponded to Saturday, December 10th A.D. 1267, and at mean sunrise on that day the 8th tithi of the second fortnight was current, having began 5h. 40m. before mean sunrise. At that sunrise the nakshatra Hasta was current by all systems.
I think, therefore, that the date is correct, but that the record belongs to the reign of Jatavarman Vira, and not of Maravarman Vira-Pandyadēva. A study of the palæography of the record will settle this question, since of course the inscription may belong to the reign of a later sovereign, bearing the name as given, who is not yet known to as historically,
If my identification is considered satisfactory the commencement of the reign of Jaţăvarman Vira-Pandya is fixed as having taken place between December 11th, A.D. 1252, and July 13th, 1253.
No. 25.-THE TIBETAN ALPHABET.
BY A. H. FRANCEE.
Tibetan accounts of its origin. AB regards Tibetan historiography in general, there are two distinct schools of it, via. the Central Tibetan and the West Tibetan school. Thus, the records referring to the introduction of the Tibetan alphabet vary to a certain degree, according to the schools of writers.
Central Tibetan records.-The Petersburg Gyal rabs gsalbai melong, Sarat Oh. Das' The Tibeto-Mongolian dictionary, Togbarlowa and the Bodhimör. They all agree on the following pointe : king Sron btsan agampo (c. 600-650 A.D.) sent his minister Thonmi to Hindus tan, Southern Hindustan or Magadha, to learn reading and writing. He received instruction from a certain Li byin (the Lijin of the Mongols) in reading and writing, and formed the Tibetan alphabet after the Lantsha and Vartula characters, Tibetan dBu chan after Lañtsha, and Tibetan dBu med after Vartula. He brought the Tibetan alphabet up to 30 characters,
1 No. 395 of the Madras Epigraphical collection for 1909.
Read Tribhueang.. • Since the above was in print I am assured that the title Maracarman is quite clear in the original.
