No. 17. Kanheri Buddhist cave inscription. Prakrit.
| The inscription is on the inner wall of the verandah of Cave No. 73 over and between two grated windows. There is another short line over one of the windows. It measures 2.21 m. x 84 cm. Letters 6 cm. x 5.5 cm. Characters: Brаhmи, 200 A.D. Language: Prakrit. Orthography: The letters are deeply cut on the rough surface. It is interesting to note that there is a punctuation mark of two vertical lines to indicate the end of sentence. There are two forms of 'ta' with loop and without loop. (ShG) |
| 1847 Bird. Hist. Res. p. 57 f., No. 15, and Plate XLV, 16; 1853 Stevenson-Brett, JBBRAS V, p. 17 ff., No. 5, and Plate, No. 7; 1861 West, JBBRAS VI, p. 6, No. 18, and Plate; 1883 Buфhler, ASWI V, p. 81 f., No. 18; Luders list 1000; ShG No 40; |
| Lu: -A cave (lенa) and a cistern (pодhи), the gift of the merchant (nеgama) Isipаla (Рiшipаla), son of the merchant (nеgama) Gоlaнaka, the Kaliaнaka (inhabitant of Kalyанa), together with his family in honour of his parents. Also endowment of a field in the village (gаma) of Saphау, for the support of the monk and repairs of the porch (maтapa) and the pavадa(?). |
TEXT.
1. Sidhaм Kaliaнakasa negamasa Golaнakaputasa negamasa Isipаlasa
2. saparivаrasa mаtаpitunaм
3. puyatha leнa poдhi cha deyadhaм-
4. ma || akhayanivi cha dinа gаme
5. Saphаusu kheta thapati [|] eto
6. cha vasa-uthasa chivarika bаrasaka
7. gimhаsu paдiko mаse seseнa
8. maтape pavадe cha paдiagitava [||]
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(ShG) It is interesting to note that the inscription is written in the porch (manдapa)
and just above the two windows (pravадa) in the cave. The village Saphau is modem
saphale near Virar, but the inscription does not mention the measurement of the field.
'Maндapa' and 'Pavаda' are the two architectural terms in the inscription.