No. 15. Buddhist cave inscription. Prakrit. An inscription of Puлumаyi
dated saмvat 22.This inscription is a postscript to the last (Nаsik 14, pl. lii), and
infoms us that the village assigned by Puлumаyi in his 19th year for the repairs of the
Queen's Cave was exchanged, three years later, for what reason is not stated, for another
one. The document is highly interesting, both on philological and palaeographical grounds.
It contains a number of rare Deщи words, and is written in characters which show traces
of a current hand, differing from the usual stiff "cave-alphabet." But these
characteristics, as well as its slightly mutilated state, the small size of the letters,
and the slovenliness of the stonemason's work, make its translation a task of great
difficulty, in spite of the assistance which the three analogous edicts, Nаsik Nos. 11A
and 11B (p. 104) and Kаrle No. 19 (p. 10), as well as the Deщиkosha, afford (ASWI).
Separated from No.14 only by Svastika followed by another symbol.
1853 Stevenson-Brett, JBBRAS V, p. 45 f., and Plate, No. 1 (second portion); 1865
West-West, JBBRAS VII, p. 51 f., No. 26, and Plate (lower portion); 1876 Bhandarkar,
Transact. Second London Congr. Or. p. 314 ff., No. 26A; 1883 Buфhler, ASWI IV, p. 110
ff., No. 9.18, and Plate LII; 1883 Bh. Indraji, BG XVI, p. 555 ff., No. 3; 1895 note by
Bhandarkar, Early History of the Dekkan2, p. 18, note 2; 1895 note by Pischel, Nachtr. Goфtt.
Ges. Wiss. Phil. Hist. Kl. 1895, p. 213; 1896 corr. by Franke, ZDMG L, p. 596 f.; 1901
corr. by Hultzsch, EI VI, p. 319, notes 2 and 3; 1905 Senart, EI VIII, p. 65 ff., No. 3,
and Plate II; 1908 note by Rapson, CCAD, etc. p. LI, No. 14; Luders list No 1124; SI
No.87;
-Engraved in continuation of No. 1123. Order of the lord (svаmin) of Navanara
(Navanagara), Vаsiтhиputa (Vаsiштhиputra) Siri-Puлumavi to Sivakha-dila (Щivaskandila),
officer (аmacha) at Gоvadhana (Gоvardhana), regarding the gift of the village (gаma)
of Samalipada or Sаmalipada (Щаlmalиpadra) on the eastern road in the Gоvadhana
district (ahara) to the monks (bhikhu) of the school (nikаya) of the Bhadаyaniyas (Bhadrаyaниyas)
dwelling in the queen's cave (dеvilенa), in exchange for the village (gаma) of
Sudasana or Sudisaнa, (Sudarщana) on the southern road in the Gоvadhana district (аhаra)
formerly given to the same monks, for repairs of the cave. The inscription mentions
besides in connection with Sudasana the ascetics, (samana) of Dhanakaтa (or Benаkaтa ?)
who live on mount Tira[нhu] (Triraщmi). Written by the great general (mahаsеnapati) Mеdhuna;
the plates were prepared by . . . .takaнi. It is further stated that the description of
the lord (svаmin, i.e. of Gцоtamиputa Siri-Sаtakaнi in No. 1123) was given by Viнhupаla
(Viшнupаla) for imparting pleasure to the inhabitants of Gоvadhana, and the
inscription concludes with an invocation of Budha (Buddha), the best of Jinas.
-sava 10 9 gi pa 2 diva 10 3.
- sava 20 2 gi pakhе diva 7.
SI often read c instead ch. Sircar dividing mark - [|*].
Text.
