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No. 13.)
INSCRIPTIONS IN UDAYAGIRI AND KHANDAGIRI CAVES.
159
No. 13.-INSCRIPTIONS IN THE UDAYAGIRI AND KHANDAGIRI CAVES.
BY R. D. BANERJI, M.A. The inscriptions in the caves on the Khandagiri were published for the first time by James Prinsep in 1837. The late Rājā Rājēndra Lāla Mitra copied Priusep's transcripts and translations in his great work on the antiquarian remains of Orissa. But mechanical estampages of these inscriptions have not been published as set. The late Pandit Bhagwan Lal Indraji published his own reading of the big Hāthigumphā inscription and three of the smaller inscriptions in 1885. Dr. Fleot's recent suggestions about the interpretation of certain passages of this inscription (the Hathigam phā inscription of Khāra vēla) have made the publica. tion of a mechanical inked impression absolutely necessary. I had the opportunity of examin. ing the inscriptions in November 1913 and the inked impressions reproduced in the accompany. ing plates were made by Babu Hari Das Datta, Draftsman of the Archeological Survey, Eastern Circle. I made no attempt to copy the inscription of Khāravēla, as the time at my disposal was limited, and the record was a big one.
I.--Inscription in the Menchapuri Cave-Upper Story. This cave is called Vaikuntha gubha by Prinsep and Vaikunthapura by Mitra. It is in reality the upper story of a cave with two stories and a side-wing, but the local people very often give different names to differont parts. It was known as svargapura some time ago. In the plan printed with the Puri volume of the Bengal District Gazetteer, the whole group is called Mafichapuri. I have found that the local namos of these caves vary with each genera. tion. As one name is forgotten a new one is immediately invented.
The record is incised on the raised space between the second and third doorways in front. This raised space represents a house or veranda, with a pointed roof, and spires supported by quaint little dwarfs, who act as brackets. It consists of three lines which have suffered much from exposure. The characters of this and the two following insoriptions are slightly later than those of the Häthigumpba inscription of Khāra vēla.
TEXT. 1 Araharta pasādāya[m](1) Kalinga[na] [sama] nāna lopar kāritar rājind
L[a]lāka[sa](2) 2 Hathisāhasa (3)-papūtasa dhu(tu]nā Kalimga-cha[kavatino (4) siri-Khā]ravēlasa 3 agamahisi[u]ā kāri(tan]
NOTES. (1) The eighth letter in the first line was taken by Bhagwan Lal Indraji to be na and this assumption led to the trauslation, "of the Arahata profession"; which is rather strained. It, however, appears to be ya. There is a short vertical stroke attached to the right end of the horizontal base line of the letter and there are indications of a similar vertical stroke at the left end. It cannot be na as the forms of other known cases are normal and quite different from that of this one. Take for example the form of na as we find it in samanānam in the sanie line or dhutund in tho second line.
(2) The last word in the first line appears to be Lālākasa and not Lalakasa; in fact tho & mark is more prominent in the second syllable than in the first. The last letter of the
Journ. Beng. As. Soc., Vol. VI, pp. 1072 ff.
Antiquities of Orissa, Vol. II, pp. 14-31. • Actas 6. Congres Or. à Leide, Part 111, Sect. II, pp. 162 1. Jones. Roy. 41. Soc., 1910, pp. 242 #., 824 4.
Seo Professor Lüders' List of Brahmi Insoriptions above, Vol. X, Appendix, No. 1346.
