Samipya 1991 Vol 08 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 24

There is a reference to the Manusmrti and famous authors like Vatsyayana, Visalaksa Pravarasena, Mayura, Gunadhya and great medical writer Suśruta. These inscriptions show the high state of Sanskrit learning in Kambuia. They show familiarity with the works of Kalidasa. Thus the Sanskrit language and literature was the first and foremost which opened a new world of culture.
As regards the palaeography, It will suffice here to state that Indian scripts. were adopted in Cambadia, but they were developed on the soil and underwent modifications very much in the same way as in different parts of India. As regards orthography, it is necessary to state a few peculiarities which occur almost constantly in the inscriptions. In the first place, there is a curious tendency to substitute celebral for dental and vice versa. Thus 'n' and 'd' are very frequently substituted for 'n' and 'd', and sometimes we find 'nd' or even 'nd for; 'nd'; for exa. 'Rāmāyana' (no. 13, L. 4.). Another peculiarity which is fairly constant is the substitution of 'n' for 'm'; for example, 'Bharatan' (no. 12, L. 4). We also frequently find that visarga before a sibilant is replaced by the sibilant itself; for example, 'Dhapas Šiva' (no. 25, L. 1), 'Tatas sa' (no. 10, v. 6.), 'Punas' 'saivena.' (no. 10, v. 8), 'Kalas' saśnko' (no. 12. v. 15) etc.
Again, while consonats are trequently doubled after 'r' and 'y', they are times written simply with a single letter.
Again 't' before 'v' is very often not doubled, even when grammatical rules require it and the most prominent example is 'satva". Letter 'v" is seldom distinguished from 'b'. Jihvamalıya and Upadhmäntya are not used in later inscriptions. Sometimes 'Candrabindu' is used for anusvära.3 The language is mostly correct Sanskrit, and it is only very rarely that any irregularities or mistakes have crept in and in these cases the fault is perhaps more due to the engraver than the composer.
From the study of the Kambuja Inscriptions, it appears that kings, nobles and priests had Sanskrit names. Princes were educated by their Gurus in the Siddhanta, Grammar, Dharmasastra and different systems of Indian philosophy. Cities and provinces most often bore Sanskrit name, e. g. Tianapura and Yasodharapura. The majority of Sanskrit place names were associated with the names of deities, kings, high dignitaries and important personalites. The most common ending is pural; as for example Siddhipura, Sivapura, Svayambhapura, Dvijendrapura, Maheivaralaya, Hariharalaya, Yasodharäsrama, Šivasthana etc.
Sanskrit incriptions of Kambuja used Indian Saka era. The language of dating is in exact accordance with ancient inscriptions of India. They contain abundant material for reconstructing the religious and social condition of Kambuja. They not only supply the names of the deities, but also long lists of the articles of daily or seasonal worship; the utensils and other necessaries, including the personnel of the temples, the detailed account of the properties, both movable and immovable belonging to
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[Samipya: April, '91-March, 1992