________________
174
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
A GRANT OF KING GUHASENA OF VALABHI. BY J. G. BÜHLER, PH.D.
The subjoined transcript and translation of the second half of a Sasana issued by king Guhasena have been prepared according to a copper-plate presented by the Kârbhârî of Wallå to Lieut. F. B. Peile, of H. M. 26th Regt. N. I., and lent to me by the owner. The plate apparently forms part of the finds made during the last cold weather, when, according to information received, eleven pieces were dug up. Its size was originally twelve inches by nine; but it has been badly injured on two sides. Fortunately the missing pieces contained little more than the well-known honorific epithets of the grantor. Only in line 8 an important word, which described the position of the convent of Dudda, has been lost.
The letters of this grant are smaller than those of the Sasana of Dhruvasena I, but larger than those in the inscriptions of Dharasena II and the later kings. The form of the letters d, r, k, and of the attached u, which in Dhruvasena's plate is angular, has become rounded. The tail of the l, in several cases, passes over and nearly envelopes the whole letter. Still there is a great difference between the characters of this plate and those belonging to the times of the later kings, where the form of the writing greatly resembles current hand.*
Imperfect as this grant is, it has nevertheless a great interest. For, firstly, it fixes approximately the date of one of the earlier kings of the Valabhi dynasty. Secondly, it gives an important contribution towards the history of Buddhism in Valabhi. We find that the convent founded by Duddâ, the sister's daughter of Dhruvasena I, continued to flourish and to enjoy the protection of the rulers. The mention of the eighteen Buddhist schools which were re
presented in Duddä's convent is also of importance, because it confirms a statement made by Hiwen Thsang. The latter says (Mémoires,
The plate has been photographed, and copies will be sent to the learned societies interested in Oriental ques
tions.
+ Wassilief, Der Buddhismus, p. 64. I will mention here that another statement of Hiwen Theang's (II. 164), viz. that near the town there was a convent built by O-tche-lo, is confirmed by my grant of Dharasena II. The Sanskrit name of the founder is, however, not Achara, but Atharya.
[JUNE, 1875.
II. 162) that in the hundred convents of Valabhi the Hinayana was chiefly studied. Now the eighteen schools of our grant can only refer to the Hînayâna, because this division of Buddhism is known to have been cultivated in that number of Nikayas.+
A third point which deserves attention is the statement that this grant was written by Skandabhata, the minister of peace and war. This same person executed also the grants of Guhasena's son Dharasena II, and of his fourth descendant Dharasen IV. The grants of Dharasena I are dated, which Professor Bhandarkar has rightly interpreted to mean 272, and which I read 277;§ and that of Dharasena IV
5, read by Professor Bhandarkar as 326. Now this gives Skandabhața a tenure of office lasting fifty-four years. Our new grant shows that he held office under Guhasen also. If the second sign in the date of our grant is taken with Professor Bhandarkar for 50, the grant is dated in 256: consequently Skandabhata must have been at least seventy years in office. It seems very improbable that a man should last so long; I prefer, therefore, to take the V for 60. The fact is that we know nothing for certain regarding the signs for 50 and 60, and the one unknown sign which occurs on the Valabhi plates may stand, for all we know, for either. The above-mentioned facts regarding Skandabhata appear, however, to make it more probable that it must be read as 60.
Transcript.
[समदपर गजघटास्फोटनप्रकाशितस] त्वनिकषः [न] प्रभावप्रणताराति चूडारत्रप्रभा [संसक्तपादनखरश्मि ] -- [संहतिः सकल] स्मृति प्रणीतमार्गसम्यक्परिपालन प्रजा [रञ्जनादन्दमैराजशब्दरूप) २
[ कान्तिस्थैर्थ्यगाम्भीर्य्यं ] बुद्धिसंपद्भिः स्मरशशाङ्काद्रिराजोदभित्रिदशगुरुधनेशान [तिशयानः शरणा-]-३
Jour. B. Br. R. As. Soc. X., 69 et seqq.
§ This date is taken from my unpublished grant, and I give it here merely in order to show that Professor Bhandarkar's interpretation of the sign for the decade is correct. For the sign which occurs on my plate resembles closely the sign for 70 in the Junagadh inscription of Rudradâman.
Loc. cit. p. 71.
