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AUGUST, 1877.)
MATHURÀ INSCRIPTIONS.
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make it not a general, but simply an architectural been the site of an extensive Buddhist monasand antiquarian museum, and I hope to be able tery: for in 1860, when the foundations of the to arrange in it, in chronological series, speci- new building were being laid, a number of large mens of all the different styles that have pre- statues, bases of pillars, rails, and other sculpvailed in the neighbourhood, from the reign of tures were unearthed. The greater part were the Indo-Skythian Kanishka, in the century im- sent to the Agra museum, and the others dismediately before Christ, down to the present persed in various quarters. The little stone of day, which (as before said) will be illustrated in which I am now writing had probably been perfection by the building itself.
thrown aside as of no value. It reads thus :It cannot be denied that it was high time ... shkasya rájya samvatsare 28, Hemant 3 (or for some such institution to be established : for 4) di ... in an ancient city like Mathura interesting relics which might be translated “On the... day of the past, even when no definite search is being of the third (or fourth) winter month in the made for them, are constantly cropping up; and, 28th year of the reign of." unless there is some easily accessible place to The king commemorated was probably Kawhich they can be consigned for custody, they nishka; for the end of the tail of the is just run an imminent risk of being no sooner found visible, and other inscriptions of his were found than destroyed, Inscriptions in particular, de- on the same spot. If, however, for rdjya be read spite their exceptional value in the eyes of the rájye, it would be necessary to translate" in the antiquary, are more likely to perish than any 28th year (of some unspecified era) in the reign thing else, since they have no beauty to recom- of.” And this is perhaps preferable, for although mend them to the ordinary observer. Thus a a reign may well have lasted twenty-eight years, pillar, the whole surface of which is said to have -the number here given,-in other parallel been covered with writing, was found in 1860, inscriptions the figures run too high to be so in making a road on the site of the old city wall. interpreted. There was no one on the spot at the time who No. 2 is from the base of a large seated could read it, and the thrifty engineer, thinking figure of Buddha, in red sandstone, of which such a fine large block of stone ought not to be only the crossed legs remain. This I dug u wasted, had it neatly squared and made into a in one of what are called the Chaubâra mounds, buttress for a bridge. A base of a pillar, No. 3 near the Sonkh road, at the junction of the in the present series, was dug up about the same boundaries of the township of Mathurâ and the time, and, after being plastered and whitewashed villages of Båkirpur and Giridharpur. Both was imbedded by the Collector in a gatepost he these settlements are of comparatively recent was then building in front of the Tahsili. There date, and the site seems to have been the very I re-discovered it only two years ago, when the centre of the old Buddhist city. The left hand gateway was pulled down to improve the ap- of the figure had rested on the left thigh, the proach to the museum. Similarly No. 11 had right being probably raised in an attitude of been set up by a subordinate in the Public Works admonition. Another mutilated figure of similar Department to protect a culvert on the high- | character, but without inscription, was found road through cantonments. I have therefore on the same spot, and I mention the fact since thought it better to provide at once for some these are the only specimens I have with the record of the present series, without waiting | hands in this position; in all the others they for an opportunity—that might never occur- are crossed over the feet. The inscription begins to decipher them more completely ; since a Maharajasya Deva putrasya Huvishlasya sau, civilian's stay in a district is always a matter 33 gri. 1 di. 8 bhikshusya .. hasya .. takasya of much uncertainty, and if I were transferred ..... Buddhasya. before the museum was ready for their recep- The remainder is more or less uncertain. tion they would probably soon be lost sight of General Cunningham took the word ending in altogether.
takasya to be Tripitakasya. If really so, the No. 1 is from a small fragment of stone re- inscription would be specially valuable as procently found in the compound of the Magis- bably fixing the site of the stúpus of the Abhitrate's court-house. This would seem to have dharma, the Satra, and the Vinaya (collectively
