Jainism Early Faith of Ashoka

Author(s): Edward Thomas
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 95

THE EARLY FAITH OF AŞOKA.
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conjoint legends appertaining to which are couched in the following terms:
Latin-Greek—BACIAETC OOHMO KAADICIC. Bactrian-Pali
Maharajasa Rajadhirajasa Sarva-loga-işwarasa Mahigwarasa Kapigasa. Of the Great King, King of Kings, ruler of the whole world, the Great Lord
(of) Kapisa,1 We have here, again, Şiva very much under the guise of a God of War (Nos. 9, 13), though the trident is suggestive of Neptune and the ill-defined drooping garment, in the left hand, is reminiscent of the lion's skin of Hercules. But the Saivism is complete in No. 5, even to the spiral shell-shaped hair? (legs apparent in No. 13), with the conventional VÁHANA or Bull, which now becomes constant and immutable ; following on in Nos. 12-21 the leading type exhibits various gradations of the gross hermaphrodite outline of half man, half woman, with “the necklace of skulls,” possibly disclosing the first definite introduction to caste threads, out of which so many religious conflicts grew in later days.
Under any circumstances, the present coincidences must be 'accepted as beyond measure, critical, when we find Patanjali, a native of Oudh, speaking of things on the banks of the Soane, at Patna, and Scythian intruders on the Kábul river, responding in practical terms, as to the ruling Saivism which covered, with so little change, a range of country represented in the divergent paths of a continuous highway, starting from the extreme geographical points here named..
For the purposes of the illustration of the international associations, and the accepted religions of the period, we are beyond measure indebted to the recent numismatic contributions of the Peshawar find. These coins, comprising the large total of 360 gold pieces, all belong to the combined Kanishka brotherhood, or tribal communities, to which reference has been made in my previous article in the Journal,and in
1 Prinsep's Essays, vol. ii.p. 213. Ariana Antiqua, p. 354. J.R.A.S. Vol. XX. p. 239. Solinus tells us : Quidam libri Caphusam. In alii: Caphisam. Plinius Capissam vocat. cap. liv. p. 827.
Rudra and Pushan are said to wear their hair wound or braided spirally upwards into the form of a shell called “ Kapardin."-Muir, vol. v. p. 462.
3 Journal Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. IX. p. 8 et seq.