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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1877.
mentions one of those numerous kings called Siri sañg bo as the father of the reigning king (about the 11th century). IV.-Inscriptions at Polonnaruwa, Mineri,
Dambulla. On the band of the famous tank of Mineri (Pali Maņihira; Inscr. Minihiriya) there is an inscription of the 10th or 11th century on two sides of a large stone pillar, which contains a grant of privileges to the place; unfortunately about fortyfour lines on both sides are completely effaced, and nine only left. Close to this pillar there are some ancient statues of Hindu deities which impress the native mind with so much awe that no inhabitant of the village can be prevailed upon to approach the spot.
Polonnaruwa (Pulastinagara), the capital of Ceylon after the decline of Anuradhapura, contains, as might be expected, for the most part inscriptions of a comparatively modern date. Near Galvih & ra, constructed by Paråkramabâhu the Great, I found a few huge letters cut in the rock, the remnants of an inscription of considerable length, which, belonging to the earlier centuries of our era, owes its destruction to the mysterious charm attributed by the natives to the ancient Nagara characters: it had been, as I was told, defaced this very year by the barbarous inhabitants of Tôpawawa.
The two inscriptions coming nearest in age to the one just mentioned are to be attributed to the 9th or 10th century. The one is engraved on the four sides of a pillar close to the site of Nissasika Malla's Audience Hall, on the spot whence that king's lion-seat was taken to Colorabo. The name of a king Agrabodhi is legible, but a great portion of it is effaced. Another pillar I had dug out of the ground not far from Jeta vandramo. The inscription is very well preserved, and refers to a privilege granted by a king [... ... Sala]mewan to a village Galutisa, which belonged to a high officer of state called Wadurag. The king, I suspect, is Sena Sila megho (838-858), and Wadurag, his minister Vajiro, who is mentioned Maháo. 1. 83. The natives say that the pillars near the place where the inscription was found formed part of the ancient Lowa mehapaya, 'the great brazen palace' (evidently built in imitation of the one at Anuradhapura). The place itself is now called Birigê vimanaya, the palace of the deaf woman,' and some story is told about the origin of this name. I consider it far from impossible that birt is only corrupted from Vajiro: the recollection of the owner of the spot having been lost, the natives were as usual ready to invent an etymological story of their own.
Thetwokings whose reigns have left most marked traces in the extensive ruins of Polonnaruwa are Paråkram a båhu the Great and one of his next successors, Nissanka Malla. Yet of the former we find only one inscription, though a very long one; while the latter, who could not feel so confident as his famous predecessor, of his memory not becoming lost to posterity, has laid down all the events of his life in numerous inscriptions, some of them of stupendous length. Paråkramabahu's inscription is engraven on the wall of Galvib & ra, which he had founded. Unfortunately this is not an historical inscription, but a religious one, which contains the rules given for the priesthood of the vihdra. It is tolerably well preserved, and belongs to the earlier part of Paråkramabahu's reign, being dated A. B. 1708-i.e. 1165 A.D. The first six of fifty-one lines run thus :
Apa Budun kalpaśatasahasradhika chatu(?) rasa[mn]khyaparimitakalayan (yen) såma (sama) tisa param (párami) purâ Mârasa [ñ]gramabhůmi wa mahabodhi pa[r]yyamkâradha wa (wa) durvvâra sa pa
Privâra Mara parajaya kota sarvvajñâpada pråpta wa pansalis-hawuruddak dawas chaturthi (?) pak mabâ meghayak seyin wædæ sitæ ane
Skakalpakotibatasahasrayehi kelasasanin da se() wemin siti satya (sakya?) yan dharmmamr. tavarshâyen niwamin sakala Buddha-krtya nimawa Kusinara nuwaræ abiyes hi Ma
"lla râjayange sâlabandeka (?).. yehi (sálavanodya[nayehi) nirupadhisesha nirvvâna dhâtuwen diwi niwi sår a-si y a-s up an eshawuruddak giya kale Walagam Abha. maharaja dawase patan ek w -d a h a s-su
pa næs-ha wuruddak bhinna-nikaya we sasanaya piriwemin siți kalhi Mabasammatadi pararamparnyata sûryyavasodbh utarajadhiraja naikadigabhivyâptayasomarichin (marichin) vj. rajami
na Sri Samgha bodhi Parâ krama bahu maharajânan sakala Lamkâtelehi eka. rajyabhishekayen abhishikta wa vijīmbhita. punyarddhi æti wa rajyasukhanubhava kotse wadanuwan.
Literal translation "1254 years from the time of king Walagam Abhá (Várttagramant), when 454 years had elapsed since Our Buddha, having in a time limited by (extending over) four asamkhyas 100,000 kalpas fulfilled all the thirty perfections, and having, on the Mara battle-ground, mounted on the divan of (i.e. sitting cross-legged in) thorough enlightenment, conqueree the irresistible Mâra together with his retinae, at
