Indian Antiquary Vol 18

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 12

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
10 chaghamti âlâdhayitavê [.] atha hi pajam viyatâyê dhâtiyê nisijitu 11 asvathê hôti viyatadhâti chaghati mê pajam sukham palihatavê 12 hêvam mamâ lajûkâ kațâ janapadasa hitasukhâyê [.] yêna êtê abhîtâ 13 asvatha samtam? avimana kammâni pavatayêvûti êtêna mê lajêkanam 14 abhihâle va damḍê vâ atapatiyê katê [] ichhitaviyê hi êsá kimtis 15 viyôhâlasamata cha siya damdasamata châu [] ava itê pi cha mê âvnti 16 bamdhanabadhanam munisânam tilitaramḍânam 10 patavadhanam timni divasani mê 17 yôtê dimnê nâtikâvakani nijhapayisamti jîvitâyê tânam []
18 nâsamtai và nijhapayitâ dânam dâhamti pâlatikam upavasam va kachhamti [ 19 ichha hi mê hêvam niludhasi pi kâlasil pâlatam âlâdhayêvûti janasa cha 20 vadhati1 vividhê dhammachalanê samyamê dânasavibhâgê ti [-]
NOTES.
[JANUARY, 1889.
1. If there is no doubt as to the meaning there is at least some regarding the original form of the word which is here written áyatá. Dr. Kern corrects to áyutá, Sanskrit ayuktáḥ) both the form and meaning of which are satisfactory. It is nevertheless remarkable that lower down (D. viii, 1), in an expression exactly agreeing with that of the present sentence, we again find the same reading, ayatá, in which here all the versions are unanimous. It is the same in the third passage in which the word appears (Dhauli, 1st detached Edict, 1. 4). On the other hand, when we have certainly before us the substantive ayukti (Dh., detached Edict I. 11; II. 8; and also in line 15 of the present edict) the u, so far from being omitted, has acted on the y which precedes it, and has changed it into v,-ávuti. I doubt, however, whether we should go back to the analysis proposed by Lassen and adopted by Burnouf (áyattáḥ). Even if we call in the aid of the analogy of samayatta, the meaning does not exactly suit. I only see in the orthography here used the trace of some confusion which may have arisen in popular usage between the two participles, in themselves quite distinct, áyutta, and ayatta.
Lajúka is the ordinary spelling, beside which we have also lájuka with the á lengthened in compensation. This confirms the opinion of Dr. Jacobi (Kalpasútra, p. 113, and Gloss., s. v. that the etymological form is rajjúka. He justly compares the word rajjú of the Jaina text which is explained as equivalent to lékhaka, 'scribe.' I shall elsewhere deal with these officers, Suffice it to say, at present, that they appear to me to have been men specially invested with a religious character and constituted into colleges of some kind of sacerdotal description.
2. The meaning of abhihála is not defined exactly by the ordinary use of the word. The meaning offering,' which is that commonly met with in Pâli, does not suit the present passage, 'Confiscation,' adopted by Burnouf, and doubtless derived by him from the signification of 'taking,' theft,' attested by classical Sanskrit, is very arbitrary. Further on (1. 14-15) we shall see a direct parallelism between abhihála and damda on the one side, and viyóhálasamatá and damḍasamata on the other. It follows that here abhihála should have a value very nearly akin to that of viyóhála. Vyavahára points to a judicial action. I think, therefore, that we cannot do better than agree with Dr. Kern in deducing, for abhihára, after the analogy of abhiyóga, the meaning of 'pursuit,' 'prosecution' in general, derived from the signification attack, of which evidence exists.
Similarly, with regard to atapatiye, I agree with Dr. Kern in analyzing it as átma-pati, but I am compelled, by the general sense of the edict to give an altogether different meaning to the word. The sentence is repeated a little lower down, and we cannot separate the explanations of the two passages. In both instances we see that the measures taken by the king have for their end the giving to the rajjúkas a feeling of complete security, and the enabling them to attend without fear to the duties of their mission. But the second passage specifies another aim also of the king. The measures taken have their origin in a desire of securing 'uniformity (or equality) in the prosecutions, and uniformity in the punishments.' How could the king secure such a result while abandoning to his officials the arbitrary and uncontrolled right of deciding as to whether prosecutions were to be instituted or not, and as to the nature or