Epigraphia Indica Vol 20

Author(s): Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 34

No. 1.)
PRAKRIT INSCRIPTIONS FROM NAGARJUNIKONDA.
23
TRANSLATION. Success! Adoration to the Lord Buddha, born of a race (which is) sprung from hundreds of sages and excellent kings of Ikhāku's lineage; who has shown the road to welfare and happiness to gods and men and all beings, who has conquered and put down the pride and arrogance of Māra's hosts called lust, anger, fear, desire, thirst, delusion, and hatred; who, great of power, is possessed of the ten powers, who has set in motion the Wheel-of-the-Law (pertainirg to) the Eight-fold Path, whose graceful and well-formed feet (are marked with) the sign of the Wheel, whose splendour is that of the newly risen sun, whose sight is lovely as that of the autumnal moon, and who is magnified by the thoughts of all the world. In the fourteenth-14th-(year) of King Mathariputa, in the sixth-5th-fortnight of winter, on the thirteenth-13th-day. For the benefit of the.....masters and of the fraternities (of monks) of Tambapampa (Ceylon) who have converted Kashmit, Gandhāra, China, Chilata (=Skt. Kiráta), Tosali, Avaranta (=Skt. Aparanta), Vanga, Vanavāsi, Yavana(?), Damila (?), Palura (?) and the Isle of Tambapa mọi (Ceylon). At Siripavata (=Skt. Sriparvata) on the east side of Vijayapuri at the Convent on the Lesser Dhammagiri a chaitya-ha!l with a flooring of slabs, with a chaitya and provided with all the Recessaries, was caused to be made by the female lay-member Bodhisiri (Skt. Bödhisri) for the sake of her own husband Budhimnaka, and of his father, the householder Revata residing at Govagūma and of his mother Budharnikā and of his brothers Chandamukhana, Karumbudhina (and) Haghamna and of (his) sister Revatimnikā and of (his) brother's sons Mahā-Chamdæmukha (=Skt. Maha-Chandramukha) and Chula-Chamdamukha (=Skt. Kshudra-Chandramukha) and of (his) sister's sons Maha-Müla and Chula-Müla, and for the sake) of her own grandfather Mülavāniya and of her grandmother Budhavānikinā and of her maternal uncle(s) (?), the treasurer Bhada (=Skt. Bhadra), Bodhisaṁma (=Skt. Bödhisarman), Chamda (=Skt. Chandra) (and) Bodhika, and of her maternal grandmother.......... Bodhi and of her own father Budhivāniya and of her mother (?)...., of her brother Müla, of her sisters Budhaminikā, Mülamnikā, and Nägabodhinikä, of her daughter Virannikā, of her sons Nägamna and Virarana and of her daughters-in-law Bhadasiri (Skt. Bhadrabri) and Misi (Skt. Miéri). And even thuswise a chaitya-hall at the Kulaha-vihāra, a shrine for the Bodhi-tree at the Sihala-vihāra one-1-coll at the Great Dhammagiri, a mandava-pillar at the Mahāvihāra, a hall for religious practice at the Devagiri, a tank, verandahand mandava at Puvasela (=Skt. Pārvasaila), a stone mandava at the eastern gate of the Great Chaitya at Kanta kasela (=Skt. Kanta ka saila), three-3-cells at Hirumuthuva, seven--7-cells at Papilā, & stone mandava at Puphagiri (-Skt. Pushpagiri), .............. a stone mandava at the......vihāra. And all this above described has been dedicated for the endless welfare and happiness of the assembly of saints and for that of the whole world. This work was caused to be made by the three superintendents of works, the thera Chamdamukha, and the thera Dharmanandi and the thera Näga. (It is) the work of the stone mason Vidhika.
Detached Pillar inscription G.
TRANSCRIPT. (1.1) [Si]dham namo bhagavato teloka-dhamma-dhurā-vahaga mahārājo[8 Virū-) (1.2) [p]khapati-Mahāsena-parigahitasa Agihot-Agithoma [Vājape-1 (1. 3) y-Asamedha-y
1 Kothakarika - Skt. köshthagarika.
. If alanda is the correct reading, it may perhaps be taken for another form of Pali alinda & Verandah a terraco".
• The vowel-mark of the fourth ahehara has the appearance of an o-stroke. but this I believe is dae to an error not unfrequent in these inscriptions.
• The first balf of the inscription has been restored with the aid of the corresponding passage in oblier iaEcriptions