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: Bràhmè, 2nd century A.D. Language: Pràkrit. 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 Buôhler, ASWI V, p. 75 f., No. 4, and Plate LI; Luders list 987; ShG No. 5 |
| Lu: -Fragment. Building of a chaitya (chåtiya) by the merchants
(vàíijaka) . . . born of . . . . nûu, the . . . khàtiya brothers, Gajasåna,
Gajami[ta] (Gajamitra), . . . the property of the school (nikà[ya]) of the
[Bhàdàya]nèya (Bhadràyaíèya) teachers (àchariya), in honour of their relatives. The
overseers (nava[kami]ka) were the monks (pavajita), the elders (thåra) bhadata
(bha-áanta) Achala, bhadaìta Gahala (Gðihala), bhadaìta Vijayamita (Vijayamitra),
bhadata (bhadanta) Bî[dhika], bhadata (bhadanta) Dhamapàla (Dharmapàla), and the
lay-worøipper (upàsaka), the merchant (någama) Aparånuka, the son of À[íada]
(Ànanda), was the samàpita (?). The work was executed by bhadata (bhadanta) Bîdhika,
the pupil (sisa) of the teacher (àchariya), the elder (thåra) bhadata (bhadanta)
Såuìla, who acted as overseer (? uparakhita), through the stone-masons
(såla-vaähakin), the nàyakamisas, the kaähichakas, the mahàkaòakas, and the poliøer
(mèòhika) Khadaraki (Skandaraki ?). Compare No. 1024. -Raãî Gîtam . . . . Sî(Sà)takaìnissa s . . . . . [gi]mhapakhå paìchamå . . . . |
TEXT.
1. Raão Gotam[iputasa Sàmi-Siriyaãasa]
2. Sotakaìnissa [saìvachare ..... gi]
3. mhapakhe paìchame [5 divase .....]
4. vàíijakehi utó [.........]
5. íuya upaìnehi gà[........]
6. khàtiyehi bhàtó[hi.....]
7. Gajasenena Gajami[tena ....]
8. Kapaòhàyi Cheti[ya ...... ...]
9. àchariyàíaì nikà[yasa ..... Bhàdàya]
10. nèyànaì parigahe pa[tiòhàpitaì ..... mà]
11. tapitónaì abhatètà[naì] [......]
12. pójàya kuòuìbinè[na bàla]kànaì bàli[kànaì]
13. savatasa bhàgineyàna nik[à]yasa nàti]
14. vagasa cha aga paòiasiya savvasa[tànaì]
15. cha hitasukhàya hetu [|] etha cha nave ......]
16 kà pavajito therà bhadata Achalà Bhàdaì[ta]
17 Gahalà bhadaìta-Vijayamità bhadata Bo[dhiko]
18 bhadata Dhamapàlà upàsako cha negamo À(nada)
19 puto Apareíuko samàpità [|] àchari[y]àna theràíaì
20. bhadata Seuôìlànaì siseía uparakhitana bha-
21 data Bodhikena kata selavaähakèhi [nàya]kami-
22 sehi kaähichak[e] hi Mahàkaòak[e]hi Khadara-
23 kinà cha mèòhikenà [||]
Notes
____________________
L.1. ShG has Siri Yaíasa
L.2 Read - Sàtakaìnissa (ASWI)
L.2-3 Possibly unha is to be read (ASWI)
L.4 ShG has utu
L.6 ShG has bhàtuhi[.....]
L.11 ShG has tapitunaì
L.12 At present these letters are not in existence (ShG).
L.13 Possibly seva.tasa to be read (ASWI)
L.15 Buôhler has not read the letter 'cha', read nava (ShG).
L.16-18 ShG in Achalà, Bhàdaì[ta], Gahalà, Vijayamità, upàsako don't read long à.
L.18 Bu. read A(nada)
L.20 Bu: read uparakhitunà, bha looks like su (ASWI)