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: Bràhmè, 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 Buôhler, ASWI V, p. 81 f., No. 18; Luders list 1000; ShG No 40; |
| Lu: -A cave (låía) and a cistern (pîähè), the gift of the merchant (någama) Isipàla (Ðiøipàla), son of the merchant (någama) Gîlaíaka, the Kaliaíaka (inhabitant of Kalyàía), together with his family in honour of his parents. Also endowment of a field in the village (gàma) of Saphàó, for the support of the monk and repairs of the porch (maòapa) and the pavàäa(?). |
TEXT.
1. Sidhaì Kaliaíakasa negamasa Golaíakaputasa negamasa Isipàlasa
2. saparivàrasa màtàpitunaì
3. puyatha leía poähi cha deyadhaì-
4. ma || akhayanivi cha dinà gàme
5. Saphàusu kheta thapati [|] eto
6. cha vasa-uthasa chivarika bàrasaka
7. gimhàsu paäiko màse seseía
8. maòape pavàäe cha paäiagitava [||]
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(ShG) It is interesting to note that the inscription is written in the porch (manäapa)
and just above the two windows (pravàäa) in the cave. The village Saphau is modem
saphale near Virar, but the inscription does not mention the measurement of the field.
'Maíäapa' and 'Pavàda' are the two architectural terms in the inscription.