11.b(1) Siddhaм | Navanara-svаmи Vаsiтhиputo Siri-Puлumavi аnapayati Govadhane аmacha
12.(2) Sivakhadila ya amhehi sava 19 gi pa 2 diva 13 Dhanakaтa-samanehi yo etha pavate
Tira[нhumhi] . . . . . . . na dhaм[ma]setusa leнasa paтisaмtharaнe [data] akhaya[nиvi]-hetu
etha Govadhanаhаre dakhiнa-mage gаmo Sudisaна bhikhuhi devileнa-vаsehi nikаyena
Bhadаyanayehi patigaya dato [|*] etasa dаna-gаmasa Sudisana[sa] parivaтake etha
Govadhanаhаre puva-ma[ge]
13a.(3) gаma Samalipada dadama [|*] eta ta maha-aСфrakena odena dhamasetusa leнasa paтisaмtharaнe
akhaya-nivi-hetu gаma Sаmalipada [bhikhuhi devi]-leнa[vаsиhi nikа]yena Bhadаyaniyehi
patigayha oyapapehi [|*] etasa cha gаmasa Sаma[li]padasa bhikhuhala-parihаra
14.(4) vitarаma apаveasa anomasa aloнa-khаdaka araтha-savinavika savajаta-pаrihаrika
cha [|*] etehi na parihаrehi pariharehi [|*] eta cha gаma Samalipada parihаre ca etha
nibadhаpehi Su[disana] gаmasa cha [|*] Sudisanа[sa] vinibadhakаrehi aнatа [|*] mahаsenаpatinа
Medhunena . . . . nа chhato [|*] paтikа . vаsakehi
13b(5) (hathi chhatа datа hi нa) sava 22 gi pa . diva 7 . sа . kanena kaта
Govadhanavathavana phesakaye V[i]кhupаlana sаmivananаnata nama bhagatasa patipatapasa
jinavarasa budhasa [ || ]
Senart read stk 13b as the end of stk 14:
hatha . to datа paтikа sava 22 gi pakhe . diva 7 [|*] . takaнinа kaта [|*]
Govadhanavаthavаna phаsa . yo Viнhupаlena svаmivaнaнaнata [|*] nama
bhagatasapatipatapasa Jinavarasa Budhasa [||]
Sicar read stk 13b as the end of stk 14: . . . . . to [|*] datа paтikа sava 22 gi pakhe
* diva 7 [|*] * takaнinа kaта [|*] Govadhana-vаthavаna phа[sуkаye] Viнhupаlena
svаmi-vaнanaнata [|*] nama bhagata-sapati-patapasa Jinavarasa Budhasa [||]
Notes
_____________
L.11b. Sen. read Siddha, Buhler has: amacha.
L.12 Buhler - amhepa, pate in notes - read amhehi, the beginning of the curve of the i is
still visible, read pavate (instead pate); Read dhamasetusa (instead dhavаsetisa); Read
Sudasanа; Probably - leнаvаsehi is to be read (instead devileнavasehi).(ASWI), Sen.
read ya instead yo, Tira . . . , dhavasetusa, paтisatharaнe, akhaya . . . hetu,
Govadhanahare, Sudasanаna; Buhler read dhavаsetisa, Bhadаyaniyena paтikhaya datа,
Sadasanа. [data] read only SI; Sircar read devileнa-vаsиhi,
L.13a Perhaps eta cha is to be read (instead etata); Read aСфrakena; Read -hetu in
akhayaniviheta; Read Bhadаyaniyehi; (ASWI); Buhler read: gаmo, dadima, mahaaСфrakana,
akhayaniviheta, ta [. . bhi]khuhi leнa [vаsehi; Sen. read: Sаmalipada bhi . uhi devileнa
. . . . . . yena Bhadаyanayahi patikhaya uyapaya. paтisatharaнe,
patigayha - Bu.=paтikhaya (govern), Sen.=pratigрhya (owned)
L.14 A comparison of Nos. 13 and 14 above shows that line 14 is to be read after the first
half of line 13, and that the second half of line 13 concludes the inscription; Read apаvesa
(instead apаlasa in text); Read cha (instead нa); Probably laтha (in la . .) to be
read, as in No. 25B; Read анata.(ASWI); Buhler read: savajаtapаrihаrika cha etehi na
pariharehi pariharиhi eta, Samalapada, eтha nibadha la . . . mi . gаmasa, vinibakаrehi,
mahаsenapatinа Medhunana, Sen read: panihаre cha instead parihаre нa, baтikа . v .
kehi, nibadhаpehi Sud . . na. Bu, Sen read Sudasanаna vinibadhakаrehi
L.13b The words in parentheses are uncertain; Read sаmivachanа- (instead sаmivananаnata);
Read bhagavatasa; -patаpasa.(ASWI)