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कहाऊँ स्तम्भ एवं क्षेत्रीय पुरातत्व की खोज
४९
Remarks The differences in previous renderings of the first śloka of this inscription have all turned on the word śânte, which means both 'peaceful' and 'expired'; but it was correctly construed by Dr Hall in his first version, and by Dr. Bhau Dâji. Dr. Hall's second rendering of 141 years after the extinction of the empire of Skandagupta is untenable on palaeographic grounds alone, as the characters do not belong to a later age than that of the Guptas. Then the Girnâr inscription of Skandagupta's governor Parnadatta, is dated 'in the year 136 calculated from the time of Gupta (Gupta sya Kâlâdgananâ Vidheya)', and it is well known that the coins and all other dated inscriptions of the Guptas show no other era but this Rajendralâla Mitra connects śânte with the date which commences in the following pada of the śloka, and makes it express that the 'year' was 'expired', but such a construction is unusual.
The remainder of the inscription has not been translated since Prinsep's time.
The inscription states that one Madra, whose pedigree is given up to his great grand-father set up "five principal originators in the path of the Arhats," and then this pillar. The Jains call their Tirthạnkaras by the name of Adikartris; but five of them, it is well known, are special favourities, viz:Adinatha, Sântinátha, Neminâtha, Pârśva, and Mahâvira. These are oftenest represented in their temples, and addressed at the beginning of Jain books. These are doubtless the "five lords" (Panchéndra)spoken of. The pillar we know from the sculptures on it to be Jaina, and though there are no temples near it now, there are traces of brick foundations in the ground about 25 feet distant from the pillar on the north, on which
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