________________
124
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XIV.
ta in matara in the same line. I therefore read Dushajotona. So far as I can see, an instru mental is exactly what we would expect in this place.
The following word or words are certainly, as Professor Lüders thinks, Poshapuria putrana It follows however from the reading Dashafotena that this can only be a mistake for Poshapuria putrana. Professor Lüders thinks that putra here means "member of," " belonging to." The frequent mention of the father's name in similar records, however, in my opinion makes it more likely that Poshapuria is the genitive of the name of Dashafota's father. Now we know? that soveral Saka names ended in i, tbo regular termination of the nominative singular in the old Iranian language of Khotan, and these dames in Kharðshtbı inscriptions commonly form their genitive in ia or ya ; compare Aya sia on the Mathurā lion capital ; Imdafria in the Taxila inscription of Sam. 136; Datia in the Kaldara inscription of Sar. 113; Kavisia on the Mäņi. kiāla bronze casket and Karagulya in the Wardak vase inscription. I thorefore read Posha. puriaputt[e]na, "by the son of Poshapuri."
The last word of 1. 4 was read puya by Professor Lüders, and Mr. Gupte thinks he can see pupha or puka. The last akshara does cot look like a ya, because the left leg has been prolonged upwards. Still I think we must read puya, because this word is necessary in the context. I think I can see traces of a letter after ya, which would then come exactly underneath the de of khade, and I read puyae.
The first word of 1.5 is according to Mr. Gupte certainly atmanasa : the stroke on the right hand side of the first akshara visible in the plate is due to the roughness of the stone.
The fifth line is quite uncertain. The first word is perhaps jatishu, though none of the aksharas is certain. The next I read with Lüders hitae though the first akshara does not look liko hi, but might be i. Perhaps sthitae is intended. The third word bas been read ima by Professor Lüders and hima by Mr. Banerji. The first akshara consists of two curves facing the left and separated by a horizontal stroke. Underneath there is moreover an incomplete circle, which might represent an anusvåra ; compare (ma) ham(tasa) in the Patika inscription. The following akshara is certainly mo. In my Indo-Scythian contributions I proposed to read dhanmochala, which might mean "religious expenditure." The horizontal cross-bar is however so pronounced that I think we must read imo. Imo is used as the accusative sing. of ayam in the Mathura Lion Capital, and in the. Prakrits the base ima is also used in the neuter. The next two aksharas are chala. I am inclined to separate cha, “and," and la, which I take to be an abbreviation of lakha, a lakh. The following sign is the numeral 1, and thereafter I would read khipam[i] dhamada (na®]. The sign which I now agree with Messrs. Banerji and Lüders in reading khi I formerly thought to be the numeral 100, which had a similar form in a hand. copy of the Taxila record of Sam. 136 which I owe to the kindness of Sir John Marshall. After having seen the published facsimile plates of that record, however, I do not think this explanation possible. The pa of khipami can also be read ya, compare puya[e], 1. 4, and it wag read so by Professor Lüders. It is however almost identioal with the pa in saputrasa, 1. 8. The i of mi is very indistinct, though, I think that I can see it.
If this reading is correct, it will be necessary to translate khipami " I throw in,"" I expend"; compare the meaning of kship in nikshëpa. I would accordingly translate : " and I expend this (or, here) one lakh as a religious gift." We may compare the Panjtar record, where I would propose to read San 1 100 20 11 Sravanasa masasa di pradhame (or, prathams) 1 maharayasa Gushanasa rajami Kasuasa prachat deso] Moike Urumuja-putre karavide Sivathale tatra cha. (?) me dana mita (or perhaps khita) tanka 11," in the year 122, on the first day of the month Srāvana, during the reign of the Mabāraja, the Gushapa,
1 In my paper in the Sitzungsberichte, I have compared the Scythian name Spargaghotar, Thomas, JRAS., 1806, pp. 206 and 209.
*CE. Lüders, Siteungeberichte, 1918, pp 419 41., Konow, ibidow, 1916, p. 798.
