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172
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JULY, 1912.
In interpreting this passage we must never forget the suggestions given us by such an authority on Asoka's inscriptions as M. Senart. The first is that Sald vivutha of Sahasrâm cannot possibly be separated from, and consequently must be taken to exactly correspond to, sata-vivasa of Rûpnâth. The second is that vivutha and vivdsa, wherever any one of these words occurs, must bear one and the same sense. Now, most scholars are agreed that the forms pivutha and rivása are to be derived from the root vi-vas, to dwell abroad, to depart from home,' That this is the natural correct sense to take will be seen from what follows. The word sata I take with Dr. Ollenberg and M. Senart to stand for sattva, 'a living being, soul.' But duve sapaindlatz3 I take with Bühler as equivalent to Lvo shat-panchisa l-ati. Obviously the word nata in the sense of sate has been inadvertently omitted after ali. It is a well-known fact that at the time of copying a document when a word is followed by an exactly or almost exactly similar word, one of these is sometimes dropped. If any instance is needed, it is supplied by the Girnar text of Rock Edict x. After yan tu kimchi pardkamate, we have devanam Priyalasi rájd instead of devánai priyo Priyadasi rája. A similar thing has happened in the Sahasram text, and hence after duve sapaindlati, instead of satá sata vivutha, we have simply sata rivutha. So the Sahasram text might be re-written as follows: iyain cha sdpane vivuthena [1] dupe sapainds-ati-sata satá vivutha ti 256. It may be rendered as follows: "And this sermon has been delivered by Vivathas (officials who have gone forth on tour). (The figure) 256 indicates that two hundred and fifty-six son's (i. e., officials) have gone forth on tour." The Rupnåth text may also be similarly translated: " (This) sermon bas been delivered by Vyúthas (officials who have gone forth on tour). (The figure) 256 indicates that there have been settings out on tour by (as many) souls (i. e, officials)."
The word vyltha or vivutha I take to refer to Asoka's officials. This is clear, I think, from etiná cha vaya(n)janena yavataka tuphaka ahdle savata vivasetaviyuti of the Rupnâth recension. The same formula occurs in the Sarnath edict, and it will be patent to any one who reads it that this injunction is issued by Asoka to Mahamåtras, his own officials. I have, therefore, little doubt that in the Rupnath text too the same injunction is meant by the monarch to be conveyed to his officers. And what is the injunction? "Go ye forth on tour (virasetaviya) with these words (i. e., with this sermon oi mine) everywhere in your district." The word dhara again is noteworthy. It frequently occurs in care inscriptions and in the sense of " district." In other words, whese officers appear to me to be the pradesikas of Rock Edict III who have been ordered by Aboka to go forth on tour every five years together with yutas and Rajukas and perform the work of preaching in addition to their office duties. So if the word vivaselaviya refors to Asoka's officials, the word vivutha which is anothor derivative of vi-vas must necessarily refer to them and them ouly. The fact that vivuthana is instrumental singular and not plural as it ought to have been if it referred to Asoka's officials does by no means militate against our view. Because the word nirutha is here used collectively compare dharma-yuta of, e. g., Rock Edict V). Now in the Drahmagiri text vyuthena is immediately followed by the figure 256, without a word of explanation. This explanation is, however, given by the Sahasram and Rûpnâth inscriptions, in the former of which it is tall and lucid. And this is given only to inform us for what the tigure stands. The figure 256, says that record, indicates that two hundred and fifty-six souls have set out on religious tour. In short, what Asoka means is that he has sent out 256 officials called vydthas or vivuthas to preach bis sermon.
M. Senart has called our attention to the fact that Pillar Edict VII presents very close analogies to our edict of which we must take the fullest advantage in interpreting it. Here too Asoka speaks of having caused dharama-savanas to be heard. His exact words are: etáye-me athdye dha Ama-8dvandni sdvápitani dhamánusathini vividhani anapitáni yatha me pulisa-pi bahune jana si dyatd ete paliyova lisahti-pi pavilhalisanti pi. It is thus plain that Asoka preached
There was vory little difference betweon the letters l and, in Asokn'. time. 8 was probably written on the rook, but the engraver mistook it for 1 and no engraved this last lotter.
. Cf. the Māmalandra of Karle Insorip. No 19 (Ep. Ind. Vol. VII, p. 64), and Govadhanahare and Kupurl. hars of NÁsik Ingrips. Nos. 3 and 12 (Ibid. Vol. VIII., PP. 65 and 82). Compare also Dr. Floot's Gupta Inscrs., P. 173, note.
