No. 4. Kanheri Buddhist cave inscription. Prakrit. Buhler - letters Andhra time after Pulumavi.
| The inscription is on the right hand gate post of the Chaitya cave No. 3. It measures 2.30 m x 1 m. Letters 10 cm. x 5 cm. Characters: Brаhmи, 2nd century A.D. Language: Prаkrit. Orthography: The letters are bold and written in Nasik style (ShG). |
| 1847 Bird, Hist. Res. Plate XLII, 11; 1853 Stevenson-Brett, JBBRAS V, p. 25 f., No. 12, and Plate, No. 4; 1861 West, JBBRAS VI, p. 3, No. 4, and Plate; l883 referred to by Bhagvanlal Indraji, JBBRAS XV, p. 312; 1883 Buфhler, ASWI V, p. 75 f., No. 4, and Plate LI; Luders list 987; ShG No. 5 |
| Lu: -Fragment. Building of a chaitya (chеtiya) by the merchants
(vанijaka) . . . born of . . . . nыu, the . . . khаtiya brothers, Gajasеna,
Gajami[ta] (Gajamitra), . . . the property of the school (nikа[ya]) of the
[Bhаdаya]nиya (Bhadrаyaниya) teachers (аchariya), in honour of their relatives. The
overseers (nava[kami]ka) were the monks (pavajita), the elders (thеra) bhadata
(bha-бanta) Achala, bhadaмta Gahala (Gрihala), bhadaмta Vijayamita (Vijayamitra),
bhadata (bhadanta) Bо[dhika], bhadata (bhadanta) Dhamapаla (Dharmapаla), and the
lay-worшipper (upаsaka), the merchant (nеgama) Aparеnuka, the son of А[нada]
(Аnanda), was the samаpita (?). The work was executed by bhadata (bhadanta) Bоdhika,
the pupil (sisa) of the teacher (аchariya), the elder (thеra) bhadata (bhadanta)
Sеuмla, who acted as overseer (? uparakhita), through the stone-masons
(sеla-vaдhakin), the nаyakamisas, the kaдhichakas, the mahаkaтakas, and the poliшer
(mитhika) Khadaraki (Skandaraki ?). Compare No. 1024. -Raго Gоtam . . . . Sо(Sа)takaмnissa s . . . . . [gi]mhapakhе paмchamе . . . . |
TEXT.
1. Raгo Gotam[iputasa Sаmi-Siriyaгasa]
2. Sotakaмnissa [saмvachare ..... gi]
3. mhapakhe paмchame [5 divase .....]
4. vанijakehi utу [.........]
5. нuya upaмnehi gа[........]
6. khаtiyehi bhаtу[hi.....]
7. Gajasenena Gajami[tena ....]
8. Kapaтhаyi Cheti[ya ...... ...]
9. аchariyанaм nikа[yasa ..... Bhаdаya]
10. nиyаnaм parigahe pa[tiтhаpitaм ..... mа]
11. tapitуnaм abhatиtа[naм] [......]
12. pуjаya kuтuмbinи[na bаla]kаnaм bаli[kаnaм]
13. savatasa bhаgineyаna nik[а]yasa nаti]
14. vagasa cha aga paтiasiya savvasa[tаnaм]
15. cha hitasukhаya hetu [|] etha cha nave ......]
16 kа pavajito therа bhadata Achalа Bhаdaм[ta]
17 Gahalа bhadaмta-Vijayamitа bhadata Bo[dhiko]
18 bhadata Dhamapаlа upаsako cha negamo А(nada)
19 puto Apareнuko samаpitа [|] аchari[y]аna therанaм
20. bhadata Seuфмlаnaм siseнa uparakhitana bha-
21 data Bodhikena kata selavaдhakиhi [nаya]kami-
22 sehi kaдhichak[e] hi Mahаkaтak[e]hi Khadara-
23 kinа cha mитhikenа [||]
Notes
____________________
L.1. ShG has Siri Yaнasa
L.2 Read - Sаtakaмnissa (ASWI)
L.2-3 Possibly unha is to be read (ASWI)
L.4 ShG has utu
L.6 ShG has bhаtuhi[.....]
L.11 ShG has tapitunaм
L.12 At present these letters are not in existence (ShG).
L.13 Possibly seva.tasa to be read (ASWI)
L.15 Buфhler has not read the letter 'cha', read nava (ShG).
L.16-18 ShG in Achalа, Bhаdaм[ta], Gahalа, Vijayamitа, upаsako don't read long а.
L.18 Bu. read A(nada)
L.20 Bu: read uparakhitunа, bha looks like su (ASWI)