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268
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1880.
With regard to the writing it may be noticed Hirad-farukhổ with Dâd-farukh ; "1 BÅhramthat it differs but little from that of the oldest Gushnasp with MAh-Gôshồsp (Gashnasp)" and MSS. extant, which were written three cen- Mihrâm-Gushnasp;" and Atür-mAhân and Nûkturies later. The chief differences are that the måhân with Barz-máhân.88 letter & is more like the letter & than in the In the translations of these inscriptions the MSS., differing merely in being a deeper letter, dates corresponding to those inscribed have and that in compounds of a and m, or sh and m, been calculated on the assumption that these the upper stem of the m has almost disappeared, Parsi visitors used the calendar of the Indian and the first letter is set close down upon the Parsis. This is, of course, not quite certain; second.
but if they used the calendar of the Persian With reference to the men's names we find they Parsis, which makes the dates one month were very much of the same character as those earlier in the year, they must have arrived at borne by the old commentators on the Avesta, i the caves in September, when the jungle is most and others mentioned in the Bundahish and impenetrable, whereas in October the paths are elsewhere, who lived between the sixth and usually open, and the caves are easy of access ninth centuries. Thus, the names M A h-a yar from that month till the following August, and Z a d-sparham occur as names of the ninth when the jungle again becomes difficult to century in Bandahish xxxiii, 7, 11;" Mitro- traverse for two months. ay år occurs in the Vijirkard-i Dinil as the It is possible that the first two inscriptions supposed name of a former husband of one of refer to two separate visits to the caves by the Zaratůsht's wives; A dharmazd is a man's same party, but, considering the distance these name still in common use in a corrupted form; people probably came, it is more likely that Yazd-pani h or Y a z ê d-pa na ho occurs in they refer to two different periods of the same a Syriac MS. of the twelfth or thirteenth visit. What induced these Parsis to reside at century, containing the Acts of certain Persian the cares for more than six weeks it is difficult martyrs; and Professor Hoffmann, in his Ger- to guess. If, however, I have correctly interman translation of these Acts, also quotes preted the last line of the second inscription the names Mihr-bundad and Mah-bundâd.as as implying that one of the party died at the Again, Mardan-shad may be compared with caves, it is just possible that he may have been Mardin-vêh and Váhram-shad;" Panjbûkht brought there for the benefit of his health. The and Padar-bukht with Mâh-bûkht and Vae. water in the cave tanks is still esteemed by the bûkht;" Bajúrg-âtûr with Bajúrg-Mihir, the natives for its curative effects, and twenty-seven prime minister of Khüsrô Nôshirvån; Mitra- years ago I found an invalid Hindu at the vindad, Mitra bandad, Avân-bandad, and MAh- caves, who had been brought there during the bandad with Afrðbag-vindad; MAh-Fröbag with rainy season for the benefit of drinking the Âtar: Fróbág ;90 Jåvidan-bûd with Mard-bûd ;1 water.
REPORT ON THE ANCIENT INSCRIPTIONS IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE AND IN THE DISTRICTS OF MATALE AND
TRINKOMALI, CEYLON
BY DR. E. MÜLLER.
(Continued from p. 14.)" During a second trip to the North-Western of the Christian era. I give here the transcripts Province, and to the districts of Matale and of those which are well enough preserved to Trinkomali, I corrected the copies of the allow of a translation -- inscriptions discovered previously, and found
(1) Kaika wa, four miles from Balalla on several new ones belonging to the first centuries the road to Yapahu : 15 See Sacred Books of the East, vol. V, p. 147...
* See Sacred Books of the East, vol. V, p. 147. 96 See p. 22 of Dastur Peshotanji Behramji's edition of 30 Ibid. p. 194. the text.
31 Ibid. p. 244. 31 See Hoffmann's Auszüge aus syrischen Akten per- * See Hoffmann's Auszüge, &c. pp. 94-98. sischer Märtyrer ; Leipzig, 1880; pp. 87-91.
33 Ibid, noto 601. 18 Ibid. p. 297.
See also ante, vol. VIII, p. 221.
